Literary by-paths in old England . a Freemason. Hisinitiation took place on July 4, 1781, and the oldthatched cottagein which the cere-mony took placestill stands at thecorner of Mauch-line Road. Itwas at a meetingof the lodge thatthe idea of Deathand Dr. Horn-book took shape. John Wilson, the Tarboltonschoolmaster, who eked out his scholastic earn-ings by amateur physicking, one evening paradedhis medical knowledge in such an ostentatiousmanner that Burns resolved, on his way home,to hold the dominie-medico up to what result the world knows. The sceneof the dialogue between Burn
Literary by-paths in old England . a Freemason. Hisinitiation took place on July 4, 1781, and the oldthatched cottagein which the cere-mony took placestill stands at thecorner of Mauch-line Road. Itwas at a meetingof the lodge thatthe idea of Deathand Dr. Horn-book took shape. John Wilson, the Tarboltonschoolmaster, who eked out his scholastic earn-ings by amateur physicking, one evening paradedhis medical knowledge in such an ostentatiousmanner that Burns resolved, on his way home,to hold the dominie-medico up to what result the world knows. The sceneof the dialogue between Burns and Death islaid just outside Tarbolton. Leaving the oldMasonic Lodge on the right, the road winds round about a high mound, and then descendstoward Willies Mill. In the bank by the road- 13 193 nc Lodge, Tarboltc LITERARY BY-PATHS side, under the shadow of a hedge, local tradi-tion points to a few rough, projecting stones asthe seat where the poet and his gaunt friendeased their shanks while discussing the skillof Dr. Willies Mill When William Burns died in 1784, the lastlink was snapped which held his family at Loch-lea. Prior to that event, however, Robert andGilbert had taken the farm of Mossgiel, as anasylum for the family in case of the the removal to Mossgiel, the poet took aresolve to mend his ways and address himselfseriously to the work of life. I read farming IN OLD ENGLAND books, he said, I calculated crops, I attendedmarkets, and, in short, in spite of the devil, andthe world, and the flesh, I believe I should havebeen a wise man ; but the first year, from unfor-tunately buying bad seed, the second, from a lateharvest, we lost half our crops. This overset allmy wisdom, and I returned like the dog to hisvomit, and the sow that was washed to herwallowing in the mire/ It is impossible to doubt that Burns really de-sired to settle down for himself. Already hehad made several efforts in that direction, eachof which had been remorselessly thwarted
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Keywords: ., bookauthorshelleyh, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1906
