eration of my being situated in a department,
however humble, immediately in the hands of people in power, I had
forborne taking any active part, either personally, or as an author, in
the present business of Reform. But, that, where I must declare my
sentiments, I would say there existed a system of corruption between the
executive power and the representative part of the legislature, which
boded no good to our glorious CONSTITUTION; and which every patriotic
Briton must wish to see amended.--Some such sentiments as these, I
stated in a letter to my generous patron, Mr. Graham, which he laid
before the Board at large; where, it seems, my last remark gave great
offence; and one of our supervisors-general, a Mr. Corbet, was
instructed to inquire on the spot, and to document me--"that my business
was to act, _not to think;_ and that whatever might be men or measures,
it was for me to be _silent_ and _obedient._"

Mr. Corbet was likewise my steady friend; so between Mr. Graham and
him, I have been partly forgiven; only I understand that all hopes of
my getting officially forward, are blasted.

Now, Sir, to the business in which I would more immediately interest
you. The partiality of my COUNTRYMEN has brought me forward
as a man of genius, and has given me a character to support. In the
Poet I have avowed manly and independent sentiments, which I trust
will be found in the man. Reasons of no less weight than the support
of a wife and family, have pointed out as the eligible, and, situated
as I was, the only eligible line of life for me, my present
occupation. Still my honest fame is my dearest concern; and a
thousand times have I trembled at the idea of those _degrading_
epithets that malice or misrepresentation may affix to my name. I have
often, in blasting anticipation, listened to some future hackney
scribbler, with the heavy malice of savage stupidity, exulting in his
hireling paragraphs--"Burns, notwithstanding the _fanfaronade_ of
independence to be found in his works, and after having been held
forth to public view and to public estimation as a man of some genius,
yet quite destitute of resources within himself to support his
borrowed dignity, he dwindled into a paltry exciseman, and slunk out
the rest of his insignificant existence in the meanest of pursuits,
and among the vilest of mankind."

In your illustrious hands, Sir, permit me to lodge my disavowal and
defiance of these slanderous falsehoods. BURNS was