The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-02-01 00:00:00

Which fain all feeble things bad blcshA and *bettered.

To Nature's feast,—
Who knew her noblest guest
All.l entertaineil him heat,
Kingly lie came. tier chambers of the out
Mai dralAl with anima's, and with gold.
And putted her pure joy-wines
For him the imet•souleil.
_ Fur him her anthem wird,

From the atorin•witad 11111011 g the winter pines,
Down to the slenderest note
Of a love warble, from the hnuet's throat.
But when begins
The array for battle, and the trumpet blows.
A King inuat leave the feast, and lead the fight.
And with its mortal foe--
Grim gathering hosts of sorrows and of sins—
Each human soul must close.
And Fame her trumpet blew
Before him ; wrapp'd him in her purple state ;
And made him mark for all the shafts of fate,
That henceforth round him dew.
Though he may yield
Hard preas'il, and wounded fall
Forsaken on the field ;
Ills regal ve.tments mad ;
His crown of half its jewels spoird ;
Ile is a King for all.
Had he but stood aloof!
Had hi array'd 'Mundt in armour proof
Aganwt temptation'a darts?.

So yearn the good ;—so those the world calls wise,
With vain presumptuous hesrts,
Triumphant moralise.
Of martyr. woe
A sacred shadow on his memory red.;
Tears have not ceased to flow ;
Indignant grief yet stirs impetuous breasts,
To think,—above that noble soul brought low,
That wise and soaring spirit bold, enslaved,—
Thus, thus he had been saved!
It might not be!
That heart of harmony
-• Had been too rudely rent •

!Miniver cords, which any liana could wound,
By no hand could be tun'il
Save by the Maker of the instrument,
Its every string who knew.
And from prof g touch His heavenly gift withdrew.

Regretful love
Ilia country UM would prove.
By grateful honours lavished on his grave;
Would fain redeem her blame
That He vo little at her hands can claim,
Who unrewarded gave
To her Ilia life-bought gift of song and fame.
The bind lie trod
Hatli now become • place of idlgrimage ;
Where dearer are the Lasha of the sod
That could Ilia song engage.
The hoary hawthorn. wreatli'd
Ab..ve the bank on which ilk limbs lie flung
While mine sweet plaint he breatli'd ;
The streams he wander'd near ;
The maidens whom he loved; the songs he lung;
All, all are dear!
The arch blue eyes,—
Arch but for love's disguise,—
Of Scotland's daughters, soften at his strain ;
fler hardy SOII%, sent forth across the main
To drive the ',lungfish:a,. through earth's virgin sods.
Lighten with it theirdoils ;
And slater-lands have learli'd to love the tongue
In which such soup are mug.
For doth not song.
To the whole world belong I

so.
Is it not given wherever tears can fall
Wherever heart. Can melt, or blushes glow,
Or mirth mei .aduess gin AS they duw,

A heritage Wall? .
•
Many passages were internipted by applause, and
among others the sixth strophe, alluding to the poet's
intimate familiarity with all the phenomena of nature ;
the eighth, which insinuates the folly of regretting thathe
possessed the weaknesses of a man ; the tenth, which
tniplies that only the Almighty could have made hint
other than he was ; the eleventh, alluding most elo-
quently to the veneration that noir attaches to every
scene and object with which the poet was familiar
during his lifetime ; &ad the twelfth. setting forth how
his songs have been endeared to distant lands through
emigrants whose toil they have helped to lighten. 'rite
termination was followed by deafening shouts of ap-
plause, and repeated calls for the author, which at last
were a. obstinately persiated in that Mr. Bowley,
general manager, was compelled to come forward and
protest. "It is," said the 7ANIIOUII and able functionary,
"the wishof the directorsas wellas of yourselves, to have
the lady here." (A voice: " Lady l'"—Answer—" Yes,
Lade"); " but you must be aware that we cannot bring
her here. I hope, therefore, you will allow the concert
to proceed." The logic of this appeal proved irresis-
tible; and the second part of the concert began.
Miss Craig, the successful competitor for this prize
and poetical distinction, is • young Scotchwunian—•
native of Edinburgh, and for two years past resident in
London. Early left an orphan, she was reared and edu-
cated under the care of • grandmother not in affluent
circumstances. With praiseworthy industry, and hell-
cultivation of her intellectual powers, she early resolved
to work out her own pecuniary independence. By occa-
sional poetical contributions to the Edinburgh &Usual',
she gained the notice and kiwiness of Mr. John Ritchie,
the oldest and principal proprietor of that journal, and
for some years she was employed by this early patron
and friend on its literary department. In ISM Messrs.
Blackwood published in • small volume a collection of
Miss Craig's fugitive metrical compositions, under the
title of Poeuu by lea. The autism also bu been a contri-
butor under the signature of "C." to the poetry of the
Norional Magazine. In August, 1857, oft Kiss Craig's

