American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-05-10
From BlackrOoOd's Magazine.
SATURDAY EVENING:

Of all the poems of Burns, the Cottar's Saturday
Night is universally felt to be the most beautiful and
Interesting. That picture OF domestic peace and
purity was drawn by the poet when his own soul
peaceful and pure and accordingly, there sleeps
over it calm and untroubled light, through which
the virtues the wisdom, and happiness of lowly life
shine forth IN sublime simplicity We know that
this delightful poem was composed at the plough
land that Burns cheered his kind and noble heart dl
ring the toll by which he supported his fathers
household with the strains that brought wildly be
fore it images of all the most sacred things by which
that household was blessed. 1t is not possible to
imagine any spectacle more glorious to a country,
than that OF such peasant SO employed. Poor, but
epining-toiling, but not oyerborne--almost a
boy in years, but man in strength, patience, en-.
durance and herosm-unconscious in his sim pici
lty of his own greatness-blind to the destiny, at
once SO dark and SO bright, that was awaiting him
and yet we may we'll suppose, not unvisited by high
and aspiring thoughts-there walked that peasant
behind his plough, whom his country, through all
future generations, will honour as the poet and ben
eiactor OF her people. This poem was composed
in his heart beneath the sunshine and the clouds
and when the hours of bodily toll and mental nspi-
ration were gone by, (and with Burns they were
the same,) he returned at nightall his fathers
house, and sat down reverently in the presence Of
the gray hairs which he kept sacred from the ashes
of sustained and almost perfect beauty for every
morning he brought to it heart fresh with joyful
ness and virtue, while the intervals of composition
were thus filled with all the Thoughts, feelings, ant
images that his genius had rendered immortal
: The subject was happy one--happy beyond wha
could have been the lot OF any poet born in any ohel
country. For, in Scotland alone, land say so with
a due sense of the virtues of Engand,) does there
exist among the peasantry union of knowledge
morality, and religion, so universal, and SO intense
land solemn, as TO constitute national character
ito hallow and sublime that NIGHT. which feels, as
liz were, the influence of the approaching SABBATH
and to renderit weekly festival, held both in mirh
. full gladsomeness, and in pious composure o
heart Its the spirit OF religion that makes the Cot
itar's Saturday Night at once delightful and awfu
ito our imagination, and fit subject for the very
highest of all poetry. We know, that on that nigh
the Bible Is open in ten thousand dwellings-ane
hat the voice of psalms and of prayer is heard deeI
down in the gens, and high up on the hills OF Scot
land. On that night, l will not say that the hard
|ships and wants Of lowly life are all forgotten By
Those whose lot it is to endure them-for strong
Tenacious must eeds be the memory OF the poor
Ibut will ssy that if their hardships and wants arr
not then forgotten, neither their enjoyment
and their blessings; that in the calm confidence
: which the humble feel when on their knees befor
God and their Redeemer, fear and sorrow mlniste
unto pety tnat IL is SunClett LOT their RTailluue
that while their blessings great, their mise
ries not far greater-and that human life, will
all its inevitable woes, seems yet, to the contente
: cottar, scene never wholly deserted by the sun
i shine of gracious Heaven. Truly it may be said
that in Scotland, the last night of every week d
vides the year, and lifts the soul to heaven" Wei
is the Sabbath morn preceded by night in whic
happiness prepares the heart for devotion.
!, The picture which Burns had drawn of that hal
Y lowed scene, is felt by every one who has huma
q heart; but they alone can all its beauty, VIII
have visited the Gre-sde OF the Scottish peasantry
: and joined in their family worship. They who hav
a done so, see in the poem nothing but the simpl
ruth-truth so purified, refined, and elevated by dc
votion, as to become the highest poetry. Many
Saturday night has the writer of this Joined in thu
simple service: more than once, when death had jus
visited the cottage-but at ALI times, whether thos
of Joy or affiiction-there was the same solemn re
= signation to the Divine will-the same unquestior
y ing, humble, wise snbmission--the same perfeS
nlpeace, and even lofty happiness--nor did he eve
~ see one shudder, nor hear one sob that seemed I
u signify despair.
'ylaThen kneeling down to heavens eternal King
81 The saint, the father, and the husband prays;
aIEIope springs exuIting on triumphant wing,
is That thus they all shall meet in future days.
There ever bask in uncrcated rays,