On Captain Lascelles
written in 1794
On Captain Lascelles - meaning Summary
Mordant Mockery of Embalming
This short satirical poem ridicules the idea of preserving a disliked man after death. Burns stages a conversation about embalming Captain Lascelles' heart, then delivers a scornful retort: the heart is called poison and unfit even for scavengers. The speaker uses dark humor and irony to expose moral contempt that survives death, turning funeral ritual into an occasion for social judgment. The poem compresses character, attitude, and social censure into a bitter, economical scene.
Read Complete AnalysesWhen Lascelles thought fit from this world to depart, Some friends warmly spoke of embalming his heart; A bystander whispers - 'Pray don't make so much o't, The subject is poison, no reptile will touch it.'
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