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we reflect on his rank in life, the habits to which he must have been fubject, and the fociety in which he must have mixed, we regret perhaps more than wonder, that delicacy fhould be fo often offended in perufing a volume in which there is fo much to intereft and to please

us.

Burns poffeffes the fpirit as well as the fancy of a poet. That honeft pride and independence of foul which are fometimes the Mufe's only dower, break forth on every occafion in his works. It may be, then, I fhall wrong his feelings, while I indulge my own, in calling the attention of the public to his fituation and circumftances. That condition, humble as it was, in which he found content, and wooed the Mufe, might not have been deemed uncomfortable; but grief and misfortunes have reached him there; and one or two of his poems hint, what I h men, th

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t from fome of his countrybeen obliged to form the g his native land, to feek at fhelter and fupied him. But I prevent this refond that I do my , when I fuppofe er hand to cherish and

and retain this native Poet, whofe "wood-notes "wild" poffefs so much excellence. To repair the wrongs of fuffering or neglected merit; to call forth genius from the obscurity in which it had pined indignant, and place it where it may profit or delight the world; these are exertions which give to wealth an enviable fuperiority, to greatnefs and to patronage a laudable pride.

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No 98. SATURDAY, December 16, 1786,

Nec domos potentum Noffemus, nec imagines fuperbas.

Τ

To the AUTHOR of the LOUNGER.

SIR,

MART.

IT is a long time fince my last correspondence with you; and indeed, I did not know that your Paper continued to come out, till lately that I saw it at a certain great house where I was on a visit. Of that vifit, Mr. Lounger, if you will give me leave, I will tell you some particulars. Since I find that fome of the great folks take in your paper, it may do them no harm to be told a little how things are about them; or if, as I am apt to believe, they are not eafily to be mended, it will at least give us little folks fome fatisfaction to get out our thoughts of them.

Your predeceffor, the Author of the Mirror, who was kind enough to take some interest in my family, was well acquainted with its connection with Lady, the great Lady who N 6

firft

first set my wife and daughters heads agog about fashion and finery. In my last to you, I informed you of our having luckily loft her acquaintance, though I had got into another hobble by our intimacy with my rich neighbour young Mushroom. I am ashamed to tell you, Sir, how things have come about; but, as I told Mr. Mirror, I was always rather too eafy in my way: I have been myself on a vifit at the house of the great Lady! (I beg her Lord's pardon, but that's the way of speaking in our neighbourhood.) But this comes through Mr. Mushroom too. You must know, that fince he came home, by prefents of fhauls and muflins to my Lady, and, as fome folks fay, by lending fome of his spare rupees to my Lord, he is become a great favourite at Lodge. - And fo my Lord and Lady and he have laid their heads together, that Mr. Muthroom fhall be member for our county the next vacancy; and they have been driving and riding about among us, and giving feafts and dances at

Lodge and Mushroom Hall. I fought a little. fhy, as the faying is; but Mrs. and Mifs Mufhroom fo tickled the ears of my wife and daughters, and my Lady talked fo much of the happiness fhe had formerly enjoyed at my house, and of her regret for having loft the honour of my daughter Mrs.'s acquaintance, that

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they were filly enough to forgive all her former neglect of them; and then they fo belaboured me with the great things that might be expected from my Lord's patronage, and Mr. Mufhroom's attachment to my family, (and they had fome fhauls and muflins too,) that I at laft agreed to give my vote as they wifhed. O then, there was fo much fufs and kindness, and fuch invitations to go to Lodge, and fo many honours and pleasures-that, in fhort, Mr. Lounger, having got in my corn and fold. my cattle, I was prevailed on to lay out a little of the money in a new fuit, to get a new faddle and bridle for my mare, to trim my brown colt for a portmanteau horfe, and mounting John upon him, whom I could best spare at this feafon too, I accompanied one of my brother freeholders, a plain man like myself, who takes a little of his wife's advice, to-Lodge.

As I knew fomething of the hours there, I took care that we should not reach the house till within a few minutes of four, though my neighbour was in a fort of flutter the last three miles for fear of being too late. But when we got off our horfes, and walked into the lobby, we found we were much too early for the house. We had ftalked about for fome minutes, without knowing where we should go, when, who fhould I fee come in but my old acquaintance

Mr.

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