Star.
London, England, 1826-10-13 00:00:00

BURNS' MONUMENT,

The Committee appointed to superintend the com-
pletion of the splendid Monument, erected at Alloway,
to the memory of Burns, have nearly completed that
honourable undertaking.
As was formerly mentioned, it is built on a small but
neat elevation, half a mile from the humble cottage in
which the Poet was born. Distant a short way are the
ruins of Alloway Kirk, in the grave-yard of which the
mortal remains of his venerated father are interred.
The head stone that marks the spot, has been so broken
and carried off by modern Vandals, that only a solitary
letter remains of the inscription. Near it is a the well
where Mungo's mither hanged hersel'," the old bridge
of Doon, and a number of other places ifamortalized in
the works of the Poet. -
On ascending the elevation on which the Monument
is erected, the spectator is at once astonished, delighted,
and powerfully impressed with the subjects and scenery
around him. Beautiful villas, richly ornamented,
situated among the finest pleasure grounds, 41 bans
seen and ha/fins hid," by the thriving plantations with
hich they are surrounded. Almost under his feet is
the Doon, dashing rapidly through the scattered masses
of rock with which the channel is interspersed, while
the "spirit of the waters" is heard soughing through
the lofty poplars, saughs, and elms, that cover the
banks. The view is bounded by a range of rude hills,
which at no sreat distance end abruptly in the ocean,
and though divested of the bolder features of the rugged
awe-inspiring sublimity of Highland scenery, their
barren slopes being contrasted with the fine fields in the
highest cultivatinn,—the whole forms a scene which it
would be difficult to parallel.

" It is indeed a fairy spot,
Where one might spend the live-long day,
In contemplation's sober thought,
Witemelody °Emmy a lay."

Surrounded by localities that have been rendered
dear to the mind by being, as it were, touched, cele-
brated, and rendered immortal by the hallowed hand
of genius, wraps into reflection, the ♦isitor feels sensa-
tions that defy description, and for a moment he fancies
himself a participator in the destined immortality of the
scenes around him.

The cenotaph is now surrounded by a substantial
stone wall, seven feet high, inclosing a space of about
thirty yards in diameter. Within this space large hewn
stones are laid, on which it is intended to erect a hand-
some iron tailing. The vacant ground is tastefully
planted with the choicest &Avers and shrubs.
An experienced horticulturist calculated the collec-
tion to be worth 1001. They were presented to the Com-
mittee by gardners and florist clubs, a circumstance
which is creditable to the taste and liberality of the
donors. The Rive is under charge of a trusty person,
partially skillecrin gardening, who is paid a small sa-
lary, and the presents of strangers go to the funds of
the Committee.
Oa entering the Monument the eye of the visitor is
instantly arrested by a splendid and striking likeness of
Burns. A farmer, who had spent many merry hours in
" Auld Nanse Tinnock's," with the Poet, lately visited
the Monument, and the moment be saw the picture, he
raised his hands and exclaimed " that's a-living like.
ness of my friend Robiji," continuing to gaze on the
picture, he was overpowered by his feelings and burst
into tears.

Oa the backs of the three oak doors inside, nine im-
pressive views are painted ; four are taken from si Tam
o' Shanter," and the other five from different poems. In
the centre is an elegant round massive table made of
oak.. It is two feet nine inches high,, and about four
feet and a half in diameter, and was presented by Mr.
James Morrison, cabinet maker, Ayr.
Most of the strangers who •isit Ayr inspect the Mo-
nument. During the week of the late races, it was daily
crowded with•pesple of all ranks and from all parts of
the country ; and they all departed highly gratified both
with the Monument and scenery round it.—Gkts.Chren.

The bobbin-net lace trade in Nottingham is in an im-
proving condition. Several manufacturers have great
difficulty in obtaining a sufficiency of goods to supply
the orders on hand.

Sunday afternoon a boy fell into the sea off Newha-
ven Pier, and woe saved from drowning in the following
manner : another boy went down upon a projecting,
ledge of the pier, and, clinging from it by his hands,
enabled the one struggling in the water to catch hold
of his feet, when a man drew them both up.
EXTRAORDINARY MISTAKLAII industrious
man named Macbride, living in Kevin-street, Dublin,r
whose wife had been for some time confined in a fever
hospital, received a notification from the hospital on
Saturday, that his wife had just died, and requiring him
to send a coffin tp have the body removed. The poor
husband, anxious to testify his respect for the memory
of his deceased wife, by providing for the interment of
her remains in the most decent style possible, taxed his
slender means to thi uunost for that purpose, and re-
paired to the hosisitil with an oak coffin, which was
received from him at the gate, according to custom,
and shortly afterwards returned, containing the body,
and having the lid of it fastened down. The husband,
andseveraf friends who accompanied him, had the corpse
conveyed to the Cabbage-gardens, Kevin-street, and
there interred. However, an hour had scarcely elapsed
after his return from the funeral, when sitting albne in
his house, he was startled by the sound of a well-known
voice at the door, desiring admission. On opening the
door, he almost sunk to the earth, on beholding what
he conceived to be the apparition of his departed wife,
btu wbith was in reality and substance herself, returned,'
having recovered, from the hospital. The.mistake, for
mistake it was, was now traced to the hospital notifi-
cation having been unwittingly sent to the wrong per-
. *on. The shock, however, proved too much for the
poor man, and he became an inmate in the same hospi-
in which the mistake had occurred.