No More Learning

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.
* * * * *

Upon the twenty-fourth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-six years, I, William Chalmer, Notary Publick, past to the
Mercat Cross of Ayr head Burgh of the Sheriffdome thereof, and thereat
I made due and lawful intimation of the foregoing disposition and
assignation to his Majesties lieges, that they might not pretend
ignorance thereof by reading the same over in presence of a number of
people assembled. Whereupon William Crooks, writer, in Ayr, as
attorney for the before designed Gilbert Burns, protested that the
same was lawfully intimated, and asked and took instruments in my
hands. These things were done betwixt the hours of ten and eleven
forenoon, before and in presence of William M'Cubbin, and William
Eaton, apprentices to the Sheriff Clerk of Ayr, witnesses to the
premises.

(Signed)

WILLIAM CHALMER, N. P.

WILLIAM M'CUBBIN, Witness.

WILLIAM EATON, Witness.

* * * * *




GLOSSARY.


"The _ch_ and _gh_ have always the guttural sound. The sound of the
English diphthong _oo_ is commonly spelled _ou. _ The French _u_, a
sound which often occurs in the Scottish language, is marked _oo_ or
_ui. _ The _a_, in genuine Scottish words, except when forming a
diphthong, or followed by an _e_ mute after a single consonant, sounds
generally like the broad English _a_ in _wall. _ The Scottish diphthong
_ae_ always, and _ea_ very often, sound like the French _e_ masculine.
The Scottish diphthong _ey_ sounds like the Latin _ei. _"

A.

_A'_, all.