Robert Burns: How To Know Him

by William Allan Neilson

I took the way that pleas'd mysel,

And sae did Death.

A few miscellaneous poems remain to be quoted. These do not naturally fall into any of the major glasses of Burns's work, yet are too important either for their intrinsic worth or the light they throw on his character and genius to be omitted. The Elegies, of which he wrote many, following, as has been seen, the tradition founded by Sempill of Beltrees, may be exemplified by [Tam Samson's Elegy] and that on Captain Matthew Henderson. Special phases of Scottish patriotism are expressed in [Scotch Drink], and the address [To a Haggis]; while more personal is [A Bard's Epitaph]. In this last we have Burns's summing up of his own character, and it closes with his recommendation of the virtue he strove after but could never attain.

TAM SAMSON'S ELEGY

Has auld Kilmarnock seen the deil?

Or great Mackinlay thrawn his heel? twisted

Or Robertson again grown weel,

To preach an' read?

‘Na, waur than a'!’ cries ilka chiel, worse, everybody

‘Tam Samson's dead!’