own person, standing before me in my own house, at my
own fireside, in all the halo of your poetical
radiance! Come over, then, if possible, my dear
Shepherd, and stay a night or two with us. You may
tarry with your friend, Mr Bald, one afternoon or so by
the way, and explore the half-forgotten treasures of
the Shakspeare cellars[42]--but you may rest yourself
under the shadow of the Ochil Hills a longer space,
and enjoy the beauties of our scenery, and, such as it
is, the fulness of our hospitality, which, believe me,
will be spouted out upon you freely and rejoicingly.

"To be serious in speech, I really wish you would take
a trip up this way some time during the summer. I
understand you are settled in Edinburgh, and in that
thought have now addressed you. If I am wrong, write
me. Indeed, write me at any rate, as I would wish again
to see your fist at least, though the Fates should
forbid my seeing your person here. But I think you
would find some pleasure in visiting again your Alloa
friends, to say nothing of the happiness we should have
in seeing you at Devongrove.... Be sure to write me
now, James, in answer to this; and believe me to be,
ever most sincerely yours,

"Wm. Tennant."

The Shepherd's next literary undertaking was an edition of Burns,
published at Glasgow. In this task he had an able coadjutor in the poet
Motherwell. In 1831, he published a collected edition of his songs,