The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-26

and songs concerning devils ghosts, fairies brownie
ws5,ochs sPunaes 5spes ell dead
towers dragons and other trumpery Little did the guide
auld wife imagine that she furnishing her young pupil
with the material for Halloween" and " Tam 0'Shan-
tern-to say nothing of "Souter Johne and the "Devi
and Doctor Hornbookn The great power Of his mind
interest the confused material OF the dames rude teach
ing. Images destined 10 be eternized, already nx
the young Ss
large, dark eye, In which Professor Walker
said 1.-THE most striking index Of his genius resded
and to which Sir Walter Scott aludes thus-'T
never saw such another eye in human head, though
] have seen the most distinguished men Of my
time" 1t mischievous eye wthal, she might have
told US, whom the poet the age Of sxteen-when hi,
thoughts first chrystazed in verse-(A voce-"beauti-
iSSp)Mcaisd "a bonnie sweet sonsis lass"-he eye
Influences which when God had called her from earth,
made her seem to him the lines TO Highland Mary"
passion for women stirred in his heart and marred to
some degree the prosperity Of his life, was known 70
none better than himself may infer from the lines
suggesting poets epitaph, in which he says
The poor inhabitant below
Xn iseny ies sa the iienSy ssa S!ss glow io sa'"
But tSossSiisss ionies laid him low
And stained his
We follow, with profound interest," the career OF this
earnest ambitious proud young bard who looked without
favor upon the rank which but the guinea stamp"
feeling all the while "the mans the gowd" We hear
him. in auson TO the greater progress Of his
c0mpeers and fchoo fellows excaim az he referred 10
their advance'I was standing idle in the market place
or only left the chase Of the butterfly from flower
flower to hunt fancy from whm 10 whim." There he
Stood somewhat aoof from the world acting what DR..
Johnson called his defensve PRIDE" But the world had
an ear and heart open to notes atuned in the deep me
dies Of nature. And when the images of truth were
painted by him in the language of truth when he repro
duced the sentiments passions and feelings of nature
he "aained his pinnacle by one gigantic bound" Even
at the moment when he contemplated becoming exile
from his native land his poems commanded the universal
admiration Of his conntrymen The learned professor and
the humble oster alike delighted n his lines and glored
in his triumph. From the first avais OF his he
erected tomb the neglected remains of his brother
poet, Ferguson How eventful, checkered imprudent,
and yet brilliant his up 10 the time, in 1906 when
we find him in sickness and debt at Dumfres,"
undergoing his last illness, not as we are tod with the
feeng maintaining, too the undying capacity for humor
which developed itself at that solemn PERIOD when,
belonged, he remarked to frend-'John don't let the
We told that while he was dying rs s"S was s9sHs
He died. The conqueror Of hearts died. And in what
state his cold form exhibitedP He Iay-says Allan
Cunningham a plain and unadorned coffin, with
linen sheet drawn over his face and on the bed and
around the body herbs and flowers hicky strewn,
according 70 I'll the S usage Of e country &c was wasted
the swarhy he Of his face which uncommonly dark
ana seeply marked-his broad and open brow was pale
and serene and around it his sable hair lay masses
plain and neat, and the simplicity Of the poets humble
dwelling pressed the presence of death more
closey on the heart than II his bier had been
embeliished by vanity, and covered with the
blazonry Of high ancestry and rank. (Sensaton)
m was u @
1915, his remains transferred to mausoleum in
scrbed with an eptaph ar more learned but not 30 ex
pressve that which have already recited. The strug
gle Of this mans personal life severe one Poverty,
wounded pride, remorse, all pursued him. He was, in
suffering what they teach in song" Wei might Mrs
Hemans compare the struggles OF such poet who sets
bright gems upon the brow Oh humany' WIN tnose Oh
the rear Dver'.
Anq mn wnT b5 sna 5ha hs wnsn are ,nf srssd sung
what life drops. from rom the minstrel wrung
nons, suSus1 Nons, M,s ,rsssyrss live like thine
He strives and dies ike thee
Thou that hast been 10 the pearls dark SHRINE
ihou wrestler Oh tne sea-
Not quite so gloomy or sad the career or destiny OF
Burns He enjoyed his fame even while he lived, and
be cherished while that Of his country remained Like
the Welsh bards Of DID, he stood as they when they as.
sembled Sin the face Of the sun and the eye Of Light"
With all that belongs TO nature, he had real sympathy,
sympathy found truthful and eloquent expression The
the meanest creature Of earth could excite bis feeling and
awaken his genius. Whatever were his faults they IN
urea him most TO those who think or these w0ua say
,.... ,., ,Y allow.
" Decidsdiv %s % csn % t1v ma: U --' "''Ao
Hs acSws nrins sash @ ssUa 9ardus s sa '0ne
Then At he balance let's be mute,
wenever adjust 1T;
What's done partly may compute,
But know not what's resisted
centurv has passed since his birth-a busy century
full of new and wondrous achievements and events 1t
baa noted MANY chances important in themselves and
.%a;r hot had haen dearnod he
sei ooueequeoee, .s ,saS 10 sasn,. hncorae a. ron,,
;,aos Z nrno~ IconocIocte nnoveora reformers ara
,S .oono, E T p;a q hrna1;n tho
pusy al oVcr tnc wUIlu EVcu Isueoi" 10 s'
CHAINS OF serfdom Wnat some men cali unrest B aei-
taung he pianet we ihnaD Du' Mc hsn. an sno p'wo
OF true and benencent genius, sucn a5 insuucts anu
pcaHes in his peaceful and silent hours-hese Still
abide The lustre of Burns fame shines unalteraby
like that Of the stars Tacitus and Saust are re-
nowned hstorans but we can never feel certain that
they not loyal To their patrons than TO veracy
Not with Burns. The poet is Of at least three
exisences: is tribute To duty another TO society
the third TO his inspiration Lockhar, Wordsworth, Sir
Walter Scott have memorialized Burns in the Old World.
American poets have reoced TO do him justice One Of
these presdes here night, toward whom poet may
not say what the future will certainly UTTER but claim
the privilege Of repeating some lines from one usually de-
nominated the "Quaker Poet,' whom could not admire
h-lke tie presiding officer of this assembage-he did
not sympathse with human freedom in all its forms and
conditions John g. Whittier has adorned his charac-
| ter, and the hero Of this hour, by exclaiming-
Let those who never erred forget
l vvorth IN hevva ailtnos: