The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-06-12
From CnrfPrs letters.

a'"p''' puils WAS sui living M
Dumirics. and that she is accessible
In strangers without formal letters
OF introduction, after breakfast this
morning, we addressed note to her.
stating that two gentlemen from the
United states, who are among the
transatlantic admirers of the Scot
tsh Bard, aud who had Just visited
his birth place. as we'll as the scenes
which his muse had Consecrated.
were anxious 10 pay their respects
to Mrs. Burns in the course of the
morning. if perfectly agreeable.
lhe request was communicated by
our clever aud obliging landIady,
who lives within a tewalpors.
In the mean time, while this inter
estIng suit was pending, We walked
to the village kirk 10 visit the tomb
oil the poet himself.-Our old guide
was PERSONAL, acquainted with him,
and bad passed many social night
before his own hearth. The church
yard contains an unusual number of
handsome monuments. many of
them being finished with little tur-
rets in the Gothic style. The mau.
soleum IN memory Of Burns is ere
dilabie to the liberaIity aud taste Of
the public, at whose expense it was
erected. Ii consists Of an ortagmnal
temple supported by Ionic pillars.
and surmonnted by handsome
dome. In the back part there - !
statue OF the poet. AS large as lille,
with his bosom open. and in tho at
titnde OF holding the plough. A
hove, the muse is seen throwing u
YER him 'the inspiring mantle
The design was taken from "A pas
sage in the dedication to the Caledn-
man Hunt, in which the author al
ludes to his early and subsequent
pursuits. There appeared to be a
defect III the representation, since
the whole oil the plough is seen. with
the pet IN the awkward posture of
holding ii without a team. fthere
was not room for the whole, a part
ofthe rural Implement might have
been concealed. 50 as TO render the
defect less OBJ, ious. The monn-
ment is enclosed by a.neat IRON pa
ling and an area. eraaps forty feet
square. is covered with proiusion
Of shrnbbery. consisting of holly.
the wild reese, laurel, yew. aud other
eyergreens, which beautifully shade
the tomb.
On our return to the hotel. the
hostess communicated the Compii-
mchts of Mrs. Burns. with the gra-
tifying Intelligence. that she would
be happy to see rs at any hour WE
might choose to call. Being anxi-
Gus to leave town as soon as possible,
we promptly accepted her act of
Kindness. She lives in a neat two
story house. on Burns street, not
far from the church. We we're re-
cciycd by her at the parIour door
with a cordial shake of the hand. 4
by every mark Of hospitality. The
apartment is tastetully furnished
with all that can C0nduCe to comfort,
and is ornamented with an original
portrait of Burns, by Naismilh, Of
Edinburgh, whence the other like
nesses are derived. In this house
the poet died ; and in the warmth
of Scottish feeling, blended with con
.jugal affection, the surviving part
ner Of his bosom informed us, that
she would not exchange it for pal
ace. She lives comfortably on the
income OF 300L. year, with a little
authenticated grand child. mot yet
too old To give each OF rs kiss.) tn
occupy her attention in the hours Of
retirement. She has three children,
all OF whom are abscnt-one in Lon
don, and the other two officers IN
the army. now in the East Indies.
Mrs. Burns is apparently at the
age Of between fifty and sixty. re-
tanning traces Of those lineamcnts
of beauty, which the poet found in
his bonny jean She has good
form, and her dark fail eye is still
quick and animated in It's gances.
Her pretty hand was tastcfulIy set
of'with rings. and the perfect neat
ness of her dress left 40 regret, that
in order to show her every mark OF
respect. something beyond ordinary
attention had been paid to her own.
Hcreasy flow Of conversation, mar
ked by few OF the peculIarilIes of the