A public library had been established by subscription among the
citizens of Dumfries in September 1792, and Burns, ever eager about
books, had been from the first one of its supporters. Before it was a
week old, he had presented to it a copy of his poems. He does not seem
to have been a regularly admitted member till 5th March 1793, when
'the committee, by a great majority, resolved to offer to Mr Robert
Burns a share in the library, free of any admission-money [10s. 6d.]
and the quarterly contributions [2s. 6d.] to this date, out of respect
and esteem for his abilities as a literary man; and they directed the
secretary to make this known to Mr Burns as soon as possible, that the
application which they understood he was about to make in the ordinary
way might be anticipated.' This is a pleasing testimony to Burns as a
poet, but still more so to Burns as a citizen and member of society.
His name appears in September as a member of committee--an honour
assigned by vote of the members.
On the 30th of this month, the liberal poet bestowed four books upon
the library--namely, _Humphry Clinker_, _Julia de Roubigné_, _Knox's
History of the Reformation_, and _Delolme on the British
Constitution_. The present intelligent librarian, Mr M'Robert,
reports, respecting the last-mentioned work, a curious anecdote, which
he learned directly from the late Provost Thomson of Dumfries. Early
in the morning after Delolme had been presented, Burns came to Mr
Thomson's bedside before he was up, anxiously desiring to see the
volume, as he feared he had written something upon it 'which might
bring him into trouble.' On the volume being shewn to him, he looked
at the inscription which he had written upon it the previous night,
and, having procured some paste, he pasted over it the fly-leaf in
such a way as completely to conceal it.
The gentleman who has been good enough to communicate these
particulars, adds: 'I have seen the volume, which is the edition of
1790, neatly bound, with a portrait of the author at the beginning.
Some stains of ink shine through the paper, indicating that there is
something written on the back of the engraving; but the fly-leaf being
pasted down upon it, there is nothing legible. On holding the leaf up
to the light, however, I distinctly read, in the undoubted manuscript
of the poet, the following words:--
"Mr Burns presents this book to the Library, and begs they will take
it as a creed of British liberty--until they find a better. R. B."
'The words, "until they find a better," are evidently those which the
poet feared "might bring him into trouble." Probably, if the
inscription had not been written on the back of the engraving, he
might have removed it altogether: at all events, his anxiety to
conceal it shews what trivial circumstances were in those days
sufficient to constitute a political offence.' Ay, and to think of
this happening in the same month with the writing of _Scots, wha hae
wi' Wallace bled_!
Fully to appreciate the feelings of alarm under which Burns acted on
this occasion, it must be kept in view that the trial of Mr Thomas
Muir for sedition had taken place on the 30th of August, when, in the
evidence against him, appeared that of his servant, Ann Fisher, to the
effect that he had purchased and distributed certain copies of Paine's
_Rights of Man_. The stress laid upon that testimony by the
crown-counsel had excited much remark. It might well appear to a
government officer like Burns, that his own conduct at such a crisis
ought to be in the highest degree circumspect. We do not know exactly
the time when the incident which we are about to relate took place,
but it appears likely to have been nearly that of Muir's trial. Our
poet one day called upon his quondam neighbour, George Haugh, the
blacksmith, and, handing him a copy of Paine's _Common Sense_ and
_Rights of Man_, desired him to keep these books for him, as, if they
were found in his own house, he should be a ruined man. Haugh readily
accepted the trust, and the books remained in possession of his family
down to a recent period.--_Chambers's Life and Works of Burns, Vol.
IV._, _just published._