learning that my mother and other relatives were well. "I met with the
young man Robert about five years ago, and have often since asked myself
what special end providence could have in view in making such a man."

"I was acquainted with old William Burns," said my companion, "when he
was gardener at Denholm, an' got intimate wi' his son Robert when he
lived wi' us at Irvine, a twalmonth syne. The faither died shortly ago,
sairly straitened in his means, I'm feared, and no very square wi' the
laird--an' ill wad he hae liked that, for an honester man never
breathed. Robert, puir chield, is no very easy either."

"In his circumstances?" I said.

"Ay, an' waur:--he got entangled wi' the kirk on an unlucky sculduddery
business, an' has been writing bitter, wicked ballads on a' the guid
ministers in the country ever syne. I'm vexed it's on them he suld hae
fallen; an' yet they hae been to blame too."

"Robert Burns so entangled, so occupied!" I exclaimed; "you grieve and
astonish me."

"We are puir creatures, Matthew," said the old man; "strength an'
weakness are often next door neighbours in the best o' us; nay, what is
our vera strength taen on the ae side, may be our vera weakness taen on
the ither. Never was there a stancher, firmer fallow than Robert Burns;
an' now that he has taen a wrang step, puir chield, that vera stanchness
seems just a weak want o' ability to yield. He has planted his foot
where it lighted by mishanter, and a' the guid an' ill in Scotland wadna
budge him frae the spot."

"Dear me! that so powerful a mind should be so frivolously engaged!
Making ballads, you say?--with what success?"

"Ah, Matthew lad, when the strong man puts out his strength," said my
companion, "there's naething frivolous in the matter, be his object what
it may. Robert's ballads are far, far aboon the best things ever seen in
Scotland afore; we auld folk dinna ken whether maist to blame or praise
them, but they keep the young people laughing frae the ae nuik o' the
shire till the ither."

"But how," I inquired, "have the better clergy rendered themselves
obnoxious to Burns? The laws he has violated, if I rightly understand
you, are indeed severe, and somewhat questionable in their tendencies;
and even good men often press them too far."

"And in the case of Robert," said the old man, "our clergy have been
strict to the very letter. They're guid men an' faithfu' ministers; but
ane o' them, at least, an' he a leader,