of the fortheoming edition, and to subscribe individually for copies.
On the 6th May 1787, after spending about six months in the eapital, Burns departed from Edinburgh, in eompany with a friend, on a eountry excursion before he should return to Ayrshire. His route was southward, and he visited in the eourse of his tour several distinguished families. He returned to Mauehline on the 8th July, where he remained but a few days, and undertook another tour through the north. In this exeursion he was received with much courtesy at the houses of many eminent persons— among these were the noble family of Argyle. On these oeeasions he eomposed some of his most admired lyrics. After another visit to his family at Mossgiel he repaired,
in Mareh 1788, to Dalswinton, in Dumfriesshire, the residenee of Mr Miller, with whom he was in treaty for the lease of a farm on his estate. During part of the intervening months he had been oceasionally in Edinburgh, as he says, to adjust matters with his bookseller, although it is pretty clear that a visit to some of his old jovial companions was the true eause. After a good deal of time lost between the arranging of his lease at Dalswinton and settling with his bookseller, a period which from different eauses he seems to have spent rather wearily, his affairs eame at last to assume something like a definite shape.
