LINES ON MRS. KEMBLE.
[The poet wrote these lines in Mrs. Riddel’s box in the Dumfries Theatre, in the winter of 1794: he was much moved by Mrs. Kemble’s noble and pathetic acting.]
Kemble, thou cur’st my unbelief
Of Moses and his rod;
At Yarico’s sweet notes of grief
The rock with tears had flow’d.
XXXVIII.
TO MR. SYME.
[John Syme, of Ryedale, a rhymer, a wit, and a gentleman of education and intelligence, was, while Burns resided in Dumfries, his chief companion: he was bred to the law.]
No more of your guests, be they titled or not,
And cook’ry the first in the nation;
Who is proof to thy personal converse and wit,
Is proof to all other temptation.