Page:Interesting history of Robert Burns (1).pdf/12

Rh his genius, which was displayed in his conversation no less than his poetry, began to be much talked of. Among the first to appreciate his owers may be named the celebrated Professor Dugald Stewart, Dr Hugh Blair, and above all, Mrs Dunlop of Dunlop, a lady of high birth and ample fortune, who was enthusiastically attached to every thing which concerned the honour and interest of her native country. The friendship of this lady continued unabated to the day of the poet’s death, and to her a large part of his letters were addressed.

In the meantime, the appointment in the Excise, which he had reason to hope for, being as he thought rather slow in reaching him, Burns began once more to resume the idea of pushing his fortune in the West Indies, and made several preparations for that purpose. He even took farewell of some of his friends, and proceeded, as he himself informs us, to convoy his trunk so far on the road to Greenock, where he was to embark in a few days for America. On this occasion he composed the farewell dirge to his native land, and which ends thus:—

“The bursting tears my heart declare,

Farewell, the bonny banks of Ayr.”

At this critical juncture of his life and fortunes, he was presented with a letter, addressed to a friend of his in the West, from the celebrated Dr