irable in tracing the manners, than in painting the passions
or in drawing the scenery of nature. That intuitive glance with which a
writer like Shakspeare discerns the character of men, with which he
catches the many changing hues of life, forms a sort of problem in the
science of mind, of which it is easier to see the truth than assign the
cause.'

But Mackenzie did more than praise. He pointed out the fact that the
author had had a terrible struggle with poverty all the days of his
life, and made an appeal to his country 'to stretch out her hand and
retain the native poet whose wood-notes wild possessed so much
excellence.' There seems little doubt that the concluding words of this
notice led Burns for the first time to hope and believe that, through
some influential patron, he might be placed in a position to face the
future without a fear, and to cultivate poetry at his leisure. There is
no mistaking the meaning of Mackenzie's words, and he had evidently used
them with the conviction that something would be done for Burns.
Unfortunately, he was mistaken; the poet, at first misled, was slowly
disillusioned and somewhat embittered. 'To repair the wrongs of
suffering or neglected merit; to call forth genius from the obscurity
where it had pined indignant, and place it where it may profit or
delight the world--these are exertions which give to wealth an enviable
superiority, to greatness and to patronage a laudable pride.'

To Burns, at the time, such a criticism as this must have been all the
more pleasing, inasmuch as it was the verdict of a man whose best-known
work had been one of the poet's favourite books. We can easily imagine
that, under the patronage of Lord Glencairn and Henry Erskine, and after
Mackenzie's generous recognition of his genius, the doors of the best
houses in Edinburgh would be open to him. His letter to John Ballantine,
Ayr, written a few days after this criticism appeared, shows in what
circles the poet was then moving. 'I have been introduced to a good many
of the _noblesse_, but my avowed patrons and patronesses are, the
Duchess of Gordon, the Countess of Glencairn with my Lord and Lady
Betty, the Dean of Faculty, Sir John Whitefoord. I have likewise warm
friends among the _literati_; Professors Stewart, Blair, and Mr.
Mackenzie, _The Man of Feeling_.... I am nearly agreed with Creech to
print my book, and I suppose I will begin on Monday.... Dugald Stewart
and some of my learned friends p