y admission-money [10s. 6d.]
and the quarterly contributions [2s. 6d.] to this date, out of respect
and esteem for his abilities as a literary man; and they directed the
secretary to make this known to Mr Burns as soon as possible, that the
application which they understood he was about to make in the ordinary
way might be anticipated.' This is a pleasing testimony to Burns as a
poet, but still more so to Burns as a citizen and member of society.
His name appears in September as a member of committee--an honour
assigned by vote of the members.

On the 30th of this month, the liberal poet bestowed four books upon
the library--namely, _Humphry Clinker_, _Julia de Roubigne_, _Knox's
History of the Reformation_, and _Delolme on the British
Constitution_. The present intelligent librarian, Mr M'Robert,
reports, respecting the last-mentioned work, a curious anecdote, which
he learned directly from the late Provost Thomson of Dumfries. Early
in the morning after Delolme had been presented, Burns came to Mr
Thomson's bedside before he was up, anxiously desiring to see the
volume, as he feared he had written something upon it 'which might
bring him into trouble.' On the volume being shewn to him, he looked
at the inscription which he had written upon it the previous night,
and, having procured some paste, he pasted over it the fly-leaf in
such a way as completely to conceal it.

The gentleman who has been good enough to communicate these
particulars, adds: 'I have seen the volume, which is the edition of
1790, neatly bound, with a portrait of the author at the beginning.
Some stains of ink shine through the paper, indicating that there is
something written on the back of the engraving; but the fly-leaf being
pasted down upon it, there is nothing legible. On holding the leaf up
to the light, however, I distinctly read, in the undoubted manuscript
of the poet, the following words:--

"Mr Burns presents this book to the Library, and begs they will take
it as a creed of British liberty--until they find a better. R. B."

'The words, "until they find a better," are evidently those which the
poet feared "might bring him into trouble." Probably, if the
inscription had not been written on the back of the engraving, he
might have removed it altogether: at all events, his anxiety to
conceal it shews what trivial circumstances were in those days
sufficient to constitute a political offence.' Ay, and to think of
this happening in th