and one of these* has nothing in common with | the printed poem but the four first lines The poem that is published, which was his second effort on the subject, received considerable alterations in printing. Instead of the six lines beginning, Say man's true genuine estimate, in manuscript the following are inserted, Say the criterion of their fate, 5. The Epistle to R. G. of F. Esq. that is, to R. Graham of Fintry, Esq. also underwent considerable alterations, as may be collected from the volume of Correspondence. This style of poetry was new to our poet, and though he was fitted to excel in it, it cost bim more trouble than his Scottish poetry. On the contrary, Tam o' Shanter seems to have issued perfect from the author's brain. The only considerable alteration made on reflection, is the omission of four lines, which had been inserted after the poem was finished, at the end of the dreadful catalogue of the articles found on the "haly table," and which appeared in the first edition of the poem, printed separately. They came after the eighteenth line, page 147, Which even to name would be unlawfu', and are as follows: *This is given in the Correspondence. Three lawyers' tongues turn'd inside out, These lines, which, independent of other objections, interrupt and destroy the emotions of terror which the preceding description had excited, were very properly left out of the printed collection, by the advice of Mr Fraser Tytler; to which Burns seems to have paid some deference. 6. The Address to the Shade of Thomson, page 148, began in the first manuscript copy in the following manner : While cold-eyed Spring, a virgin coy, Or pranks the sod in frolic joy, A carpet for her youthful feet: By the alteration in the printed poem, it may proved; the poet however has found means to be questioned whether the poetry is much imintroduce the shades of Dryburgh, the residence of the Earl of Buchan, at whose request these verses were written. These observations might be extended, but what are already offered will satisfy curiosity, and there is nothing of any importance that could be added. GLOSSARY. THE ch and gh have always the guttural sound. The sound of the English diphthong oo, is commonly spelled ou. The French u, a sound which often occurs in the Scottish language, is marked oo, or ui. The a in genuine Scottish words, except when forming a diphthong, or followed by an e mute after a single consonant, sounds generally like the broad English a in wall. The Scottish diphthong e, always, and ea, very often, sound like the French e masculine. The Scottish diphthong ey, sounds like the Latin ei. Auld, old. Ben, into the spence or parlour; a spence. Bethankit, grace after meat. Auldfarran, or, auld farrant, sagacious, cun- Bicker, a kind of wooden dish; a short race. ¡ning, prudent. Bie, or Bield, shelter. Brewin', brewing. Brie, juice, liquid. Birring, the noise of partridges, &c. when they Brig, a bridge. Brunstane, brimstone. Brisket, the breast, the bosom. Brither, a brother. Blastie, a shrivelled dwarf; a term of con- Brock, a badger. Blellum, an idle talking fellow. Blether, to talk idly; nonsense, Bleth'rin', talking idly. Brogue, a hum; a trick. Broo, broth; a trick. Broose, broth; a race at country weddings, who shall first reach the bridegroom's house on returning from church. Browster-wives, ale-house wives. Bruilzie, a broil, a combustion. Brunt, did burn, burnt, Brust, to burst; burst. Buchan-bullers, the boiling of the sea among the rocks of Buchan. Blink, a little while; a smiling look; to look Buckskin, an inhabitant of Virginia. kindly; to shine by fits. Blinker, a term of contempt. Blue-gown, one of those beggars who get annually, on the king's birth-day, a blue cloak or gown, with a badge. Bluid, blood. Bluntie, a sniveller, a stupid person. Blype, a shred, a large piece. Bock, to vomit, to gush intermittently, Bocked, gushed, vomited. Bodle, a small gold coin. Bogles, spirits, hobgoblins. Bonnie or bonny, handsome, beautiful. Bonnock, a kind of thick cake of bread, a small jannock, or loaf made of oat meal. Boord, a board. Boortree, the shrub elder; planted much of old in hedges of barn-yards, &c. Boost, behaved, must needs. Bore, a hole in the wall. Bught, a pen. Bughtin-time, the time of collecting the sheep in the pens to be milked. Buirdly, stout made; broad made. Bum-clock, a humming beetle that flies in the Bummler, a blunderer. Bunker, a window-seat. Burdies, diminutive of birds. Bure, did bear. Burn, water a rivulet. Caller, fresh; sound; refreshing. Canie, or cannie, gentle, mild; dexterous. Cannilie, dexterously; gently. Cape-stane, cope-stone; key-stone. Carlin, a stout old woman. Caudron, a caldron. Cauk and keel, chalk and red clay. Caup, a wooden drinking vessel. Chanter, a part of a bagpipe. Chap, a person, a fellow; a blow. Cheekit, cheeked. Cheep, a chirp; to chirp. Chimla, or chimlie, a fire-grate, a fire place. Chittering, shivering, trembling. Chow, to chew: Cheek for chow, side by side. Clachan, a small village about a church; a hamlet. Claithing, clothing. Coaxin, wheedling. Coble, a fishing boat. Cowe, to terrify; to keep under, to lop; Cowrin, cowering. Cozie, snug. Crabbit, crabbed, fretful. Crack, conversation; to converse. Craft, or croft, a field near a house (in old husbandry). Craiks, cries or calls incessantly; a bird. Crambo-clink, or crambo-jingle, rhymes, doggrel verses. Crank, the noise of an ungreased wheel. Crap, a crop; to crop. Craw, à crow of a cock; a rook. Creel, a basket; to have one's wits in a creel, to be crazed; to be fascinated. Creepie-stool, the same as cutty-stool. Crood, or croud, to coo as a dove. Croon, a hollow and continued moan; to make a noise like the continued roar of a bull; to hum a tune. Crooning, humming. Crouchie, crook-backed. Croose, cheerful; courageous. Crousely, cheerfully; courageously. Crowdie, a composition of oat-meal and boiled water, sometimes from the broth of beef, mutton, &c. Crowdie-time, breakfast time. Crowlin, crawling. Crummock, a cow with crooked horns. Cockernony, a lock of hair tied upon a girl's Crump, hard and brittle; spoken of bread. Crunt, a blow on the head with a cudgel. Cummock, a short staff with a crooked head. Curler, a player at a game on the ice, practised in Scotland, called curling. Curlie, curled, whose hair falls naturally in ringlets. Curling, a well known game on the ice. |