An Extemporaneous Effusion on Being Appointed to the Excise

An Extemporaneous Effusion on Being Appointed to the Excise - context Summary

Composed on Excise Appointment

Robert Burns's 'An Extemporaneous Effusion on being appointed to the Excise' (written 1788) is a short, colloquial response to his new government post. Using Scots dialect and a conversational tone, the poem balances self-deprecating humour and unease: Burns jokes that rummaging through tavern barrels might stain his poetic laurels but accepts the work to secure financial stability for his family. The piece registers the poet's practical compromise between artistic reputation and domestic responsibility, and it reflects his habit of addressing serious personal decisions in familiar, vernacular speech.