er did four shillings purchase so much friendship, since
confidence went first to the market, or honesty was set up for
sale....

"There are few of the sore evils under the sun give me more uneasiness
and chagrin, than the comparison how a man of genius, nay, of avowed
worth, is received everywhere, with the reception which a mere ordinary
character, decorated with the trappings and futile distinctions of
fortune, meets: I imagine a man of abilities, his breast glowing (p. 056)
with honest pride, conscious that men are born equal, still giving
honour to whom honour is due; he meets at a great man's table a Squire
Something or a Sir Somebody; he knows the noble landlord at heart
gives the bard, or whatever he is, a share of his good wishes, beyond,
perhaps, any one at the table; yet how will it mortify him to see a
fellow whose abilities would scarcely have made an eightpenny tailor,
and whose heart is not worth three farthings, meet with attention, and
notice that are withheld from the son of genius and poverty!

"The noble Glencairn has wounded me to the soul here, because I dearly
esteem, respect, and love him. He showed so much attention, engrossing
attention, one day, to the only blockhead at table (the whole company
consisted of his lordship, dunder-pate, and myself), that I was within
half a point of throwing down my gage of contemptuous defiance, but he
shook my hand and looked so benevolently good at parting, God bless
him! though I should never see him more, I shall love him to my dying
day! I am pleased to think I am so capable of gratitude, as I am
miserably deficient in some other virtues."

Lockhart, after quoting largely from this Common-place Book, adds,
"This curious document has not yet been printed entire. Another
generation will, no doubt, see the whole of the confession." All that
remains of it has recently been given to the world. The original
design was not carried on, and what is left is but a fragment, written
chiefly in Edinburgh, with a few additions made at Ellisland. The only
characters which are sketched are those of Blair, Stewart, Creech, and
Greenfield. The remarks on Blair, if not very appreciative, are mild
and not unkindly. There seems to be irony in the praise of Dugald (p. 057)
Stewart for the very qualities in which Burns probably thought him to
be deficient. Creech's strangely composite character is well touched
off. Dr. Greenfield, the colleague of Dr. Blair, whose eloquence