Scotland/Scots > Life of Robert Burns

ROBERT BURNS. 141
less patiently endure his presumption; ” * an ac¬
count ex facie probable, and which sufficiently tal¬
lies with some hints in Mr Dugald Stewart’s de¬
scription of the poet’s manners, as he first observ¬
ed him at Catrine, and with one or two anecdotes
already cited from Walker and Cromek.
Of these failings, and indeed of all Burns’s fail¬
ings, it may be safely asserted, that there was more
in his history to account and apologize for them,
than can be alleged in regard to almost any other
great man’s imperfections. We have seen, how,
even in his earliest days, the strong thirst of dis¬
tinction glowed within him—how in his first and
rudest rhymes he sung,
“ to be great is charming ; ”
and we have also seen, that the display of talent
in conversation was the first means of distinction
that occurred to him. It was by that talent that
he first attracted notice among his fellow pea¬
sants, and after he mingled with the first Scotch¬
men of his time, this talent was still that which
appeared the most astonishing of all he possess¬
ed. What wonder that he should delight in
exerting it where he could exert it the most
freely—where there was no check upon a tongue
that had been accustomed to revel in the license
of village-mastery ? where every sally, however
bold, was sure to be received with triumphant
applause—where there were no claims to rival
his—no proud brows to convey rebuke, above
all, perhaps, no grave eyes to convey regret ?
“ Nonsense,” says Cumberland, “ talked by men
of wit and understanding in the hours of relaxa-
* Heron, p. 28.
M