, 1856-10-31

i Ye favor'd, ye enlightend few,
Companions Of my social joy
! Tho | TO foreign lands must hie,
Pursuing fortunes shddTy ba',
With melting heart, and brimul eye,
| I'LL mind you still, tho far AVA
| on have met your social band,
| And spent the cheerful, festive night
| on honOrd with supreme command,
! Presided DER the sons Of light;
| And by that hierugyphic bright,
! Which more but craftsmen ever saw
Strong mem'ry on my heart shall write
Those happy scenes when far ava.
May freedom, harmony, and love
| Unite you in the grand design,
Beneath tn Omniscient Eye above,
The glorious Architect divine
That you may keep tn unerring line,
Still rising by the plummet's law,
Till order bright completely shine,
Shall be my prayr when far AVA.
And you farewell whose merits claim,
| Justly, that highest badge to wear
Heavn bless your hOnor'd, noble name,
To Masonry and Scottie dear
last request permit me here,
When yearly We assemble a.
One round--l ak It with tear,
To him, the Bard that's far ava.
The circumstances underw this song
was first sung by BuRNs, and the effect it
produced on the minds Of the Brethren
present, are well told in the following
sketch, which we have recently met with in
one Of our exchanges. We have no means
of knowing the writer of it, or we would
give the proper credit Hc is speaking of
the rapidity with which the old acquaint-
ances Of the poet are passing away. He
says: ... .u
have visited many Of the scenes he has
immortalized was born within ten miles
Of him, and Speak the same language. l
have only heard one old man Of the whole
pretended acquaintance Of Burns speak
sensible of his character and genius. l
happened, in the presence Of this old man,
TO be singing, in my own way, the Fare
we'll to the Mason Lodge, Tarbolton." !"
Hand your tonge man, and no spoil that
sangp quoth he, +" heard it once sung to
perfection, and Gamma think to hear any
body abuse it," "And whaur happened
ye to hear it 7" said l. "I heard il, i" said
be with emphasis, the first time it was
sung in this kintra." :" va couldna do
thai" said /, "for BdRNs himself sung it
in Tarbolton, the first time it was sung in
public" d" Aye did he man, and l sat at
bis right hand" quoth the old man. |
made some enquiries about several things
connected with the meeting, which enqui-
ries he answered in the following manner I:
1t was great treat to see aud hear
BURNS that night There was a number O.
US beianging. to the Lodge wha had been
often meeting VII him and making speeches,
and we thought it was a pity to see him
guam ava without hearing US in such o
shape as to be sensible o. our greatness.
We met, aud looked out subjects for our
speeches-severy ane taking up his favorite
theme. We met and rehearsed our pieces,
to our ain satisfaction. The night came
when we were to have farewell meeting
Of tho Lodge, in honor o llis guam awa'
There were about ten O. ussat that night
as il we had been at burial We were
sac full O. our speeches we durstna open
our mouths for fear some bit o them would
fa' out. had repeated mine twice or
thrice to myself, and suppose the rest
were doing the same thing, We bad de-
termined to astonish the bard for ance, so
as he might hae mind o US when far frae
US. He was late in comiug that night-a
thing quite uncommon wi him He came
at last. l never in my life saw such an
alteration on anybody. lie looked bigger
like than usual, and wild like. His cen
seemed stern, and his cheeks fa'in in. He
sat down in the chair, as Master. He
looked round at US. 1 thought that he
looked through me, and l lost the grip O.
the beginning o my Speech and for the life
o me could | get it again that night. He
Gpologized for being late. he had been
getting a things ready for going abroad,
He could get to us no sooner. He intend
|, ed to have said something to US, but it had
gone from him. He had composed song
\ fox the occasion, and would sing it. He
looked round on us and burst into song,
+ such as never heard before or since. II
eYera sang was sung it was that ane. O
man, when he came to the last verse, where
he says ID. olalr..,...t
f, a last request permit me here,
q When yearly We assemble a.,
One round-I ask il wi a tear, ..
70 him, ths Bard ttat's for Gtoa'"
That last sigh o. him will never leave my
| mind. He rose and burst into tears
They werena sham anes 1t was queer
sight to see sac mony men burst out like
blubbly boys and blubber in spite O. them
, SELL Soon after the song, he said he
could not stay any longer. Wishing as all
, well, he took his leave, as we thought for.
J ever. We sat and looked at each other
t foil as we were wi great speeches Name
o' them cam to the light that night. The