EXTRACTS FROM THE COTTER'S SATURDAY NIGHT. By ROBERT BURNS. [It is rarely found that eminent genius is united to sober and discreet habits in early life. The author of the beautiful poem which is inserted below, was a striking example of this observation. The father of Robert Burns was a gardener at Ayr in Scotland. He was born in 1759, and received that measure of education which the humblest are generally able to obtain in North Britain. He was distinguished by a vigorous understanding, and an untameable spirit. The first enabled him to reach a high eminence as a poet, whilst the latter plunged him into continued difficulties and unhappiness in after life. The first appearance of a volume of his poems, printed in his own neighbourhood, excited great curiosity. The simplicity and truth of his rural scenes, and sketches of Scottish peasantry, are the delight and admiration of his readers. On his appearance at Edinburgh, he was received with the greatest eagerness as a true poet of nature. His hopes of literary success were now raised to their height; and had he possessed ordinary discretion, he might have secured honourable independence. But a disposition to gaiety, and the low delights of the bottle, became his ruin; and he involved an amiable wife and innocent family in the misery which he brought upon himself. He died at Dumfries, 18th July, 1796, in his 38th year, leaving his wife and four sons to the tection of public benevolence.] November chill blaws loud wi' angry sugh; This night his weekly moil is at an end, And At length his lonely cot appears in view, Beneath the shelter of an aged tree; Th' expectant wee-things, toddlin, stacher thro' To meet their dad, wi' flichterin noise an' glee. His wee-bit inglé, blinkin bonnily, His clean hearth-stane, his thriftie wifie's smile, Does a' his weary carking cares beguile, An' makes him quite forget his labour an' his toil. Belyve the elder bairns come drapping in, At service out, amang Some ca' the pleugh, some herd, some tentie rin Their eldest hope, their Jenny, woman grown, In youthfu' bloom, love sparkling in her e'e, To help her parents dear, if they în hardship be. Wi' joy unfeign'd brothers and sisters meet, An' each for other's weelfare kindly spiers: Their master's an' their mistress's command, An' mind your duty, duly, morn an' night! Implore his counsel and assisting might: But hark! a rap comes gently to the door; Sparkle in Jenny's e'e, and flush her cheek: Weel pleas'd the mother hears, it's nae wild, worthless rake, Wi' kindly welcome Jenny brings him ben; A strappan youth; he taks the mother's eye; Blithe Jenny sees the visit's no ill ta'n ; The father cracks of horses, pleughs, and kye. The youngster's artless heart o'erflows wi' joy. But blate and laithfu' scarce can weel behave, The mother, wi' a woman's wiles, can spy What makes the youth sae bashfu' an' sae grave; Weel pleas'd to think her bairn 's respected like the lave, O happy love! where love like this is found! I've paced much this weary mortal round, 'Beneath the milk-white thorn that scents the ev'ning gale] Is there, in human form, that bears a heart- Betray sweet Jenny's unsuspecting youth? Points to the parents fondling o'er their child? The cheerfu' supper done, wi' serious face, They, round the ingle, form a circle wide; The sire turns o'er, wi' patriarchal grace, The big ha'-bible, ance his father's pride : His bonnet rev'rently is laid aside, His lyart haffets wearing thin an' bare ; Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide, He wales a portion with judicious care; And Let us worship God!' he says, with solemn air. They chant their artless notes in simple guise; The tickl'd ears no heart-felt raptures raise ; The priest-like father reads the sacred page, With Amalek's ungracious progeny ; Or how the royal bard did groaning lie Or other holy seers that tune the sacred lyre. Perhaps the Christian volume is the theme, How guiltless blood for guilty man was shed; How he, who lone in Patmos banished, Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand: And heard great Bab'lon's doom pronounc'd by Heav'ns command. Then kneeling down to Heaven's Eternal King, That thus they all shall meet in future days: No more to sigh, or shed the bitter tear, While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere. Compar'd with this, how poor Religion's pride, May hear, well-pleas'd the language of the soul; And in his book of life the inmates poor enrol. Then homeward all take off their sev'ral way; And proffer up to heaven the warm request For them and for their little ones provide; Explanation of some Scotch words in the foregoing Poem. Sugh-continued noise.' Wee-bit ingle-small fire. Blinkin-shining. Belyve-by-and-by. Tentie-heedful. Cannie-careful. Spiers-enquires. Uncos-news. Eydent-diligent Blate bashful. Lave the rest. Ha-bible-the great Bible. Lyart haffets-grey temples. Monthly Retrospect of Public Affairs. WE alluded in our last Number to the prospect of an immediate General Election. The dissolution of Parliament, as all our Readers know, has taken place; previous to which, according to ancient custom, it was prorogued, or adjourned. The following was the speech of his Majesty's Commissioners on that occasion: My Lords and Gentlemen, We are commanded by his Majesty to inform you, that it is a great disappointment to his Majesty, that on this first and solemn occasion, he is prevented by indisposition from meeting you in person. "It would have been a consolation to his Majesty to give utterance in this place to those feelings with which his Majesty and the nation alike deplore the loss of a sovereign, the common father of all his people. The King commands us to inform you, that, in determining to call without delay the new Parliament, his Majesty' has been influenced by the consideration of what is most expedient for public business, as well as most conducive to general convenience.' 'Gentlemen of the House of Commons: 'We are directed by his Majesty to thank you for the provision which you have made for the several branches of the public service from the commencement of the present year, and during the interval which must elapse before a new Parliament can be assembled. 'My Lords and Gentlemen: We are commanded to inform you, that in taking leave of the present Parliament, his Majesty cannot refrain from conveying to you his warmest assurances of the sense which his Majesty entertains of the important services which you have rendered your country. 'Deeply as his Majesty lamented that designs and practices such as those which you have been called upon to repress should have existed in this free and happy country, he cannot sufficiently commend the prudence and firmness with which you directed tention to the means of counteracting them. your at 'If any doubt had remained as to the nature of those principles by which the peace and happiness of the nation were so seriously menaced, or of the excesses to which they were likely to lead, the flagrant and sanguinary conspiracy which has lately been detected must open the eyes of the most incredulous, and must vindicate to the |