The Arkansas banner., 1844-11-06

cal affection those who nave StfuggIeu Nltil adversity-who have been tried by tempta- tions from without or from within-now trl- umphat, now oyercome-but, alike in victory or defeat, testifying that they were animated by no other desire so steadily as by love of their country and it's peoples good Not those who have been fayorites of fortune, even though worthy of the smiles Tn which they basked; but those who rose superior to fortune, who could not frown them down. Nor have they withheld their homage from the unfortunate in this world of chance and change, if, in abasement of condition, by do- ing its duties they upheld the dignity of their own nature, and look around them on their honest brethren in poverty with pride.
 And how will such people receive great National Poet How did they receive Burns? With instant exultation Atonce, they knew of themselves, before critics and philosophers had time 10 tell them, that great Genius oi their own had risen, and they felt sudden charm difTused over their daily life. By an ineXplicable law, humor and pathos are de- pendant on the same constitution of mind ; and in his poems they have found the very soul of mirth, the very soul of sadness, as they thought 1t good with him to be merry, or to remember with him, ''that man was made to mourn' But besides what have said of them, the people of Scotland hold in the worlds epute-signally so-the name of religious people. Many of them, the descendants of the old covenanters, heirs of the stern zeal which took up arms for the purity of the national faith-still tinged, il may he, by the breath of the flame that then passed over the land-retain certain severi- ty of religious judgment in questions of mo- ral transgression, which is known to make a part of hereditary Scottish manners-especi- ally in rural districts, where manners best re- tain their stamp. But the sound natural un- derstanding of the Scottish peasant, | use the liberty to say, admits, to take their place at the side of one another, objects of his liberal and comprehensive regard, which might ap- pear, to superficial observation and shallow judgment, to stand upon such different grounds, as that the appreciation of the one should exclude the appreciation of the other. But not so. Nature in him is various as It is vigorous. He does not, with an over jealous scrutiny, vainly try to reduce into StGIIIlIlU CollSStCI6A spmnging from other sources. Truth lies at the bottom; and, conscious of truth, he does not mistrust or question his own promptings. An awful reverence, the acknowledgment of Law without appeal or error-Supreme, Sacred, Iwesistble-rules in his judgment of other mems actions, and of his own. Ne verlheless, under shelter and sanction of that rule, he feels, loves. admires, like man. Religion has raised and guards him-it does not cxtingrsh-the natural human heart Il the martys oi his worship to him are holy holy, too, are his counIy's heroes. And her holy poets-if such she have-who have sung-as during his too short life above them all sang Burns-lor Seotland's sake. Dear Is the hand that ties the humblg educated man to the true national poet. To many in the upper classes he is, perhaps, but one among a thousand artifcers of amusement who en- tain and scatter the tedum of their idle hours. To the peasant the book lies upon his shelf a household treasure. There he finds de- picted himsell-his own works and his own ways. There he finds cordial for his dropping spirits, nuriment for his wearied strength. Burns IS his brother-his helper in time of need, when lretlulness and impa- tience are replaced with placidity by his strains, or of a sudden with a mounting joy. And far ofener than they who know our pleasantly would believe, before thelr souls awakened from torpor he is a luminous and benign presence in the dark hut; for, in its purity and power, his best poetry is felt to be inspired, and subordinate to the voice of heaven.
 And will such a people endure to hear ther own Poet wronged No, no. Think not 10 instruct them in the right spirit of judgment They have read the Scriptures, perhaps, to better purpose than their revilers, and know better how to use the lessons learn- ed there, applicable, alike, to us aIl-the les sons, searching and mercilul, which prescribe mutual judgment amongst beings, all, in the eye of absolute Holiness and Truth, stained. erring, worthless And none so well as aged religious men in such dwellings know, from their own experience, from what they have witnessed among their neighbors, and from what they have read of the lives of good and faithful servants, out of the heart of what moral storms and shipwrecks, that threatened to swallow the strong swimmer in the middle passage of life, has often been landed safe al last, the rescued worshipper upon the firm land of quiet duties, and of years exempt from the hurricane of the passions! Thus thought fully guided in their opinion of him, who died young-cut of long before the period when others, under the gracious permission of overrulng mercy, have begun to redeem their errors, and fortified perhaps by sacred office, to enter upon a new lle-they will forever solemnly cherish the memory of the Poet of che Poor. And in such sentiments there can be no doubt but that all his coun- hymen share; who will, therefore, rightfully hold out between Burns and all enemies shield which clattering afsmay not pierce. They are proud of him, as a lowly father is proud of an illustrous son. The rank and splendor attained reflects glory down, butre- solves not, nor weakens one single tie.
 Aye, for many deep reason the Scottish people love their own Robert Burns Never was the personal character of poet so strongly and endearingly exhibited in hissong. They love him, because he loved his own order.