Letter to Robert Allan: 2 July 1809
Mr Robert Allan Kilbarchan Paisley
2d July 1809 My Dear Friend I
embrace a leisure half hour to compliment you on the Poem with which you have
honoured me. Your friend Alexr and me
have examined it with all the critic-skills we are masters of. Several of the
stanzas we allow to be very excellent. The 5th on second reading
pleases me compleatly. In the 6th I would rather have “he
crack’d his joke, and with sic glee sent round the yill, nae hour seem’d long
&c-”. The verse beginning with “O death, thou bane and public pest,”
is worthy of any Poet that ever existed. Instead of “Ye P—ly scribblers,”
ye must have “Ye Bards of Paisley.” ( [#] One little alteration I think you
might make with advantage on the verses ending “R. T– – –ll” would not “Dear
T—”, “Kind T—” or some such endearing epithets be better; I acknowledge this to
be selfish, but I depend on your goodness for excusing it ——-- I would disguise my
feelings were I not to tell you frankly that I am well pleased with the whole
of your poem, and perhaps, when we are insensible as the sod which shall one day
cover us, its merits will awaken a sigh of sympathy for twa gude fallows,
gone forever. We shall talk it over more fully first time I see you – You
must not think of puting it into print till the “loss deplored” be realized
– More of this again——— Please compliment my friend Lyle with one of the
enclosed songs. I remain yours most
sincerely Robt
Tannahill Copy Text: MS Robertson 1/25 Previous Publications: Notes: |