XII. And this dog was satisfied XIII. This dog, if a friendly voice. Call him now to blyther choice Than such chamber-keeping, 'Come out!' praying from the door,Presseth backward as before, Up against me leaping. XIV. Therefore to this dog will I, Render praise and favour: Therefore, and for ever. XV. And because he loves me so, Often, man or woman, XVI. Blessings on thee, dog of mine, Sugared milk make fat thee! Nevermore, to pat thee! XVII. Downy pillow take thy head, Sunshine help thy sleeping! XVIII. Whiskered cats arointed flee, XIX. Mock I thee, in wishing weal?— Tears are in my eyes to feel Thou art made so straightly; Blessing needs must straighten too,- Little canst thou joy or do, Thou who lovest greatly. xx. Yet be blessed to the height Only loved beyond that line, Loving fellow-creature!" 1856. "FLUSH, OR FAUNUS. "You see this dog. It was but yesterday I mused forgetful of his presence here Till thought on thought drew downward tear on tear, When from the pillow, where wet-cheeked I lay, A head as hairy as Faunus, thrust its way 1 Right sudden against my face,—two golden clear But, as the bearded vision closelier ran Surprise and sadness,—thanking the true PAN, Burns. In a book bearing the title of the Sacred Philosophy of the Seasons,' by the Rev. Henry Duncan, is this highly interesting passage concerning the great Scotch poet: 66 'I well remember with what delight I listened to an interesting conversation, which, while yet a schoolboy, I enjoyed an opportunity of hearing in my father's manse, between the poet Burns and another poet, my near relation, the amiable Blacklock. The subject was the fidelity of the dog. Burns took up the question with all the ardour and kindly feeling with which the conversation of that extraordinary man was so remarkably imbued. It was a subject well suited to call forth his powers, and, when handled by such a man, not less suited to interest the youthful fancy. The anecdotes by which it was illustrated have long escaped my memory, but there was one sentiment expressed by Burns, with his own characteristic enthusiasm, which, as it threw a new light into my mind, I shall never forget. 'Man,' said he, is the god of the dog. He knows no other, he can under stand no other; and see how he worships him! with what reverence he crouches at his feet, with what love he fawns upon him, with what dependence he looks up to him, and with what cheerful alacrity he obeys him! His whole soul is wrapt up in his god; all the powers and faculties of his nature are devoted to his service, and these powers and faculties are ennobled by the intercourse. Divines tell us that it ought just to be so with the Christian; but the dog puts the Christian to shame."" "The more we know of this wonderful species, the greater reason shall we find to admire that beneficent Being who gave the dog to man as his companion and friend, and the greater indignation shall we feel against the worse than brutal human beings who abuse the devotion of this most affectionate and docile creature."-p. 361, vol. 1. THE TWA DOGS. "The tale of the Twa Dogs," says Gilbert Burns, "was composed after the resolution of publishing was nearly taken. Robert had a dog which he called Luath, that was a great favourite. The dog had been killed by the wanton cruelty of some person the night before my father's death. Robert said to me that he should like to confer such immortality as he could bestow on his old friend Luath, and that he had a great mind to introduce something into the book under the title of 'Stanzas to the Memory of a Quadruped Friend,' but this plan was given up for the poem as it now stands. Cæsar was merely the creature of the poet's imagination, created for the purpose of holding chat with his favourite Luath." VOL. 1. F THE TWA DOGS: A TALE. ""Twas in that place o' Scotland's isle The first I'll name, they ca'd him Cæsar, And stroan't on stanes and hillocks wi' him. |