Robert Burns

Epitaph for Robert Aiken Esq;

written in 1786

Epitaph for Robert Aiken Esq; - meaning Summary

Warmth Surviving Death

This short epitaph addresses an unknown visitor and asks them to recognize and honor Robert Aiken’s widely known reputation. The sparse lines insist that those who knew him needed no introduction and that his central quality was a warm, generous heart that death could not chill. The poem functions as a compact public tribute: it both asserts Aiken’s social esteem and offers a personal, affective judgment that frames his memory for future readers. Its direct address and simple claim shape a durable, celebratory remembrance.

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Know thou, O stranger to the fame Of this much lov'd, much honor'd name! (For none that knew him need be told) A warmer heart Death ne'er made cold.

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