To Miss Ainslie, in Church

To Miss Ainslie, in Church - meaning Summary

Innocence Deflects Reproach

Burns addresses a young woman in church, gently telling her she need not worry about a preacher's admonition or probe her conscience with idle tests. The speaker reframes the sermon’s moralizing as aimed at common sinners, not at an elevated listener he calls an "angel." The brief poem functions as a flattering reassurance that preserves the addressee’s innocence while also lightly flirting. Its tone is intimate and consoling, turning a potentially awkward religious moment into a personal compliment that deflects moral scrutiny rather than engaging in doctrinal debate.