in the favoured district
around Falkirk; while a letter from Sanquhar (Burns's neighbourhood),
dated the 21st, states that "while much was cut, _very little was yet
got in_, owing to the bad weather." It appears that harvest was
commenced by the 8th of September in some districts, but was
interrupted by rains, and was not concluded till near the end of the
ensuing month. Consequently, the incident _might_ take place in the
latter part of October, and _still be connected with harvest
operations_. The second portion of our evidence on the subject is from
one of the exact sciences, and appears to us at once to settle the
time of the day--the month--and almost the day of the month.

'It fully appears that the planet Venus is the one referred to by the
poet, for the description applies only to it. Now Venus was in
conjunction with the sun, May 30, 1789, and after that became visible
as the _evening-star_ towards the end of the summer, reaching its
greatest brilliancy in winter. It is therefore certain that the star
which "loves to greet the early morn" did not at this time "usher in
the day," and consequently, so far as the time of day alluded to in
the poem is concerned, a poetical liberty was taken with truth. On the
21st of September the sun set at six o'clock, and Venus forty-four
minutes thereafter. The planet was consequently not to be seen at that
time except faintly in the twilight. But on the 21st of October the
sun set in the latitude of Ellisland at 4h 53m, and Venus 1h 3m
afterwards. Consequently, Venus would then have begun to assume a
brilliant appearance during a short interval after sunset. On that day
the moon was four days old, and within eight diameters of Venus. The
planet would then of course be beginning to be dimmed by the
moonlight, and this effect would go on increasing till the moon had
passed the full--that is, early in November. If, then, we are to set
aside the possibility of a later month than October, and keeping in
view the all but certainty that Mary was not buried till some time
after the 12th of that month, it seems reasonable to conclude, that
the barn-yard musings of Burns took place between five and six o'clock
of the evening of some day about the 19th or 20th of October, and
consequently a very short time after the merry-meeting for the
Whistle-contest at Friars' Carse.

'That a month later than October could have been the date of the
incident will, I presume, scarcely be argued for.