To the Hon Mr RM, of Panmure, on His High Phaeton

To the Hon Mr RM, of Panmure, on His High Phaeton - context Summary

Written in 1794

Composed in 1794 and dedicated to the Hon. Mr. R. M. of Panmure, this short poem lightly satirizes a man’s vanity about his grand carriage (a Phaeton). Burns compares the owner’s pride in the vehicle to the ostentation of a criminal elevated on a pillory, turning social display into a moral ridicule. The piece functions as a witty rebuke aimed at pretension among the gentry, using a blunt, conversational voice rather than elaborate metaphor or lofty argument.