Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-01-27
To Tux MEMoRY or
ROBERT BURNS.

To Tux MEMoRY or ~ ~
ROBERT BURNS. 49, M
BY EpwARp RusuroN, or LivKRrooL.
Meath the green turf, dear natures child,
Sublime, pathetic, artlcss, wild,
OF all thy quips and cranks despoil'd,
Cold dost thou lie,
And many youth and maiden mild
Shall DER thee sigh.
Those powers that eagle winged could.s
That heart which ne'cr cold before,
That tongue which caused the tables roar,
49,. Are now laid low,
And Scotia's sons shall hear no more
F-e Thy rapturous flow.
= Warm'd with spark of natures fire.
From the rough plough thou didst aspire,
To make a sordid world admire,
And few like thee,
oh Burns! have swept the minstrel's Tyre
q ia With ccstacy.
Ere winters icy vapours fail,
The violet in tn uncultur'd dale
So sweetly scents the passing gale,
That shepherd boys,
Led by the fragrance they inhale,
Soon find their prize.
So, when to life's chill gcns contin'd,
Thy rich, tho rough, uncultur'd mind,
Pour'd on the sense Of each rude hind
ga Such dulcct lays,
That TO thy brow was soon assign'd,
The wreath OF praise.
Anon, with nobler daring blest,
The wild notes throbbing at thy breast.
Offrends, wealth, fortune, unposscss'd,
Thy fervid mind
Towards fame's proud turrets boldly press'L
And pleas'd mankind.
But what ayail'd thy powers to please,
When want approached d, andpale disease;
Gould these thy infant brood appeasc,
That valid for bread,
Or could they for moment ease
Thy woc-worn head?
Applause. poor child Of mnstrelsey,
Was all the " orld e'er gave TO thee;
Unmoved, by pinching penury
a They saw thee torn.
And now, (kind souls) with sympathy
Thy loss they mourn.
Oh how lothe the bloated train,
WHO oft had heard thy witching strain,
Yet when thy frame was rack'd with pain,
Could keep uloof,
And eye with opulent disdain,
Thy lowly roof
Yes, proud Dumfres, oh. would 10 heaven
Thou hadst from that cold spot been driven,
Thou nights have found some sheltei Ing haven
On this side Tweed
Yet ah! cen here poor bards have striven
And died i'll need.
True genius scorns to fllttcr knaves
Or crouch amidst a race ofslaves,
His soul, while fierce the tempest raves.
No treInor knows,
And with mistaken nerve he ayes
Lies pcltirg woes.
DO wonder then that thou shou!dsi find
Tn averted glance Of half mankind
Should'st sec the sly, slow, supple mind
To wealth aspire,
while scorn, neglect. and want, oombin'd
To quench thy FIRE.
While wint'ry winds pipe loud and strong,
The high perch'd storm-cock pours his song,
So thy Eolian Tyre was strung,
Midst chilling times;
Yet CHEEKY didst thou roll along
Thy 'routh OF rhymes
And oh! that routh of rhymes shall raise
For thee lasting pile of praise.
Haply some wing IN these our days,
Has higher soard,
But from the heart more melting laws
Were never pour'd.
Where Ganges rolls his yellow tide,
Where blest Columbia Is waters glide
Old Scotia 8 sons, spread far and wide,
Shall oft rehearse,
With sorrow some, but all with pride,
Thy witching verse.
In early spring thy earthly bed,
Shall be with many wid-fowcr spread,
The violet there It's sweets shall shed,
In humble guise,
And there the mountain daisy's hend
Shall duly RISE
While darkness reigns, should bgotry,
With boiling blood and Bonded knee
Scatter the weeds of infamy
Ger thy cold clay,
Those weeds, at lights first blush, shall be
Soon swept away
And when thy scorner are no more,
The lonely glens, and sea beat shore,
Where thou hast croon'd thy fancies Ger,
With soul clate,
Oft shall the bard at eve explore.
Al