Page:Life of Robert Burns.pdf/11

 11 about him began to prevail, and it became an object of desire with some of his friends to detain him in his native country. With this view, an appointment in the Excise, or some other public office, was suggested ; and Burns, it would appear, was not averse to fall in with their wishes. Having been introduced about the same time also to the tables and acquaintance of several dis- tinguished families, the originality and vigour of his genius, which was displayed in his conversa- tion no less than his poetry, began to be much talked of. Among the first to appretiate his powers 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 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 Ex- cise, which he had reason to hope for, being as lie thought rather slow in reaching him, Burns began once more to resume the idea of pushing his for- tune in the West Indies, and made several pre- parations for that purpose. He even took fare. well 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 be composed the farewell dirge to his native land, and which ends thus: " Farewell, old Coila's hills and dales, Her heathy moors and winding vales, The scenes where wretched fancy roves,