, 1859-01-31

Of ulul SAL dQF. DlukS, H4JuE LlnColu7 LIZ
Hon. Joseph Howe Vi Halitaz, Lord Rad
stock, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Geo. S. Hillard,
N. 2. Willis, James RusEcl Lowell, Oliver
Wendell Holmes, aud the Hon. Josiah Quin-
cy,jr.
SPEECH OF RALPH WALDO EMERSON.
Mr. President and Gentlemen. do not
know BY what uutawarl accident it las chan
cc1-anl torbcnr to etqu're-that, in this
accomplished circle, it should fall to ME, the
worst Scotchman Of all, to receive your con-.
1uanus, aud Ut tue latest hour, too, to respond
10 the sentiment just offered. and which in
d:,d npkcs tue occasion. But am told
tn,re is uo appeal, and I must trust to the in
spira.ioas of'he theme to make fitness
which does not otherwise exist.
fci, Sir, hartily feel the singular claims
or the occasion. At the first announcement,
from know not whence, that the 25lh Janu-
ary Was the fluudreth anniversary of The birth
oi Rubtrs Burns, q sudden consent warmed
tAr great Engli.h suce, lu oil its kingdoms,
colonies aud Safes, nil over the world, to
k:ep the festival
We are here to hold our parliament with
love and puesv, ~ men were wont to do IN
tue middle ages. Those famous parlaments
ight or might moi harc had mnre statcliness
und letter singers than Wc,-tfough that is
yet to br kuown,-b but tley could not have
hetter reason.
can only explain this singular unanimlty
in race which rarely acts together, but rath-
CT after their watch1orl, each for himself, by
tue TACT that Robert Burns, the poet OF the
middle c}asy, represents in the minds Of men
1oday that great uprising Vi t1c middle class
that uprising which worked politically in
tAe American and French Revolutions, and
w.iich, not in Governments 50 much as i'll cd
ucation and in social order, has changed The
face Of the world.
In order for this destiny, his birth, breed
ing and fortunes were low. His organic
scn imtnt was ABSOLUTE independence, and
resting, as 1t should, on lite OF labor. No
>l'an existed who could look down upon him.
llley That iooktd iuto his eyes saw that they
might lock down the sky us easily. His muse
a1,d teaching w;ls common sentc-loylul, ag
grcs-iye, irresistible.
NJ. La:isMr, not Luther, struck more tell
ing blows against 1.!se theology than did this
brave singer. The Confession Of Angus
burg" tnc Declaration Of Independence
| the French {: Rights Of Man. aud the g. Mar
| seillaisc,' are not mere welGhty documents
| in the history Of freedom thun tue sonys oi
Burns. His sltire has lost none ot its
| edge. His musical arrows yet slug through
! the air.
lie is os substantially a reforlucr, that tiud
| his GTa,s1 plaiu scuse in close cllain with the
| creates: masters, Ra1plais, Shakespeare in
comedy, Ceiyantcs. Butler and Burns II
should add another hume, find it ouly in a.
| living cuuntryman of Burns. lie is au ex-
| ccpiional genius. The people who care nol]1-
ing for literature and poetry care Tor Burns.
| I, was Indifferent, they thought who saw him
whether lie wrote verses CT not he could
have douc anything else as well. Ut ho"
true pyct is he? And the poet too o1 poo1
men, Of cray holden aud tue Guernsey
coat aud blouse. lie las glycn voice to Gil
The experiences OF common life: lie has ell
tleared the farm house and cottage patches
aud poverty, beans and barley ; ale tue pool
mans wine hardship, the fear Of debt, tht
dear society of wcans and vile, Of brother:
aud sisters proud Of each other, knowing Fl
lew and fiuling amends for want aud obscur
| ity in books and thought. What lore
nature and stall soy it, Of midIleciass na
talrc. Not gre:st-GGthe, in the stars or lik
! B7ron, on tue ocean, or Moore in the iuxu
| r,,us East-Dut in the homcly landscape whcl
the noor see around thcm-bleak lragucs O
bastusc aud stubhle. ice, and eleet, aud rail
and enow .cbalkcd brooks, birds, tarcs fiel'
ee ~ - .ns..s. n.,l,.., nnd - lain An
~" mauf nonuy 1.e1, H., fauo Senou ); n,
ueason w Joes, .nu, i'nu ~ 49, r.rsns h.on annin
t'u'u .nG i,a aa'' .no and Ind
1 tlic youths and maids: HE farm.woEk Il,
Country holiday. the fishing cable, are sti
his deb ors to duy.
aa ~ ne Has ,;,.- 1uu, avvt % pun -, ha1 ~
c'eellu1 W. hi.e ,r. nua'1,, IT, u ~ ~ 49, ,,'r' w.
iahsuagc Vi ~" NV ~ ss;a.1.1,;.';,5', s's" -" =,
a,s'!'c' spaA.nE pa'G a 1'a ,,n,1" ,af
az ~ na''e: ".G ILL.,, =. ..s ~ % .a1na II :; ~
sc9aeu pn -, u;a,orr " ~ ," Ianc,,,cc ,nai
ohls eA'l'lis III a;,s .'ass .nsn II,
CLASSIC W LUZ .,.;s l,u' ',a y Ia - 1' t1 sccr,r
more 'uau dras. tun ~ 91nm aru ~D~ rho h,tto
fsHlus :" .,,o o's% str,rrr,,, 'n n1;,s snoccf n,
VI soelety 1uc sttenGtA o!t.e i.1' .,,sE.o ortl,
words, butter than art, aud filtered Of all {
fence through his beauty. 1t seemed QUO