Page:Alloway Kirk or Tam o Shanter a tale and man was made to mourn a poem with a sketch of burnss life.pdf/6

6 His father, well knew the duty of a parent, had an unaccountable antipathy against these meetings, and his going was what, to his last moment, he had to repent, in opposition to his wishes. His father was subject to strong passions; from that instance of disobedience in Robert, his father took a dislike to him, which is believed to be one cause of his dissipation, which marked his succeeding years. It is too true, dancing schools have been the ruin of thousands! Not a village but there is a hop-master. Parents should strain every nerve to prevent these, in ale houses. It is well known they are not in the path of virtue.

The first circumstance which induced our youthful poet to warble his "wild, artless notes," is very interesting, on account of the elegant simplicity which distinguishes the following description of his harvest partner. "She was a bonnie, sweet,