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→The poetry of John Mayne and Robert Burns
====The poetry of John Mayne and Robert Burns====
====The poetry of John Mayne and Robert Burns====
A poem written in 1780 by John Mayne of Dumfries describes a Scottish Halloween festival. The poem mentions both pranks and trick or treating. “There’s few [festivals] in Scotland held mair dear,” according to the poem.<ref>Mayne, John, "[https://www.poetryexplorer.net/poem.php?id=10105857 Halloween]" (1780).</ref>
A poem written in 1780 by John Mayne of Dumfries describes a Scottish Halloween festival. The poem mentions both pranks and trick or treating. “There’s few [festivals] in Scotland held mair dear,” it says.<ref>Mayne, John, "[https://www.poetryexplorer.net/poem.php?id=10105857 Halloween]" (1780).</ref>
Mayne's poem inspired [[Robert Burns]] to write "Hallowe’en" in 1785. Burns is sometimes described as, "Scotland's favorite son." He gave an extended description of the celebration. "Upon that night, when fairies light," according to the poem. Burns's poem mentions fairies and mischief making, but also cutting apples and winnowing corn. So it seems that the Scottish holiday retained features of a harvest festival.<ref>[https://interestingliterature.com/2018/10/a-short-analysis-of-robert-burns-halloween/ A Short Analysis of Robert Burns’s ‘Halloween’]", ''Interesting Literature''</ref>
Mayne gave an explanation of the holiday in a footnote:{{cquote|Hallow-E'en, or Holy Eve, is the evening previous to the celebration of All Saints. That it is propitious to the rites of divination, is an opinion still common in many parts of Scotland.}}Mayne's poem inspired [[Robert Burns]] to write "Hallowe’en" in 1785. Burns is sometimes described as, "Scotland's favorite son." He gave an extended description of the celebration. "Upon that night, when fairies light," according to the poem.
Burns's poem mentions fairies and mischief making, but also cutting apples and winnowing corn. So it seems that the Scottish holiday retained features of a harvest festival. As poetry, it is overly long and not among Burns's best. But it is carefully studied by those interested in Scottish folklore and festivals.<ref>[https://interestingliterature.com/2018/10/a-short-analysis-of-robert-burns-halloween/ A Short Analysis of Robert Burns’s ‘Halloween’]", ''Interesting Literature''</ref>
===Victorian revivalism===
===Victorian revivalism===