Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-11-14
ROBERT BURNS.
t From Clarering's .Amo BiograpI

From Garering's .4mo Biography
1t was about the year 1895 that made tour
to Scotland, with the hope of seeing Burns. |
was successful On my arrival at Edingburgh,
whcra had some literary acquaintance, obtain
ed letter of introduction to him. | had always
been,a great atinirer Of his genius, and Of many
traits of his character; and | was aware that he
was person moody, and somewhat difficult to
deal with. l was resolved to keep in full cons
Iteration the irritabllity of his position in society.
About a mile from his residence on the bench.
under a tree, passed 6eur', which, from the
enccivcd portraits Of him, | did not dou5t was
the poet. bat did not venture t. address him.
On arriving at his humble cottage, Mrs. Burns
opened the door: she was the plain sort of hum
bic woman she had been described: she ushered
me into neat apartment, and said sac would
send tor Burns, who was gone for walk. One
OF the children ran for hin he was used TO such
visits. In about half an hour he came; and nv
conjecture proved right-he was the person I
had seen on the bench by the road side. A, fist
was not entirely pleased with his c0untenance
it was not unlv dark. and somewhat coarse and
vulgar, but did not look good tempered. thought
it had sort of capriciuus jealousy, as if he was
| half inclined to treat me as an intruder. | re-
solved to bear it, aud try il | could humor him.
| let him choose his turn of conversation; hut
| said few words about the friend whose letter
had brought to him.
! 1t was how about four o'clock in the afternoon
of an autumna day. While We were talking,
| Mrs Burns, as If accustomed to entertain visit
| ers in this way, brought in bowl of Scotch VIII.
key, set the table, and laid on pipes and tobac-
CO; heartily accepted this hospitality. could
not help observing the curious glance with which
he watched me, at the entrance of this siona If
homely en'rrtainment. He was satisfied: he
| filled our glasses; "Hare's health to auId Ca.
ledonia: Tie fre spdrkled in his eve, and nine
sympathetical'y met his. He shook my hand
Hlii warmth. and I've were trends at once
Then he drank " Erin forever!" aud the tear of
delight burst from his ey-
The fountain of his mind aah his heart now
! opened al once, aud flowed with ABUNDANT force
almost till midnight lie had au,azing acuteness
IN intellect, as well as glow Of sentiment. | do
! not denv that he said some absurd things, and
! many Coarse ones. and that his knowledge vas
very Irregular. and ome,mes TO, prpsumptuous:
| and that he did not endure contradiction with
sufficient patience. HIS pride, and perhaps his
vanity, was even morbid CAREFULLY avoided
topics in which he could not take an active Dart.
or literary gossip he knew nothing and there.
fore kept alOof from it:-in the technical parts
OF literature his opinions were crude and uniform
ed: but whenever ne spoke Of great writer,
whom he had read. his taste was ger orally sound
To few MINOR writers he gave more credi. than
they deserved. His great beauty was his manly
strength. and his energy and elevation of thought
and feeling He had always full mind; and all
flowed from genuine spring, never convers-
ed with a man who appeared to be more warmly
impressed with the beauties Of nature: and Vi
sions of female beauty and tenderness seemed to
transport him. lie did not merely appear to be
a poet at casual intervals; but at every moment
Poeucal enthusiasm seemed to beat 10 his veins:
and he lived all his days the inward, il not the
outward, HE OF poet
thought l perceived in Burns cheek the
symptoms OF an energy which had been pushed
too far: and ne had this feeling himself. Every
now and then he spoke Of the grave as soon about
to close over him. His dark eve had at first
character of sternness; but, as he became warm
ed, though this did not entirely melt away, it
was m,ngled with changes of extreme sottness.
The character Of Burns, like that of his writ.
nes, was total, free fr"m all Fictitious force
Manly asbe was, think that tenderness was
the leading quality Of his heart and head; in this