ir of wineglasses as a
parting gift.

On the 24th of March, he turned his back on Edinburgh, and never
returned to it for more than a day's visit.

Before leaving town, however, he had arranged three pieces of business,
all bearing closely on his future life. First, he had secured for
himself an appointment in the Excise through the kindness of "Lang
Sandy Wood," the surgeon who attended him when laid up with a bruised
limb, and who had interceded with Mr. Graham of Fintray, the chief of
the Excise Board, on Burns' behalf. When he received his appointment,
he wrote to Miss Chalmers, "I have chosen this, my dear friend, after
mature deliberation. The question is not at what door of fortune's
palace shall we enter in, but what doors does she open for us. I was
not likely to get anything to do. I got this without hanging-on, or
mortifying solicitation; it is immediate bread, and though poor in
comparison of the last eighteen months of my existence, 'tis (p. 085)
luxury in comparison of all my preceding life."

Next, he had concluded a bargain with Mr. Miller of Dalswinton, to
lease his farm of Ellisland, on which he had long set his heart, and
to which he had paid several visits in order to inspect it.

Lastly, he had at last obtained a business settlement with Creech
regarding the Second Edition of his Poems. Before this was effected,
Burns had more than once lost his temper, and let Creech know his
mind. Various accounts have been given of the profits that now accrued
to Burns from the whole transaction. We cannot be far wrong in taking
the estimate at which Dr. Chambers arrived, for on such a matter he
could speak with authority. He sets down the poet's profits at as
nearly as possible 500_l._ Of this sum Burns gave 180_l._ to his
brother Gilbert, who was now in pecuniary trouble. "I give myself no
airs on this," he writes, "for it was mere selfishness on my part; I
was conscious that the wrong scale of the balance was pretty heavily
charged, and I thought that throwing a little filial piety and
fraternal affection into the scale in my favour, might help to smooth
matters at the grand reckoning." This money was understood by the
family to be the provision due from Robert on behalf of his mother,
the support of whom he was now, that he was setting up for himself,
about to throw on his younger brother. Chambers seems to reckon that
as another 120_l._ must have been spent by Burns on his tours, his
accident, and