New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-27
BURNS IN BOSTON.
FOUR POETS TRIBUTES.

The Boston Burns Club celebrated the centennial
anniversary Of Robert Burns's birth on Tuesday
light by dinrer a, the Parker Houfe. Gen. John
S. Tyler, President of the Clab occupied the chair,
ard at either side of HIM sat Gov Banks, Mayor Lin
coin, TIE Hon. Joseph Howe of Halifax Lord Rad
stock, Ralph Waldo Emerson Geo. S. Hilard, n. p.
Willis. James Russell Lowell, Oliver Wendell Holmes.
and the Hon. Losah Quincy, jr.
Mr.. Emerson responded to " The Memory Of Burns
SPEECH OF RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
He was rt ceived with loud cheers, he said:
Mr. pRFslDEnT AND GESTLEMES-l do not know
by what urtoward accident it has chanced--and Tor
bear to irquire-that, in this accomplished circle, II
should fail 10 me- the worst Scotsman OF all TO receive
your commands and at the latest hour too 10 respond
10 the sentiment ust offered and which indeed makes
the occasion. But an told there is no appeal, and
must tfust to tire inspirations of the theine to MAKE
ftLess which does not otherwise exist. 1et, Sn,
heaIti feel the singular claims OF the OCCASION. AT
the fist anI ouLCement from know not whence, tnat
the 2j,h January was the hundredth anniversary OF
the birth of Robert Burns, sudden consent warmed
the great English race, IN al It's kingdoms ceiohtS
and st ties. all over the world, to keep the festival
We are here to hold our parliament with love aId
poey as men were wont to do in the mddleages. Those
famous pariaments might or might not have had more
stateinese, ard better srges than we-though that
vet be known-b they could not have
/ can only explain this singular unanlmity III ar-ce
which rarely acts together-but rather after their
waichword each for himself by the fact that Robert
BurDs the poet of the middle class, represents IN Inc
mind of men today that great uprising OF the middle
class against the armed and privileged mlnorities-
that uprising wbicn worked politically in the Ameri-
can and French Revolutions and which, not IN gov
erbments much as In education and IN socia orde,
has changed the face of the world In order Tor ths
destiny, Lis birth, oedng and fortunes were low.
His organic sentiment absolute independence,
and resting, as it should, on life of labor. No man
existed who could loos down on him. They that
looked into lis eyes saw that they might
lock down the sky as easily. His muse and teach.
ing was sense, joyful, aggressive, irresistible
Not Lhimer, bot Luther, struck more telling blows
sgainst alse Theology than did this brave singer,
The "Confess of Augsburg, the declaration OF
Independence, the French Rights of NJ sn,' and the
N M.rselaise" are not more weighty documents IN
the history OF freedom than the songs OF Burns His
satire has lost none OF its edge. His musical arrows
vet sing through the air. He is so substantially re-
former that find his grand plain sense in close chain
with the greatest mast.rs-Rsbelas, Shakespeare in
comedy, CeIvantes, Butler and Burns. II should
add apother name, find it only in living country
man of Burns He is exceptional genus. Tne
people who care nothing for literature and
poetry care for Barns. IL Indifferent
they tbonglt who saw hm--whether he wrote verse
or not he could have done anything else as we'd.
Yet how true poet is be And the poet too, OF poor
ueI Of gray holden, and the guernsey coat, aud the
blouse He has given voice TO all the experiences of
common lfe be hss endeared the farmhouse and
cottsge patches ard poverty beans and barley; ale,
the poor mans vine; hardship the fear Of debt, tae
dear sOciety Of and wife, OF brothers and Sis
ters proud of each other, knowing so few ana finding
amends for want ard obscurity In books and thought.
What love Of nature and shall say II Of middle
class nature. Not ike Goethe, in tie stars, ike
Byron the ocean, Moore, in the luxurious E.st,
but in the honey landscape which the poor see around
them-blesk leagues Of pasture ant stubbe ice, and
Get and rain, and snowchoked brooks: bros, hares,
field mice this;les and heather, which he daily knew.
How many BOnuy DooDs," and joan Anderson
my joes,' ana Aud lang Synes,' all around
ths earth lave bis verses been applied to
And bis love songs still and melt the
youths 1nd msids; toe farm work, the country hoi-
day, the fshpg-cObble, still his debtors to-day.
AID as be was q US the poet of the poJr anxious,
cheerful working humanity, so had nc the language
o. low Lie. He grew ny in raral district, speaking
patois uDirtelhgble 10 ali but natives, ana he hes
made that Lowland Scotch Doric dialect of fame.
Ii is the only exampl In history OF language made
ClasslC by the genius of single man. Bat more than
this lie hsd that secret OF nuis to draw from the
bottom of society the strength Of is speech, and
tOrsh the of the polite with these aress words
btter than art, and filtered Of ell ofense through his
beauty. 1t sesmed odous 10 Luther that the devil
should have all tie best tunes; be would bring them
into the churches; and Burns knew how 20 take from
fans and gypses blGoksmiths and drovers the speech
Il he market aud street, and clotAe II with melody
But | am OBTAINING you too long. The memory OF
BorDs-l am afraid heaven aud earth have taken TOO
good care Of il, 10 leave snythiDg 10 say. The
west winds are mumurpg il. Open tie windows be-
hind yen, and heaken for the incoming TIDE, wnat tue
waves say Of il. The doves percAing always on the
ewes OF tie stone chapel opposite, may kI ow some
thing about It. Every name in broad Scotlstd Keeps
his fame bright The memory Of Burns-every man s.
ard b<ys, and gs head carries snaches Of lis songs
sId ssy them by cart, and, what is str-ngest of
all, reyor learned them from book cut from moG,h
to mouth. The wind whispers them, tie birds whistle
them, the corn, barley, bdrushes hoarsely rustic
them; nay, the uusic-ooxes at Geneva IL Med
and toothtd to plsy them the haadorgsns Of the
SsvoysIds in all cities repeat them and the chimes Of
bells III them ihe spares. They are the property
and the soece oi nsIh nj.
The wildst. cheering followed the corc!osisn Of Mr.