CCI.

TO MRS. DUNLOP.

[The poet wrote out several copies of Tam o' Shanter and sent them to his friends, requesting their criticisms: he wrote few poems so universally applauded.]

_Ellisland, November, 1790._

"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."

Fate has long owed me a letter of good news from you, in return for the many tidings of sorrow which I have received. In this instance I most cordially obey the apostle--"Rejoice with them that do rejoice"--for me, _to sing_ for joy, is no new thing; but _to preach_ for joy, as I have done in the commencement of this epistle, is a pitch of extravagant rapture to which I never rose before.

I read your letter--I literally jumped for joy--How could such a mercurial creature as a poet lumpishly keep his seat on the receipt of the best news from his best friend. I seized my gilt-headed Wangee rod, an instrument indispensably necessary in my left hand, in the moment of inspiration and rapture; and stride, stride--quick and quicker--out skipt I among the broomy banks of Nith to muse over my joy by retail. To keep within the bounds of prose was impossible. Mrs. Little's is a more elegant, but not a more sincere compliment to the sweet little fellow, than I, extempore almost, poured out to him in the following verses:--

Sweet flow'ret, pledge o' meikle love And ward o' mony a prayer, What heart o' stane wad thou na move, Sae helpless, sweet, an' fair. November hirples o'er the lea Chill on thy lovely form; But gane, alas! the shelt'ring tree Should shield thee frae the storm.

I am much flattered by your approbation of my _Tam o' Shanter_, which you express in your former letter; though, by the bye, you load me in that said letter with accusations heavy and many; to all which I plead, _not guilty_! Your book is, I hear, on the road to reach me. As to printing of poetry, when you prepare it for the press, you have only to spell it right, and place the capital letters properly: as to the punctuation, the printers do that themselves.

I have a copy of _Tam o' Shanter_ ready to send you by the first opportunity: it is too heavy to send by post.

I heard of Mr. Corbet lately. He, in consequence of your recommendation, is most zealous to serve me. Please favour me soon with an account of your good folks; if Mrs. H. is recovering, and the young gentleman doing well.

R. B.

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