Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-01-20 00:00:00

BURNS CENTENARY.

'On Monday next this festival will come off at St.
George's Hall. Yesterday, a meeting of the committee
was held for the
.purpose of considering the programme
of the vocal music to be given on the occasion. An
overture, written for the occasion by Mr. R. B. Stewart,
will be followed by Burns celebrated cantata, ,4 The
Jolly Beggars," as arranged by Bishop. To give due
effect to this splendid composition, • besides the solo
singers there will be also a chorus of sixty voices.
Among the concerted pieces will also be performed, " 0
Willie brew'd a peck o' maut," arranged as a trio and
chorus. The songs to be sung on the occasion, all selected
from the writings of Burns, will include—" There was a
lad was born in Kyle," "John. Anderson my. Joe,"
" Comin' through the rye," "Of a' the airts the
H wind ca
in n
blaw," " 0 wert thou the cauld blast," " ere awa,
there awa, wandering Willie," "Ye banks and braes,"
" Scots wha has wi' Wallace bled," "Last May a braw
wooer," " Green grow the rashes 0," and " A man's a
man for a' that." Much consideration was likewise
bestowed by the committee in selecting the programme
of the dances for the ball, and this was also fixed
yesterday afternoon to be as follows, namely—Quadrille,
polka, reel, lancers, gallop, reel (Tulloch) waltz, quadrille,
polka, lancers, and gallop. Songs and duets will also be
sung in the small concert room up stairs, between the
hours of ten and twelve o'clock. Taking all into con-
sideration, we hope to see the festival one of the most
prosperous that has ever taken place in this town. Certain
itis that the coup d'ccil will be ofamostbrilliant character,
even unsurpassed by the grand fancy dress ball, held in
the noble building in 1857.

SELECTION OF-DANCES FOR THE BURNS,

FESTIVAL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE DAILY POST.

SIR, —ln your notice of the Burns Festival of
the 25th instant, in Saturday's Post, you say, " A
leading feature of the ball will be the preponder-
ance of Scotch dances." Is it to be understood
from this that the selection of dances during the
ball is to exceed in reels and other Scotch dances
(which so few know how to perform), to the
exclusion of quadrilles, waltzes, polkas, &c., &c.
I also notice, from an advertisement. in your
paper to-day, that " instructions in the national
Scotch dances car, be received on application,"
&c., &c. If this is to be the arrangement,
I think some more explicit notice of the ball
arrangements should be given by the committee ;
say, publish the programme of dances, as, with the
exception of professionals, comparatively few
know these Scotch dances ; and I, for one, would
find but little enjoyment looking on, unable to join
in what I call uncouth gesticulations. It may be
very amusing to witness these performances when
one goes merely to look on; but, when rational
and welt-known danees are most popular and best
known, then let them " preponderate." I trust
some explanation will be given by the committee.
—I remain, yours obediently, U.
Liverpool, 17th January, 1859.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN TIMES

Sir;—ln the Daily Post, of Wednesday, appeared
the above letter, and I beg respectfully to forward
you the accompanying:—
ANSWER TO " ON TUE SELECTION OF
DANCES FOR THE BURNS' FESTIVAL.

Heel! "Jock," I'm sairly puzzled mon, whatever will he do,
Yon vowel chiel in Daily Post wha ca's himsel just " U " ?
He does-na ken oar Hieland flings, nor yet our Lowland jumps,
The creature's fearfu' o' his legs, or aiblins o' his pumps.

Troth " Will" I doubt the lad's in love wi' some fine Saxon dame,
As ignorant as himsel' may be, of Burns' fame and name
And he wishes just to twirlher round in some soft fanfaronade,
A German Waltz, Cotillion French, or Spanish Gallopade.

Why surely "Jock" the chid is daft wi' his whims and explanations,
And then to ca' our dances, too, " uncemth gesticulations !"
In Embro's bra w assembly rooms " I wat he'd get his farrin,"
If not " in- " in print at least "they'd roast him like a herrin'."

Ne'er heed him "Will," our committee are competent and chary,
And Scotch dances will preponderate at Burns' centenary;

In aßrahmin's proudevation still you find the gracefu' "nauteh,'
And this hundredth anniversary of *our Itabby's should be Scotch

Mehl mon, this " U's" objections, are baith foolish and poltroony,
The ehiel kens naething o' us Scotch, or feggs he's but a spooney ;
He never saw a real "set too," or mark'd the joy one feels,

,Ina round of strathpeys, or hornpipes, or eight hand Scottish reels,

Why e'en our "Queen," at Balnieral, enjoys the lightsome springs
Of the tenant bodies, old and young, in their wildestilieland flings.
And' is this loon to hae controul, and rule the merry ball,

Wi' .his polkas and mazourkas at our Scottish festival

No! let these dances be the milk, but gude sake no the cream,
And let the scale in Scotia's favour overtop the beam ;

And all will find enjoyment there, ev'n " U " himsel' the coof,
Wl' his " uncouth gesticulations," and his lo v'd quadrilles forsooth.
Liverpool, Jan. 19, 1859. LANG TAM.