The complete works of Robert Burns (self-interpreting) . d darkerover a grave which was dug too early—and yet too late. When Burns entered into possession of Ellisland, at Whitsun-day, 1788, he left his wife at Mauchline till the new dwelling-house should be erected. In the meantime he was sufficientlybusy; he had to superintend masons and carpenters, as wellas look after more immediate farm matters. Besides, in orderto qualify himself for holding his Excise Commission, he had 244 THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. to give attendance at Ayr for six weeks on the duties of hisnew profession. These occupa
The complete works of Robert Burns (self-interpreting) . d darkerover a grave which was dug too early—and yet too late. When Burns entered into possession of Ellisland, at Whitsun-day, 1788, he left his wife at Mauchline till the new dwelling-house should be erected. In the meantime he was sufficientlybusy; he had to superintend masons and carpenters, as wellas look after more immediate farm matters. Besides, in orderto qualify himself for holding his Excise Commission, he had 244 THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. to give attendance at Ayr for six weeks on the duties of hisnew profession. These occupations, together with occasionalvisits to his wife and family, kept him fully occupied. Hopehad sprung up in his bosom like a Jonahs gourd, and whilethe greenness lasted he was happy enough. During his soli-tary life at Ellisland, he wrote two or three of his finest songs,each of them in praise of Jean, and each giving evidence thathis heart was at rest. During this time, too, a somewhat ex-tensive correspondence was kept up, and activity and hopeful-. ELLISLAND. ness—only occasionally dashed by accesses of his constitutionalmelancholy—radiate through it all. As was natural, his lettersrelate, for the most part, to his marriage and his new respects his marriage, he takes abundant care to makeknown that, acting as he had done, he had acted prudently;that he had secured an admirable wife, and that in his newrelationship he was entirely satisfied. If any doubt shouldexist as to Burnss satisfaction, it can arise only from hissomewhat too frequent protestation of it. He takes care to in-form his correspondents that he has actually married Jean, thathe would have been a scoundrel had he declined to marry her, THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. 245 and that she possessed the sweetest temper and the handsomestfigure in the country. The truth is, that, in the matter of mat-rimony, he could not very well help himself. He was awarethat the match was far from a brilliant one, and
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