Thickest night surround my dwelling,
Howling tempests o'er me rave!
Turbid torrents wintry-swelling,
Roaring by my lonely cave!
Chrystal streamlets gently flowing,
Busy haunts of base mankind,
Western breezes softly blowing,
Suit not my distracted mind.
In the cause of Right engaged,
Wrongs injurious to redress,
Honor's war we strongly waged
But the Heavens deny'd success!
Ruin's wheel has driven o'er us,
Not a Hope that dare attend:
The wide world is all before us,
But a World Without a Friend.
Howling tempests o'er me rave!
Turbid torrents wintry-swelling,
Roaring by my lonely cave!
Chrystal streamlets gently flowing,
Busy haunts of base mankind,
Western breezes softly blowing,
Suit not my distracted mind.
In the cause of Right engaged,
Wrongs injurious to redress,
Honor's war we strongly waged
But the Heavens deny'd success!
Ruin's wheel has driven o'er us,
Not a Hope that dare attend:
The wide world is all before us,
But a World Without a Friend.
Key details
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/127
- Alt. number
- 3.6292
- Date
- 1764
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
- Archive number
- NTS/02/25/BRN/02/127
- Alt. number
- 3.6292
- Date
- 1764
- On display
- No
- Creator
- Burns, Robert (Author)
Description
Strathallan's Lament.
Begins: "Thickest night, surround my dwelling". The speaker of this poem is James Drummond, 5th Viscount Strathallan (D. 1765), in lament for his father, William, killed at Culloden. Burns used this as an opportunity to air his Jacobite sympathies.
Endorsed "By Mr. Burns in his own hand writ". 2 eight-line verses.
Archive information
Themes
Hierarchy
-
Robert Burns, collection of poems and songs
(
a sub-fonds is a subdivision in the archival material)
- Strathallan's Lament
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