The complete works of Robert Burns (self-interpreting) . ked half a dozen miles to pay my respects tothe Leglen wood, with as much devout enthusiasm as everpilgrim did to Loretto, and explored every den and dell whereI could suppose nry heroic countryman to have lodged. When Mr. Murdoch left Mount Oliphant, the educationof the family fell on the father, who, when the boys came infrom labor on the edge of the wintry twilight, lit his candleand taught them arithmetic. He also, when engaged in work THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. 217 with his sons, directed the conversation to improving got
The complete works of Robert Burns (self-interpreting) . ked half a dozen miles to pay my respects tothe Leglen wood, with as much devout enthusiasm as everpilgrim did to Loretto, and explored every den and dell whereI could suppose nry heroic countryman to have lodged. When Mr. Murdoch left Mount Oliphant, the educationof the family fell on the father, who, when the boys came infrom labor on the edge of the wintry twilight, lit his candleand taught them arithmetic. He also, when engaged in work THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. 217 with his sons, directed the conversation to improving got books for them from a book society in Ayr; amongwhich are named Derhams Physico and Astro-Theology, andRays Wisdom of God. Stackhouses History of the Bible wasin the house, and from it Robert contrived to extract a con-siderable knowledge of ancient history. Mr. Murdoch some-times visited the family and brought books with him. On oneoccasion he read Titus Andronicus aloud at Mount Oliphant,and Roberts pure taste rose in a passionate revolt against its. THE BAY OF AYR FROM MOUNT OUPHANT. coarse cruelties and unspiritual horrors. When about fourteenyears of age, he and his brother Gilbert were sent week aboutduring a summer quarter to a parish school two or threemiles distant from the farm to improve themselves in penman-ship. Next year, about midsummer, Robert spent three weekswith his tutor, Murdoch, who had established himself in first week was given to a careful revision of the EnglishGrammar, the remaining fortnight was devoted to French, andon his return he brought with him the Adventures of Tclema- 218 THE LIFE OF ROBERT BURNS. chus and a French Dictionary, and with these he used to workalone during his evenings. He also turned his attention toLatin, but does not seem to have made much progress therein,although in after-life he could introduce a sentence or so of theancient tongue to adorn his correspondence. By the time thefamily had left Mount Oliphant, he had t
Size: 1784px × 1401px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorsmithalexander1830186, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890
