Amidst these distractions, Boswell found leisure warmly to interest himself in two objects to which he had pledged his support. The first of these was to obtain subscribers for two volumes of sermons, published by his former tutor and early friend, Mr. John Dun, parish minister of Auchinleck.[96] In these volumes the reverend author attempted to ridicule the poet Burns. The following verses, a parody on the bard’s “Address to the Deil,” were regarded by Boswell without disfavour:— “THE DEIL’S ANSWER TO HIS VERRA FREEND R. BURNS. “So zealous Robin, stout an’ fell, True champion for the cause o’ hell, Thou beats the righteous down pell mell, Sae frank and frothy, That o’ a seat where devils dwell, There’s nane mair worthy. * * * * * “Thou does as weel’s could be expectit, O’ ane wha’s wit lay long neglectet; Some _godly folk_ your rhyme, I trow, Ca’ worthless blether; But be na feart, ye’s get your due, When we forgather. * * * * * “In hell when I read o’er your sang, Where rhymes come thun’ring wi’ a bang, Quoth I, trouth I’s see Rab or lang, An’ that’s be seen. Giff Nick should on me ride the stang To Aberdeen.” Mr. Dun’s work was still-born. In a letter to Mr. Temple, Boswell regrets that his friend would, by his performance, be “a sad loser.” While thus abetting the ridicule of the Ayrshire poet, Boswell’s other enterprize was more creditable. He gave assistance in raising funds for a monument to Dr. Johnson in Westminster Abbey. To this undertaking he thus refers in a letter to Mr. Temple, dated the 28th November, 1789:— “Last Sunday I dined with him (Malone), with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir Joseph Banks, Mr. Metcalfe, Mr. Windham, Mr. Courtenay, and young Mr. Burke, being a select number of Dr. Johnson’s friends, to settle as to effectual measures for having a monument erected to him in Westminster Abbey; it is to be a whole-length statue of him, by Bacon, which will cost £600. Sir Joshua and Sir William Scott, his executors, are to send circular letters to a number of people, of whom we make a list, as supposing they will contribute. Several of us subscribed five guineas each, Sir Joshua and Metcalfe ten guineas each, Courtenay and young Burke two guineas each. Will you not be one of us, were it but for one guinea? We expect that the Bench of Bishops will be liberal, as he was the greatest supporter of the hierarchy. That venerable sound brings to my mind the ruffians of France, who are attempting to destroy all order, ecclesiastical and civil. The present state of that country is an intellectual earthquake, a whirlwind, a mad insurrection, without any immediate cause, and therefore we see to what a horrible anarchy it tends.” The subject of the monument is resumed in Boswell’s letter to Mr. Temple, dated 8th February, 1790:—