No More Learning

Awa' wi' your witchcraft o' beauty's alarms. [288]

If this will do, you have now four of my Irish engagement. In my
by-past songs I dislike one thing, the name Chloris--I meant it as the
fictitious name of a certain lady: but, on second thoughts, it is a
high incongruity to have a Greek appellation to a Scottish pastoral
ballad. Of this, and some things else, in my next: I have more
amendments to propose. What you once mentioned of "flaxen locks" is
just: they cannot enter into an elegant description of beauty. Of this
also again--God bless you! [289]

R. B.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 288: Song CCLXVI. ]

[Footnote 289: Our poet never explained what name he would have
substituted for Chloris. --Mr. Thomson. ]

* * * * *




CCCXXXI.


TO MR. THOMSON.
[It is seldom that painting speaks in the spirit of poetry Burns
perceived some of the blemishes of Allan's illustrations: but at that
time little nature and less elegance entered into the embellishments
of books. ]

_April, 1796. _

Alas! my dear Thomson, I fear it will be some time ere I tune my lyre
again! "By Babel streams I have sat and wept" almost ever since I
wrote you last; I have only known existence by the pressure of the
heavy hand of sickness, and have counted time by the repercussions of
pain! Rheumatism, cold, and fever have formed to me a terrible
combination. I close my eyes in misery, and open them without hope. I
look on the vernal day, and say with poor Fergusson,

"Say, wherefore has an all-indulgent heaven
Light to the comfortless and wretched given? "

This will be delivered to you by Mrs. Hyslop, landlady of the Globe
Tavern here, which for these many years has been my howff, and where
our friend Clarke and I have had many a merry squeeze. I am highly
delighted with Mr. Allan's etchings. "Woo'd an' married an' a'," is
admirable! The grouping is beyond all praise. The expression of the
figures, conformable to the story in the ballad, is absolutely
faultless perfection. I next admire "Turnim-spike.