Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-06-07
THE POET BURNS.

II was in 1855 that Burns visited the Scot
ish capital; and respecting this important
epoch in his life, the following is an extract
Of letter from Sir Walter Scott;-"As for
Burns, l may truly say, Ingiiium ridi tam
tum. l was lad Of fifteen in 1861, when
he came first TO Edinburg, but had sense and
feeling enough TO be much interested in his
poetry, and would havo given the world 10
know him; but had very little acquaintance
with any literary people, and still less with The
gentry of the west country, the two sets that he
most fregusnted. Mr.. Thomas Grierson was
at that time clerk OF my fathers. He knew
Burns, and promised to ask HIM TO his lodg-
mystic dinner, but had no opportunity to keep
his word; otherwise | might have seen moro
of this distinguished man. A il was. l saw
him one day at the late venerable Professor
Ferguson's, where there were several gentle
men Of literary reputation, among whom | re-
member the celebrated Mr.. Dugald Stewart.
OF course we youngsters sat silent, looked a nd
listened. The only thing 1 remember which
was remarkable IN Burns manner, was tho ef-
feet produced upon him by print OF Bunbury's
respecting a soldier lying dead on the snow,
his dog sitting in misery on one side on the
| other, his wife with a child in her arms These
lines were written bencath:--
"Cold on Canadian hills, or Mnlen's plain.
Perhaps that parent wept her soldier slain
Bent DER her babe, her eye dissolved :. lew,
The big drops mngng with the milk Inc drew,
Gave the sad presaco O his -urc year,
The child of misery baptized in tears"
Burns seemed much affected by tho print, or
rather the ideas which 1t suggeslcdto his mind.
He actually shed tears. lie asked whose the
lines were, and it chauccd that nobody but
myself remembered that they occur in u half
4 4 4
unpromsing title Of The Justice Of Peace
whispered my information to to a friend s.es-
ent. who mentioned il to Blu ns, who rewarded
me with look and word which, though of
mere ciyility, then received, and still recol-
lect, with very great pleasure. Hisperson was
strong and robust; his manners rustic, not
clownisb; sort Of dignificd plninncss and sim
plicity, which received part of its effect, per-
haps from his extra ordinary talents. HIS feat
ures are represented IN Mr.. Nasmyth's picture
- but to me it conveys the idea that they are
diminished, as If seen in perspective. l think
his countGnancc was more massive than il looks
in any of tho portraits. l vould have taken
the poet, had not known what no was, for a
worry sagacous country farmer OF tho old
Scotch school, e. none of your modern agri-
culturists, who keep labourcis for their druGg-
cry, but the dOuce gademan who held his own
ploug' lHeTc was s'IoHS EXPRESSION oI scilse
and shrewdncss IN all his lmeamcnts; the eye
alone, think, indicated the poetcal character
and temperament. IL was large, and ofa dark
cast, which glowcd Q say literally giO,Ded)-
when no spoke with feeling or interest.
mover saw such another oyc in human head,
though have seen the mos, distinguished men
of my time. His conversation expressed per-
feet self confidence, thout the slightest pre-
sumption. Among the men who were the
most learned of their time and country, he oS-
pressed himself with perfect frmness, but
without the least intrusive forwardncss; and
when ho differed in opinion, no did not hesitate
10 express il firmly, yet at the Same time with
modesty. do not remember any part of his
conversation distinctly enough 10 bo quotcd,-
nor did ever see him again except IN the
street, where Inc did not Recognise me, ns
could not expect he should. He was much
carcssod in Edinburgh, but considering what
literary cmolumonts havo been since his day.
the efforts made for his relief were extremely
trrilng. | remember on this occasion | men
ton, l thought Burns acquaintance with Eng-
lish poetry was rather limited and also that
having twenty times the abilities Of Allan
Ramsay or Ferguson, he talked Of them with
! too much humility az his models: thore was.
doubtless national prsdIlsctio in his estimate.
This is oil can tell you about Burns. have
only to add, that his dross corrospondcd with
his manner. lie was like farmer dressed in
his best 10 dino with tho laird. do not speak
ia m1tem pdrtep,. when I say I never saw a
man in company with his supefiory in station