nd went so far in his avowal of democracy that at a social
meeting, he proposed as a toast, "Here's the last verse of the (p. 147)
last chapter of the last Book of Kings." This would seem to be but one
specimen of the freedom of political speech in which Burns at this
time habitually indulged,--the truculent way in which he flaunted
defiance in the face of authority. It would not have been surprising,
if at any time the Government had ordered inquiry to be made into such
conduct, much less in such a season of anxiety and distrust. That an
inquiry was made is undoubted; but as to the result which followed it,
there is uncertainty. Some have thought that the poet received from
his superiors only a slight hint or caution to be more careful in
future. Others believed, that the matter went so far that he was in
serious danger of dismissal from his post; and that this was only
averted by the timely interposition of some kind and powerful friends.
That Burns himself took a serious view of it, and was sufficiently
excited and alarmed, may be seen from two letters which he wrote, the
one at the time of the occurrence, the other soon after it. It was
thus that in December, 1792, he addressed Mr. Graham of Fintray, the
same person whose good offices had at first obtained for the poet his
appointment, and whose kindness never failed him while he lived:--

"Sir,--I have been surprised, confounded, and distracted by Mr.
Mitchell, the collector, telling me that he has received an order from
your Board, to inquire into my political conduct, and blaming me as a
person disaffected to Government.

"Sir, you are a husband and a father. You know what you would feel to
see the much-loved wife of your bosom, and your helpless, prattling
little ones turned adrift into the world, degraded and disgraced from
a situation in which they had been respectable and respected, and left
almost without the necessary support of a miserable existence. (p. 148)

"Alas! sir, must I think that such soon will be my lot! and from the
dark insinuations of hellish, groundless envy, too! I believe, sir, I
may aver it, and in the sight of Omniscience, that I would not tell a
deliberate falsehood, no, not though even worse horrors, if worse can
be, than those I have mentioned, hung over my head; and I say, that
the allegation, whatever villain has made it, is a lie! To the British
Constitution, on revolution principles, next after my God, I am most
devoutly