MISS JEFFREY, daughter of the minister of Lochmaben, and possessor of the “Twa lovely een o’ bonnie blue,” as recorded in “I gaed a waefu’ gate yestreen,” says, “many times have I seen Burns enter my father’s dwelling on a cold rainy night, after a long ride over the dreary moors.
On such occasions one of the family would help to disencumber him of his dreadnought and boots, while others brought him a pair of slippers, and made him a warm cup of tea. It was during these visits that he felt himself perfectly happy, and opened his whole soul to us, repeated, and even sang many of his admirable songs, and enchanted all who had the good fortune to be present with his manly, luminous observation, and artless manner. I never could fancy that Burns had ever followed the rustic occupation of the plough, because everything he said had a gracefulness and charm that was, in an extraordinary degree, engaging.