Fragment on Sensibility by Robert Burns
The poem asks readers not to judge a person’s mind or worth by an ungainly rustic manner, since a noble and warm heart deserves generous understanding. It also warns that strict propriety and cautious rules may fail to recognize sincere feeling, and urges compassion rather than harsh rebuke for those governed by sensibility.
By Robert Burns · First published 1786 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Sentimental Poetry, Didactic Poetry · 64 words
First lines
Rusticity's ungainly form / May cloud the highest mind; / But when the heart is nobly warm, / The good excuse will find.
Propriety's cold, cautious rules / Warm fervour may o'erlook: / But spare poor sensibility / Th' ungentle, harsh rebuke.
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — This short, stanzaic verse expresses a concentrated emotional and moral reflection rather than narrating events.
- Sentimental Poetry — The poem explicitly defends sensibility, warmth of heart, and humane judgment against cold propriety and harsh criticism.
- Didactic Poetry — Its aphoristic lines offer ethical instruction: readers should look beyond rustic manners and respond compassionately to sincere feeling.
- Moral Poetry — The central concern is moral character, contrasting noble warmth and forgiveness with rigid social judgment.
Tags
Scottish poetry · eighteenth-century poetry · lyric poem · poetic fragment · moral reflection · sensibility · compassion · generous judgment · social propriety · rusticity · rural manners · appearance versus character
What this Textopian page supports
Fragment on Sensibility 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: Lyric Poetry, Sentimental Poetry, Didactic Poetry, Moral Poetry, Epigrammatic Poetry
- Length: 64 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
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