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[Page 168]
A PRAYER, IN THE PROSPECT OF DEATH.
I.
1 O THOU unknown, Almighty Cause
2 Of all my hope and fear!
3 In whose dread Presence, ere an hour,
4 Perhaps I must appear!
II.
5 If I have wander'd in those paths
6 Of life I ought to shun;
[Page 169]7 As Something, loudly, in my breast,
8 Remonstrates I have done;
III.
9 Thou know'st that Thou hast formed me,
10 With Passions wild and strong;
11 And: list'ning, to their witching voice
12 Has often led me wrong.
IV.
13 Where human weakness has come short,
14 Or frailty stept aside,
15 Do Thou, ALL-GOOD, for such Thou art,
16 In shades of darkness hide.
V.
17 Where with intention I have err'd,
18 No other plea I have,
19 But, Thou art good; and Goodness still
20 Delighteth to forgive.
Source edition
Burns, Robert, 1759-1796. POEMS, CHIEFLY IN THE SCOTTISH DIALECT, BY ROBERT BURNS. Kilmarnock: printed by John Wilson, M,DCC,LXXXVI., 1786, pp. 168-169. 240p.; 8⁰. (ESTC T91548) (Page images digitized by National Library of Scotland.)
Editorial principles
Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by Robert Burns
- ADDRESS TO THE DEIL. ()
- ANOTHER. ()
- THE AULD FARMER'S NEW-YEAR-MORNING SALUTATION TO HIS AULD MARE, MAGGIE, ON GIVING HER THE ACCUSTOMED RIPP OF CORN TO HANSEL IN THE NEW-YEAR. ()
- THE AUTHOR'S EARNEST CRY AND PRAYER, TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND HONORABLE, THE SCOTCH REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. ()
- A BARD'S EPITAPH. ()
- THE COTTER'S SATURDAY NIGHT. INSCRIBED TO R. A****, Esq; ()
- THE DEATH AND DYING WORDS OF POOR MAILIE, THE AUTHOR'S ONLY PET YOWE, AN UNCO MOURNFU' TALE. ()
- A DEDICATION TO G**** H******* Esq; ()
- DESPONDENCY, AN ODE. ()
- A DREAM. ()
- EPIGRAM ON SAID OCCASION, ()
- EPISTLE TO A YOUNG FRIEND. ()
- EPISTLE TO DAVIE. A BROTHER POET. ()
- EPISTLE TO J. L*****K, AN OLD SCOTCH BARD. ()
- EPISTLE TO J. R******, ENCLOSING SOME POEMS. ()
- EPITAPH ON A HENPECKED COUNTRY SQUIRE. ()
- [EPITAPH] FOR G. H. Esq; ()
- [EPITAPH] FOR R. A. Esq; ()
- [EPITAPH] FOR THE AUTHOR'S FATHER. ()
- [EPITAPH] ON A CELEBRATED RULING ELDER. ()
- [EPITAPH] ON A NOISY POLEMIC. ()
- [EPITAPH] ON WEE JOHNIE. Hic jacet wee Johnie. ()
- THE FAREWELL. TO THE BRETHREN OF St. JAMES'S LODGE, TARBOLTON. ()
- HALLOWEEN. ()
- THE HOLY FAIR. ()
- THE LAMENT. OCCASIONED BY THE UNFORTUNATE ISSUE OF A FRIEND'S AMOUR. ()
- MAN WAS MADE TO MOURN, A DIRGE. ()
- ON A SCOTCH BARD GONE TO THE WEST INDIES. ()
- POOR MAILIE'S ELEGY. ()
- SCOTCH DRINK. ()
- SONG, COMPOSED IN AUGUST. ()
- SONG. ()
- SONG. ()
- TO A LOUSE, On Seeing one on a Lady's Bonnet at Church. ()
- TO A MOUNTAIN-DAISY, On turning one down, with the Plough, in April — 1786. ()
- TO A MOUSE, On turning her up in her Nest with the Plough, November, 1785. ()
- TO J. S****. ()
- TO RUIN. ()
- TO THE SAME. ()
- TO W. S*****N, OCHILTREE. ()
- THE TWA DOGS, A TALE. ()
- THE VISION. ()
- WINTER, A DIRGE. ()