Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Poems and songs, chiefly in the Scottish dialect

xxvn
Cached pieces in the works of our earlier bards, in
some recent musical publications, and, above all,
the exquisite specimens, in the writings of Burns,
furnished him models ; and the compositions which
he has left, shew with what skill he has contrived
to form his taste by such opportunities of improve-
ment. He said Burns " had licked the cream of
our Scottish airs," yet he has himself served up many
delicious treats of this kind to his countrymen.
He surveyed nature with the eye of a poet, felt
a poet's rapture, and delineated her features with
fidelity, elegance, and grace. The freedom of his
sketches, and freshness of his colouring, cannot
fail to excite a kindred feeling in every breast alive
to rural scenery, and the beauties of nature. His
views, drawn at ail seasons of the year, and periods
of the day, always please, and often delight.
His individual portraits are striking and interest-
ing. Under his management nature is always
amiable, for there is invariably some association.
that interests curiosity, or affects sensibility, and
in.no.- case does he overstep the limits of delicacy,
or- express a sentiment offensive to the ear of modesty.
The variety of his delineations excites our astonish-
ment, when we consider the circumstances in which he