Epitaph for Gavin Hamilton, Esq by Robert Burns
“Epitaph for Gavin Hamilton, Esq” presents Gavin as a poor, mourned man whose death causes weeping. The speaker condemns the “canting wretches” who blamed him and declares complete loyalty to Gavin’s kind, wishing to share their ultimate fate, whether salvation or damnation.
By Robert Burns · First published 1786 · Genre: Epitaph, Elegy, Satirical Poetry · 41 words
First lines
The poor man weeps-here Gavin sleeps, / Whom canting wretches blam'd; / But with such as he, where'er he be, / May I be sav'd or damn'd!
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Genres
- Epitaph — The poem is explicitly an inscription-like memorial verse for the deceased Gavin Hamilton, centering on his grave, death, and posthumous remembrance.
- Elegy — It mourns Gavin Hamilton through the image of a poor man weeping and offers a personal, emotionally charged response to his death.
- Satirical Poetry — Burns attacks Hamilton's detractors as 'canting wretches,' using sharp, condemnatory language to expose their hypocrisy.
- Scottish Poetry — The work belongs to Robert Burns's Scottish poetic tradition, employing compact vernacular-inflected diction and addressing a figure from his Scottish social world.
Tags
Scottish poetry · elegy · epitaph · mourning · death · burial · grief · lament for a friend · Gavin Hamilton · poverty · social condemnation · religious hypocrisy
What this Textopian page supports
Epitaph for Gavin Hamilton, Esq is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1786 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1786 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Epitaph, Elegy, Satirical Poetry, Scottish Poetry, Lyric Poetry
- Length: 41 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
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