A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc

354
THE HEIR OF LINNE.
* x-v-w >.-fc'vv%%'»-v%%^
iThe evil e&cts of dissipation in a young man, is the sub-
ject of this fine poem. The cliaracter of the Heii- of
Linne, the selfishness of those companions of his follies
who refuse to give him relief when they find that all his
means are consumed, and the griping avarice of the
steward and his wife, are very ably delineated.
The period has not been ascertained when this poem was
written, but from the language and phrases, it appears to
be coeval with the ballad of Johnie Armstrong ; it was
first published by Dr Percy from a copy in his folio MS,,
*' some breaches and defects in which," he says, " ren-
dered the insertion of a few supplemental stanzas neces-
sary. These it is hoped the reader will pardon.
" From the Scottish phrases here and there discernable in
this poem, it would seem to have been originally com-
posed beyond the Tweed.
*" The Heir of Linne appears not to have been a Lord of
Parliament, but a Laird, whose title went along with his
ei5tate."~~P£Rcy's RdiqueSy vol. ii.]