Edinr March 16th 1787
The crimson blossom charms the bee,
The summer sun the swallow,
So dear this tuneful gift to me
From lovely Isabella.
Her portrait strong fair upon my mind
Revolving Time shall mellow;
And Mem'ry's latest effort find
The lovely Isabella.
No Bard nor Lover's rapture this,
In fancies vain and shallow,
She is, so come my soul to bliss!
The lovely Isabella.
Robt Burns
The crimson blossom charms the bee,
The summer sun the swallow,
So dear this tuneful gift to me
From lovely Isabella.
Her portrait strong fair upon my mind
Revolving Time shall mellow;
And Mem'ry's latest effort find
The lovely Isabella.
No Bard nor Lover's rapture this,
In fancies vain and shallow,
She is, so come my soul to bliss!
The lovely Isabella.
Robt Burns
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/78
- Alt. number
- 3.6232
- Date
- 16 March 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/78
- Alt. number
- 3.6232
- Date
- 16 March 1787
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
Description
To Miss Isabella MacLeod. Begins: "The crimson blossom charms the bee". 3 four-line verses dated "Edinburgh, 16th (March) 1787" signed "Robt. Burns"
Robert Burns wrote this poem to Miss Isabella MacLeod, the daughter of the Earl of Raasay. The two met in 1787 when Burns was in Edinburgh.
Burns wrote several poems about the MacLeod family. He also composed On reading, in a newspaper, the Death of J. McLeod, Esq. Brother to a Young Lady and Raving Winds about the deaths of Isabella's brother in law and sister.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Robert Burns, collection of poems and songs
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- To Miss Isabella MacLeod
Caring for collections
A gift of £5 a month can help us ensure collections like the Robert Burns Collection receive ongoing care and are shared with as many people as possible.