To Dr. Maxwell by Robert Burns

Addressing Maxwell after Miss Jessy Staig's recovery, the speaker playfully denies him credit for saving her from the grave, calling her an angel who could not die.

By Robert Burns · Genre: Epigram, Humor · 44 words

First lines

On Miss Jessy Staig's recovery.

Maxwell, if merit here you crave, / That merit I deny; / You save fair Jessie from the grave! - / An Angel could not die!

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Genres

• Epigram — Four rhyming lines turn a denial of Maxwell's merit into a closing compliment to Jessie.
• Humor — The speaker jokingly disputes Maxwell's credit for saving Jessie by claiming that an angel could not die.

Tags

recovery · physicians · compliments · epigram

What this Textopian page supports

To Dr. Maxwell is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated Date unknown.

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: Date unknown
• Language: English
• Genres: Epigram, Humor
• Length: 44 words
• Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs

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• Handsome Nell (1808)
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• In the Character of a Ruined Farmer (1786)
• Tragic Fragment (1786)
• The Tarbolton Lasses (1808)
• Ah, Woe is me, my Mother Dear (1808)
• Montgomerie's Peggy (1790)
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