firat visit to a London friend, Mr. flutings. the hon.
secretary of the National Associationof Social:kir nee,en-
gaged her aervices in the organization of the society, and
to this association Miss (*ran; is Still attached sic literary
1 assistant. The publish.' trans:olio'ic of the asisociation
owe h to her talent and good judgment. At the
liivcrpool meeting, in October Lot, Miss Craig attracted
rh not:cc and oidation by her unobtrusive
contra and tact in the management of sonic depart-
no of the business. Mi,c. Crsig was atoent at the
Crysi..l Palace iti,•ting, really lc, . , waiit of the success of
low hi tt :airy vmspetitl.,l.• “1,•: id the award .4 the judges.
It Its I happined that she had not .oen the mottoes on
tie AUCC •shfill 11!!1,!1• 61.111 e day, wrli,
eliatwes of a yiaing S ...trlovumau :almost Cell nod, and
female competitors did it Sculpt her to attend the
ailjndication, and she was not informed of her success
! till late after the termination of the meeting at Syden-
, liana Palace.

The IMily Mail observes of the Burns Centenary
meeting in the Glasgow City llall.—"Perhaps a mere
nie JJJJJ rable sight WA/never witnessed in a large AS.CIII.
blage than the acetic presented when Colonel Burns,
the non of the poet, Wag introduced by the Chairman
to return thankss Every I.er:ion in the vast hall, both
lath., MO gentlemen, stood up, and continued for 0.1110
minites cheering and waving their white handkerchiefs.
:Similar .1..1 iiiiii strations, alinoat as strongly marked,
when Mr. Lover and /101111, other speakers rose,
indeed, throughout the evening, there amid he no
doubt that the feelings of the meeting were iiiest enth-
usiastic. Perhapw the celebrated song of "A man's a
omen for a that" was never sting with much heart-starring
effect as when given by Mr. Muir, and joined in by the
whole ctompany standing. Mr. Muir was recalled to
repeat it, which lie .11.1 with, if possible, iinure effect
than at first. During the whole time, sludge If abhor-
tun (author of Sam Slick.) leaned back and watched the
ainger with the most marked attention. The acetic will,
we dare say, never be effaced front his memory, and will
be long remembered as an evidence of Scottish maim-
aiamin."

The Bev. U. GiMilan, addressing an audience at Dun-
dee, made reference to some observations by the Bev.
Dr. Alexander, of Elinbur4ll, on Sunday last. Mr.
(Salina:l said, " .1 clergyman whom I greatly respect
is reported to have solid that Burns ' never loved a
woman but he betrayed her, and never made an 11041Uail1•
tattoo among either young men or women but he in-
jured and corrupted them.' This I characterise as a
gross calumny. Did he betray Highland Mary? Where
is the evidence that he betrayed Charlotte Hamilton or
even Clarinda? Nor could I/r. Alexander specify one
young man whom Burns corrupted. Certainly it was
nut Alexander Cunningham, to whom Burns addressed
that beautiful letter describing his soul in a stormy day
rising to Him that walketh on the wings of the wind ;
nor Robert Ainslie, the devout, the pious. the author in
after life of 'A Father's Present to his Children'"