Robert Burns Heaventaught ploughman Caledonias Bard 1759 1796
Robert Burns („Heaven-taught ploughman” „Caledonia’s Bard”) 1759 -1796 v Son of tenant farmers, born in Alloway (coast of southwest Scotland) v Educated by his father and a parish priest, John Murdoch v Full time farmer at the age of 15, fell in love, wrote his first poem: „Thus with me began Love and Poesy. ” v Married Jean Armour, the daughter of a stone mason in 1788 v July 1786 a local printer published the Kilmarnock volume, Burns’ first published poems. They were an immediate success (including „To a Mouse”) v New edition published in Edinburgh in April 1787, met Walter Scott there v Contributed to The Scots Musical Museum, The Melodies of Scotland, and A Select Collection of Original Scottish Airs (music „awoke sympathies that reason could not arouse” –Norton Anthology) v remained an outspoken admirer of American and French revolutions v died in Dumfries at the age of 37 v In 2009 chosen as the greatest Scot by the Scottish public in a television vote
Burns cottage (his childhood home) in Alloway, South Ayrshire
To a Mouse Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi’ bickerin brattle! I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee Wi’ murd’ring pattle! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! A daimen-icker in a thrave ’S a sma’ request: I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave, An’ never miss ’t! I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, An’ justifies that ill opinion, Which makes thee startle, At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, An’ fellow-mortal! Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin! It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin! An’ naething, now, to big a new ane, O’ foggage green! An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin, Baith snell an’ keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste, An’ weary Winter comin fast, An’ cozie here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past Out thro’ thy cell. But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane, In proving foresight may be vain: The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men Gang aft agley, An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain, For promis’d joy! That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble Has cost thee monie a weary nibble! Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble, But house or hald, To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble, An’ cranreuch cauld! Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me! The present only toucheth thee: But Och! I backward cast my e’e, On prospects drear! An’ forward tho’ I canna see, I guess an’ fear!
Auld Lang Syne Should acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! And pou'd the gowans fine; But we've wander'd mony a weary fit, Sin' auld lang syne. For auld, &c. Chorus. -For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne. We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, Frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin' auld lang syne. For auld, &c. And surely ye'll be your pint stowp! And surely I'll be mine! And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet, For auld lang syne. And there's a hand, my trusty fere! And gie's a hand o' thine! And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne. We twa hae run about the braes,
Charlotte Smith (17491806) born into a wealthy family, mother died early § Raised by her aunt; when her father fell into financial ruin she was married off to the son of a wealthy West Indies merchant § Bore 12 children, husband abusive § Wrote Elegiac Sonnets in 1784 while in debtors’ prison with her husband § First novel Emmeline in 1788 § "the first poet in England whom in retrospect we would call Romantic". – Stuart Curran § helped shape the "patterns of thought and conventions of style" for the period, is responsible for rekindling the sonnet form in England. § influenced popular romantic poets of her time such as, William Wordsworth and John Keats. William Wordsworth believed that Smith wrote, "with true feeling for rural nature, at a time when nature was not much regarded by English Poets". He also stated in the 1830 s that she was "a lady to whom English verse is under greater obligations than are likely to be either acknowledged or remembered„* § The Old Manor House (1793) set during the American Revolutionary War *Wikipedia §
The Emigrants And now the poor pale wretch receives, amaz'd, The pity, strangers give to his distress, Because these Strangers are, by his dark creed, Condemn'd as Heretics--and with sick heart Regrets his pious prison, and his beads. -Another, of more haughty port, declines The aid he needs not; while in mute despair His high indignant thoughts go back to France, Dwelling on all he lost--the Gothic dome, That vied with splendid palaces; the beds Of silk and down, the silver chalices, Vestments with gold enwrought for blazing altars; Where, amid clouds of incense, he held forth To kneeling crowds the imaginary bones Of Saints suppos'd, in pearl and gold enchas'd, And still with more than living Monarchs' pomp Surrounded; was believ'd by mumbling bigots To hold the keys of Heaven, and to admit Whom he thought good to share it--Now alas! He, to whose daring soul and high ambition The World seem'd circumscrib'd; who, wont to dream, Of Fleuri, Richelieu, Alberoni, men Who trod on Empire, and whose politics Were not beyond the grasp of his vast mind, Is, in a Land once hostile, still prophan'd By disbelief, and rites un-orthodox, The object of compassion--
Mary Robinson (17571800) „The English Sappho” Ø Ø Ø Born in Bristol, daughter of a naval captain After her father left the family, her mother ran a school for girls Married a law clerk who ended up in debtor’s prison First poems appeared in a two-volume Poems in 1775 In December 1776 played the role of Juliet at Drury Lane Theater in London, became mistress of the Prince of Wales, George IV Aware of her role as „the most attractive object in a large urban display. ” Contributed to the English revival of the sonnet with her Petrarchan series Sappho and Phaon Became poetry editor of the Morning Post in 1799 Authored seven novels, political tracts Modern critic Stuart Curran has said her late verse represents „the new realism that will impel English poetry into the nineteenth century” Coleridge said of „The Haunted Beach”: „the Metre—ay! that Woman has an Ear. ”
The Haunted Beach And since that hour the fisherman Has toil'd and toil'd in vain; For all the night the moony light Gleams on the specter'd main! And when the skies are veil'd in gloom, The murderer's liquid way Bounds o'er the deeply yawning tomb, And flashing fires the sands illume, Where the green billows play. Full thirty years his task has been, Day after day more weary; For Heaven design'd his guilty mind Should dwell on prospects dreary. Bound by a strong and mystic chain, He has not power to stray; But destined misery to sustain, He wastes, in solitude and pain, A loathsome life away.
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