The complete works of Robert Burns (self-interpreting) . this white flower of lovesprang up, sudden in its growth, brief in its passion andbeauty. It was arranged that the lovers should become manand wife, and that Mary should return to her friends to pre-pare for her wedding. Before her departure there was a fare-well scene. On the second Sunday of May, Burns writesto Mr. Thomson, after an historical fashion which has some- *In O 226 THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. thing touching in it, in a sequestered spot on the banksof the Ayr the interview took place. The lovers met andplighted solemn
The complete works of Robert Burns (self-interpreting) . this white flower of lovesprang up, sudden in its growth, brief in its passion andbeauty. It was arranged that the lovers should become manand wife, and that Mary should return to her friends to pre-pare for her wedding. Before her departure there was a fare-well scene. On the second Sunday of May, Burns writesto Mr. Thomson, after an historical fashion which has some- *In O 226 THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. thing touching in it, in a sequestered spot on the banksof the Ayr the interview took place. The lovers met andplighted solemn troth. According to popular statement, theystood on either side of a brook, they dipped their hands in thewater, exchanged Bibles—and parted. Mary died at Greenock,and was buried in a dingy churchyard hemmed by narrowstreets—beclanged now by innumerable hammers, and withina stones throw of passing steamers. Information of her deathwas brought to Burns at Mossgiel; he went to the window toread the letter, and the family noticed that on a sudden his. gat**?* Wk^ Me& A ? BSai^ *?&:&&> MONUMENT OVER HIGHLAND MARYS GRAVE IN GREENOCKCHURCH-YARD. face changed. He went out without speaking ; they respectedhis grief and were silent. On the whole matter Burns remainedsingularly reticent; but years after, from a sudden geysir THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. 227 of impassioned song, we learn that through all that time shehad never been forgotten. Jean was approaching her confinement, and having heardthat Mr. Armour was about to resort to legal measures to forcehim to maintain his expected progeny—an impossibility in hispresent circumstances—Burns left Mauchline and went to residein the neighborhood of Kilmarnock, where, in gloomy moodenough, he corrected his proof sheets. The volume appearedabout the end of July, and, thanks to the exertions of hisfriends, the impression was almost immediately exhausted. Itssuccess was decided. All Ayrshire rang with its praise. Hisfriends were of co
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