---
title: "To Mrs. Riddel"
author: "Robert Burns"
recipient: "Mrs. Riddel"
letter_number: 281
roman: "CCLXXXI"
source: "Project Gutenberg #18500 — The Complete Works of Robert Burns (ed. Allan Cunningham)"
editor: "Allan Cunningham"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/18500/pg18500.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/letters/281-to-riddel/"
---

# To Mrs. Riddel

### Who was about to bespeak a Play one evening at the Dumfries Theatre

## Editor's note
This clever lady, whom Burns so happily applies the words of Thomson, died in the year 1820, at Hampton Court.

— Allan Cunningham

## Letter
I am thinking to send my "Address" to some periodical publication, but it has not yet got your sanction, so pray look at it.

As to the Tuesday's play, let me beg of you, my dear madam, to give us, "The Wonder, a Woman keeps a Secret!" to which please add, "The Spoilt Child"—you will highly oblige me by so doing.

Ah, what an enviable creature you are! There now, this cursed, gloomy, blue-devil day, you are going to a party of choice spirits—

"To play the shapes Of frolic fancy, and incessant form Those rapid pictures, assembled train Of fleet ideas, never join'd before, Where lively _wit_ excites to gay surprise; Or folly-painting _humour_, grave himself, Calls laughter forth, deep-shaking every nerve."

THOMSON.

But as you rejoice with them that do rejoice, do also remember to weep with them that weep, and pity your melancholy friend.

R. B.

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #18500 — The Complete Works of Robert Burns (ed. Allan Cunningham)](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/18500/pg18500.txt), edited by Allan Cunningham  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/letters/281-to-riddel/