Lines on Stirling


[A] Written by Somebody in the window of an inn at Stirling on seeing the Royal Palace in ruins. Here Stewarts once in triumph reign'd, And laws for Scotland's weal ordain'd; But now unroof'd their Palace stands, Their sceptre's fall'n to other hands; Fallen indeed, and to the earth, Whence grovelling reptiles take their birth. The injur'd STEWART-line are gone, A Race outlandish fill their throne; An idiot race, to honor lost; Who know them best despise them most. [B] These imprudent lines were answered, very petulantly, by somebody, I believe a Revd Mr Hamilton.-In a M.S.S. where I met with the answer, I wrote below- With Esop's lion, Burns says, sore I feel Each other blow, but damn that ass's heel! [C] The Reproof Rash mortal, and slanderous Poet, thy name Shall no longer appear in the records of fame; Dost not know that old Mansfield, who writes like the Bible, Says the more 'tis a truth, Sir, the more 'tis a libel?

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Cal Macaninch

About this work

This is a poem by Robert Burns. It was written in 1787 and is read here by Cal Macaninch.

Themes for this poem

jacobitismnationalism

Locations for this poem

Stirling

Selected for 10 June

James Francis Stuart, the 'Old Pretender', or would be King, was born on June 10th, 1688. On that same date in 1727, George I, the Hanoverian usurper of the Stuart's right to rule, passed away. Here is what Robert Burns thought of the respective merits of the two rival dynasties. For Jacobites like Burns, June 10th was 'White Rose Day'.

Donny O'Rourke

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