No More Learning

_Wednesday. _--Cross North Esk river and a rich country to Craigow.

* * * * *

Go to Montrose, that finely-situated handsome town--breakfast at Muthie,
and sail along that wild rocky coast, and see the famous caverns,
particularly the Gariepot--land and dine at Arbroath--stately ruins of
Arbroath Abbey--come to Dundee through a fertile country--Dundee a
low-lying, but pleasant town--old Steeple--Tayfrith--Broughty Castle, a
finely situated ruin, jutting into the Tay.

_Friday. _--Breakfast with the Miss Scotts--Miss Bess Scott like Mrs.
Greenfield--my bardship almost in love with her--come through the rich
harvests and fine hedge-rows of the Carse of Gowrie, along the
romantic margin of the Grampian hills, to Perth--fine, fruitful,
hilly, woody country round Perth.

_Saturday Morning. _--Leave Perth--come up Strathearn to
Endermay--fine, fruitful, cultivated Strath--the scene of "Bessy Bell,
and Mary Gray," near Perth--fine scenery on the banks of the May--Mrs.
Belcher, gawcie, frank, affable, fond of rural sports, hunting,
&c. --Lie at Kinross--reflections in a fit of the colic.

_Sunday. _--Pass through a cold, barren country to
Queensferry--dine--cross the ferry and on to Edinburgh.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 298: Another northern bard has sketched this eminent
musician--

"The blythe Strathspey springs up, reminding some
Of nights when Gow's old arm, (nor old the tale,)
Unceasing, save when reeking cans went round,
Made heart and heel leap light as bounding roe.
Alas! no more shall we behold that look
So venerable, yet so blent with mirth,
And festive joy sedate; that ancient garb
Unvaried,--tartan hose, and bonnet blue!
No more shall Beauty's partial eye draw forth
The full intoxication of his strain.
Mellifluous, strong, exuberantly rich!
No more, amid the pauses of the dance,
Shall he repeat those measures, that in days
Of other years, could soothe a falling prince,
And light his visage with a transient smile
Of melancholy joy,--like autumn sun
Gilding a sear tree with a passing beam!
Or play to sportive children on the green
Dancing at gloamin hour; or willing cheer
With strains unbought, the shepherd's bridal day. "

_British Georgics, p. _ 81]

* * * * *




THE POET'S ASSIGNMENT OF HIS WORKS.


Know all men by these presents that I Robert Burns of Mossgiel:
whereas I intend to leave Scotland and go abroad, and having
acknowledged myself the father of a child named Elizabeth, begot upon
Elizabeth Paton in Largieside: and whereas Gilbert Burns in Mossgiel,
my brother, has become bound, and hereby binds and obliges himself to
aliment, clothe, and educate my said natural child in a suitable
manner as if she was his own, in case her mother chuse to part with
her, and that until she arrive at the age of fifteen years. Therefore,
and to enable the said Gilbert Burns to make good his said engagement,
wit ye me to have assigned, disponed, conveyed and made over to, and
in favours of, the said Gilbert Burns, his heirs, executors, and
assignees, who are always to be bound in like manner, with, himself,
all and sundry goods, gear, corns, cattle, horses, nolt, sheep,
household furniture, and all other moveable effects of whatever kind
that I shall leave behind me on my departure from this Kingdom, after
allowing for my part of the conjunct debts due by the said Gilbert
Burns and me as joint tacksmen of the farm of Mossgiel. And
particularly without prejudice of the foresaid generality, the profits
that may arise from the publication of my poems presently in the
press. And also, I hereby dispone and convey to him in trust for
behoof of my said natural daughter, the copyright of said poems in so
far as I can dispose of the same by law, after she arrives at the
above age of fifteen years complete. Surrogating and substituting the
said Gilbert Burns my brother and his foresaids in my full right,
title, room and place of the whole premises, with power to him to
intromit with, and dispose upon the same at pleasure, and in general
to do every other thing in the premises that I could have done myself
before granting hereof, but always with and under the conditions
before expressed. And I oblige myself to warrant this disposition and
assignation from my own proper fact and deed allenarly. Consenting to
the registration hereof in the books of Council and Session, or any
other Judges books competent, therein to remain for preservation and
constitute.

Proculars, &c. In witness whereof I have wrote and signed these
presents, consisting of this and the preceding page, on stamped paper,
with my own hand, at the Mossgiel, the twenty-second day of July, one
thousand seven hundred and eighty-six years.

(Signed) ROBERT BURNS.