To Mr Mcmurdo, with a Pound of Lundiefoot Snuff

To Mr Mcmurdo, with a Pound of Lundiefoot Snuff - meaning Summary

Generosity and Sincere Esteem

Burns addresses Mr McMurdo with a modest gift, using it to express affection and the value of shared friendship. He contrasts worldly riches and poetic ideals, acknowledging that he cannot bestow India’s wealth or literal golden sands on the poetic stream. Instead he offers what money cannot buy: the sincere esteem of an honest poet. The poem frames generosity as emotional rather than material, valuing mutual pleasure in giving and companionship over extravagant gifts.