Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-02-02
THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF
THE BIRTH OF ROBERT BURNS.

Tuesday of last week, .he 25th ult., was the
centennial anniversary of the birth Of the Scot
tish Poet, ROBERT BURNS; and we are pleased 10
learn frog, our exchanges that the day was ceie-
brated in all cur cities and large towns with
remarkable spirit and enthusiasm. These trio-
u,es 10 the memory Of the 'baza peasant" show
that the peopIe of the United States are capable
Of aduiring true genius and genuine poetry
We think we hazard nothing III saying ln"'
Burns was one Of the most remarkable heefary
men that the nineteenth century produced. born
of moor parents in an obscure district OF Scot- |;
land, and compelled from his earliest years TO |
soil for his sustenance, he was denied the carry
training and culture of his mind necessary to de-
veope its faculties. and enable 1t to pour iortn
its hidden store of beauties-yet, notwithstanding
all d ese Disadvantages, his poems, on their hrst
appearance Immediately elected the admiration
Of all who perused them and few were willing
70 believe that they we're the production Of an
Ayrshire Ploughman.' And now, wherever
the English language is spoken, his works are
read, and are universally acknowledged to bear
the impress of genius as distinctly as those of
SHAxsrKAnE and MILToN. Indeed, if we may
trust our limited experience, his fame Is now
more universal than that Of any other author IN
the English language, living or dead. The rea-
con of this probably is, that his writings are
adapted to the comprehension and taste OF every
condition and rank in society. Their perusal
interests and affords pleasure alike to the prince
and the peasant, the learned and the illiterate-
all, after perusing the volume of his immortal
poems, are compelled to cxclainl-"he was
poet indeed.'' SHAKsPEARE and MILTON are
read and admired by the learned, and that class
OF society called the refined. But. as we said
before, the fame of Burns is not confined to any
class or condition. His poems are perused with
pleasure by those who, after reading Of
SuAKsPEAREs plays, or q book OF PARADISE
Lost" would ask you what the author meant
o. We have visited homes where BURNs' Poems
were the sole companion of the family Bible and
the Manual of Devotions, and to the inmates Of
which his inspired lays as familiar as house
hold words. When mentioned the names of
SHAKsPIARE and MILTcN we were stared at; hut
all knew who we meant when we spoke Of the
ayrshire Ploughman.' Beneath the straw
thatched roofs of Scotland, in the homes Of
'Merrie England" in the hands of the Irish
peasant, in the palace and the hovel, the Poems
of BURNS are to be found. But his fame stops
not there-the freeuen of America are after all
perhaps the most ardent admirers of the bard
whose independent spirit, like those of the men
Of '76. oppression could not subdue." Of this
We need produce no other proofs than the cele-
brations to which we alluded in the commence
2 mcnt of this article.
When he breathed his last, his fame was just
beginning to spread beyond the limits of Scot
land, and it is more than probable that he died
unconscious of the immortality that awaited his
name Although neglected and Stunned by the
nobility of his native land. the strains which he
sung touched the heart of the nation, and placed
him in the list in which his genius entitled him
to stand. Although he died in extreme poverty
and without any Of the great ones CT this worlc
to watch his last moments, yet, in spite Of al
the efforts of malice and envy to obscure his fam
ne is now proudly recognized oy his native lant
as her town inspired bard;'' and the straw
matched cottage in which he was born is nov
haliowed and sacred-ono of the Meccas of tn
mind, the pilgrims to which are not confined T.
any nation or CLINE.
a living author has truly and beautifully sal,
that there is certain charm about great su
periority Of intellect that winds into deep affec
tions, whirh a much more constant and eve
aniability Of manners in lesser men, often fa
TO reach. Genius makes many enemies, but
makes sure friends-friends who forgive much
who endure long, who exact little. There lipgel
about the human heart strong inclination t
look upward, to revere. In this inclination liz
the source cf religion and loyalty. And-in trut
it is divine pleasure to admire. Admiratio
seems in some measure to appropriate to ou
selves the qualities it honors in others. We we
we root ourselves to tue natures we SO love
contemplate, and their life grows part of OF
own" The life of BURSs affords convinciu
proof Of the truth Of these reflections. 1t W:
not power, or wealth, or rank, but his "super
ority of intellect" which enabled HIM to win
e into the deep affections of his fellow countryme
and rendered him, in spite Of all his faults, Il
object of their veneration and love. -
That BURNS had faults it is impossible, aft
perusing his biography, to deny. The me
grievous Of these was the love of intoxicating
quors, which, during the last few years of /
life, ruled him with the power Of an irresis.it
appetite. But probably this was much M
fortune annexed to his peculiarly ardent al
e1citable temperament real fault. /
biographer on this subject makes the followi
observations: ''The child Of nature, the child
sensibility, unschooled in the rigid precepts
philo losophy, too oftan unable to control the ps
sions, which proved frequent source of err
and misfoltunes TO him, BuRss made his o,
artless apology in language more impressive th
oil the argumentatory vindcations in the wo
could do. in one of his own poems. where he
lineates the gradual expansion of his mind to
tcsscns Of tie utelary muse, Who conclude.