---
title: "Address to Wm. Tytler, Esq., of Woodhouselee"
subtitle: "With an Impression of the Author’s Portrait"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Poem"
year: "1787"
location: "Edinburgh"
source: "Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/poems/address-to-wm-tytler-esq-of-woodhouselee/"
---

# Address to Wm. Tytler, Esq., of Woodhouselee

### With an Impression of the Author’s Portrait

## Poem
Revered defender of beauteous Stuart,  
Of Stuart, a name once respected;  
A name, which to love was the mark of a true heart,  
But now ’tis despis’d and neglected.

Tho’ something like moisture conglobes in my eye,  
Let no one misdeem me disloyal;  
A poor friendless wand’rer may well claim a sigh,  
Still more if that wand’rer were royal.

My fathers that name have rever’d on a throne:  
My fathers have fallen to right it;  
Those fathers would spurn their degenerate son,  
That name should he scoffingly slight it.

Still in prayers for King George I most heartily join,  
The Queen, and the rest of the gentry:  
Be they wise, be they foolish, is nothing of mine;  
Their title’s avow’d by my country.

But why of that epocha make such a fuss,  
That gave us th’ Electoral stem?  
If bringing them over was lucky for us,  
I’m sure ’twas as lucky for them.

But, loyalty, truce! we’re on dangerous ground;  
Who knows how the fashions may alter?  
The doctrine, to-day, that is loyalty sound,  
To-morrow may bring us a halter!

I send you a trifle, a head of a bard,  
A trifle scarce worthy your care;  
But accept it, good Sir, as a mark of regard,  
Sincere as a saint’s dying prayer.

Now life’s chilly evening dim shades on your eye,  
And ushers the long dreary night:  
But you, like the star that athwart gilds the sky,  
Your course to the latest is bright.

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt)  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/poems/address-to-wm-tytler-esq-of-woodhouselee/