Scotland/Scots > Life of Robert Burns

LIFE OF
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worth three farthings, meet with attention and no¬
tice, that are withheld from the son of genius and
poverty ?
“ The noble Glencairn has wounded me to the
soul here, because I dearly esteem, respect, and
love him. He showed so much attention—en¬
grossing attention, one day, to the only blockhead
at table, (the whole company consisted of his lord-
ship, dunderpate, and myself), that I was within
half a point of throwing down my gage of con¬
temptuous defiance; but he shook my hand, and
looked so benevolently good at parting—God bless
him! though I should never see him more, I shall
love him until my dying day ! I am pleased to
think I am so capable of the throes of gratitude,
as I am miserably deficient in some other virtues.
“ With Dr Blair I am more at my ease. I ne¬
ver respect him with humble veneration ; but when
he kindly interests himself in my welfare, or still
more, when he descends from his pinnacle, and
meets me on equal ground in conversation, my
heart overflows with what is called liking. When
he neglects me for the mere carcass of greatness,
or when his eye measures the difference of our
points of elevation, I say to myself, with scarcely
any emotion, what do I care for him, or his pomp
either ? ”
“ It is not easy, ” says Bums, attempting to be
more philosophical—“ It is not easy forming an
exact judgment of any one; but, in my opinion,
Dr Blair is merely an astonishing proof of what
industry and application can do. Natural parts
like his are frequently to be met with ; his vanity
is proverbially known among his own acquaint¬
ances ; but he is justly at the head of what may
be called fine writing, and a critic of the first, the