Lines Sent to Sir John Whiteford, Bart
Robert Burns addresses Sir John Whiteford as a man who treats honour with religious reverence and fears nothing earthly except the reproach of his own conscience. He offers him a sorrowful tribute from a broken heart: a lament for the death of the Earl of Glencairn. Whiteford had valued the dead man as a friend, while the speaker had loved him as a patron, and both recognise that his worth and honour were approved by all. They will continue to mourn him until they themselves follow him along the shadowy path into the unknown world of death.
By Robert Burns · First published 1787 · Genre: Elegy, Lyric Poetry, Occasional Poetry · 116 words
First lines
With The Lament On The Death Of the Earl Of Glencairn
Thou, who thy honour as thy God rever'st, / Who, save thy mind's reproach, nought earthly fear'st, / To thee this votive offering I impart, / The tearful tribute of a broken heart. / The Friend thou valued'st, I, the Patron lov'd; / His worth, his honour, all the world approved: / We'll mourn till we too go as he has gone, / And tread the shadowy path to that dark world unknown.
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Genres
- Elegy — The poem is a mournful tribute to the deceased Earl of Glencairn, centered on grief, loss, remembrance, and death.
- Lyric Poetry — It is a short, emotionally concentrated verse expressing the speaker's personal sorrow and reverence for the dead patron.
- Occasional Poetry — The work was composed for a specific occasion: the death of the Earl of Glencairn, and it accompanies Burns's lament for him.
- Memorial Poetry — It commemorates Glencairn by praising his honor, worth, and public reputation while preserving his memory.
Tags
elegiac poetry · mourning · grief · death · tribute poem · lament · friendship · patronage · honour · conscience · moral integrity · virtue
What this Textopian page supports
Lines Sent to Sir John Whiteford, Bart is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1787 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: 1787 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Elegy, Lyric Poetry, Occasional Poetry, Memorial Poetry, Dedication Poem
- Length: 116 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
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