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Ode. Sacred to the Memory of Mrs Oswald of Auchincruive

Key details

Archive number
NTS/02/25/BRN/02/08
Alt. number
3.6104
Date
1789
On display
No
Creator
Burns, Robert (Author)
Recipient
Oswald, Mrs

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Description

Ode. Sacred to the Memory of Mrs Oswald of Auchincruive.

Burns writes in this satire of the recent death of the wealthy Mrs Oswald of Auchencruive. Mrs Oswald owned the Auchencruive estate near Ayr after her husband's death but lived in London. When she died, her funeral procession stopped at the Inn in Sanquhar where Burns was staying. Unfortunately he was forced to give up the room and had to travel a further 12 miles on to New Cummnock in inclement weather. Burns channelled his anger through this poem that same January evening.

The poem begins with the narrator informing the devil of his forthcoming incumbent Mrs Oswald, describing her character and selfish habits. The narrator then addresses her late husband, already in hell, and finally revels in the fact that while their money could not save them from their fate, an honest beggar would go up to heaven.

In this first page contains an introductory verse, Strophe and Antistrophe. The narrator firstly advises the devil to look out for Mrs Oswald's arrival. It continues by describing how the mean spirited woman has behaved in life and how she goes un-pitied and un-blest to hell. The narrator then asks hells fiends to let Mr Oswald look up to greet his mate.

In this last page, the Epode, the narrator cynically questions whether riches cannot ensure a comfortable hereafter while emphasising that a beggar living in a cave with a clear conscience will go straight to heaven.

Archive information


Hierarchy

  1. Robert Burns, collection of poems and songs ( )
  2. Ode. Sacred to the Memory of Mrs Oswald of Auchincruive

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