The Modern British Plutarch Author:William Cooke Taylor Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: His new residence was more perilous to Burns than that which he had quitted, for the town exposed him to the temptations of company. It is true that he numbered ... more »among his friends some of the most respectable persons in Dumfries, and that travellers who visited the place eagerly sought an introduction to the Ayrshire poet. By such persons he was received with respect and treated with kindness. There were times, also, when his poetic powers burst forth with all their original vigour, and he produced several short lyrics of the highest excellence. But the sad truth must not be concealed,— he formed acquaintance with many dissipated associates, and indulged in drunken habits, to which, indeed, his situation as gauger afforded too many temptations. At this time he had some hopes of promotion in the Excise, but circumstances occurred which led him to believe that they would never be fulfilled. He had shared in the hopes of amelioration formed at the commencement of the French Revolution by men of enthusiastic and benevolent minds; with his usual imprudence in his social and unguarded moments, he uttered his sentiments in language unnecessarily vehement, and an exaggerated report of the circumstance was made to the Board of Excise. A superior officer was sent to investigate the matter, and his representations were so far favourable that Burns was allowed to retain his situation, but he was, at the same time, informed that his promotion was deferred, and must depend on his future behaviour. These events preyed on the sensitive mind of the poet, and, at the same time, his health began to decline ; but he did not abandon his dangerous indulgences in drinking, and on one occasion, he dined at a tavern, after having just recovered from a severe attack of illness, whence he did not return h...« less