CONTENTS PAGE The Life of Robert Burns xxiii Preface to the Kilmarnock Edition of 1786 lix Dedication to the Edinburgh Edition of 1787 vii POEMS. PAGE Winter. A Dirge 61 The Death and dying Words of poor Mailie 61 Poor Mailie’s Elegy 62 First Epistle to Davie, a brother Poet 63 Second 65 Address to the Deil 65 The auld Farmer’s New-year Morning Salutation to his auld Mare Maggie 67 To a Haggis 68 A Prayer under the pressure of violent Anguish 69 A Prayer in the prospect of Death 69 Stanzas on the same occasion 69 A Winter Night 70 Remorse. A Fragment 71 The Jolly Beggars. A Cantata 71 Death and Dr. Hornbook. A True Story 76 The Twa Herds; or, the Holy Tulzie 78 Holy Willie’s Prayer 79 Epitaph to Holy Willie 80 The Inventory; in answer to a mandate by the surveyor of taxes 81 The Holy Fair 82 The Ordination 84 The Calf 86 To James Smith 86 The Vision 88 Halloween 92 Man was made to Mourn. A Dirge 95 To Ruin 96 To John Goudie of Kilmarnock, on the publication of his Essays 97 To J. Lapraik, an old Scottish Bard. First Epistle 97 To J. Lapraik. Second Epistle 99 To J. Lapraik. Third Epistle 100 To William Simpson, Ochiltree 101 Address to an illegitimate Child 103 Nature’s Law. A Poem humbly inscribed to G.H., Esq. 103 To the Rev. John M’Math 104 To a Mouse 105 Scotch Drink 106 The Author’s earnest Cry and Prayer to the Scotch Representatives of the House of Commons 107 Address to the unco Guid, or the rigidly Righteous 110 Tam Samson’s Elegy 111 Lament, occasioned by the unfortunate issue of a Friend’s Amour 112 Despondency. An Ode 113 The Cotter’s Saturday Night 114 The first Psalm 117 The first six Verses of the ninetieth Psalm 118 To a Mountain Daisy 118 Epistle to a young Friend 119 To a Louse, on seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church 120 Epistle to J. Rankine, enclosing some Poems 121 On a Scotch Bard, gone to the West Indies 122 The Farewell 123 Written on the blank leaf of my Poems, presented to an old Sweetheart then married 123 A Dedication to Gavin Hamilton, Esq. 123 Elegy on the Death of Robert Ruisseaux 125 Letter to James Tennant of Glenconner 125 On the Birth of a posthumous Child 126 To Miss Cruikshank 126 Willie Chalmers 127 Verses left in the room where he slept 128 To Gavin Hamilton, Esq., recommending a boy 128 To Mr. M’Adam, of Craigen-gillan 129 Answer to a Poetical Epistle sent to the Author by a Tailor 129 To J. Rankine. “I am a keeper of the law.” 130 Lines written on a Bank-note 130 A Dream 130 A Bard’s Epitaph 132 The Twa Dogs. A Tale 132 Lines on meeting with Lord Daer 135 Address to Edinburgh 136 Epistle to Major Logan 137 The Brigs of Ayr 138 On the Death of Robert Dundas, Esq., of Arniston, late Lord President of the Court of Session 141 On reading in a Newspaper the Death of John M’Leod, Esq. 141 To Miss Logan, with Beattie’s Poems 142 The American War, A fragment 142 The Dean of Faculty. A new Ballad 143 To a Lady, with a Present of a Pair of Drinking-glasses 144 To Clarinda 144