Robert Burns: How To Know Him

by William Allan Neilson

An' then she made the lasses, O.

Equally personal, but not connected with love, are a few autobiographical poems of which the following are typical. The third of these, though prosaic enough, is interesting as perhaps Burns's most elaborate summing up of the philosophy of his own career.

THERE WAS A LAD

There was a lad was born in Kyle,

But whatna day o' whatna style what

I doubt it's hardly worth the while

To be sae nice wi' Robin.

Robin was a rovin' boy, roystering

Rantin' rovin', rantin' rovin';

Robin was a rovin' boy,