Worcester daily spy., 1860-01-26
Gin ann County gntelllgenre.
The BIrthdny of Robert Burns.


The members of the Worcester Caledonia
Club, recently organized in this city, held,
last evening, their first annual festival in hon
or of the memory of Robert Burns. About
one hundred and twenty-five gentlemen and
ladies, chiefly of Scottish nativity, sat down to
an ample and satisfactory supper at the Lin
coin House, and over their immemorial hag-
gis, with pleasant and commemorative speech
es, and the singing of national songs, prolong-
ed the festivities into the "wee sma' hours
ayont the twaP." AT 8 o'clock the assembly
was called to order by Mr.. d. n. McNaugh-
ton, President ofthe Club. The divine bless
ing was invoked by Mr.. Sinclair, and the cad
dress to the Haggis" was happily given by Mr..
Thomas Proven
The intellectual exercises of the evening
were opened by the award of the customary
honors to "the President of the United States"
and Victoria" In response to the sentiment
of the evening, "The memory of Robert
Burns, the President, Mr.. McNaughton, paid
a generous eulogy to the favorite son of their
people, and deprecated the efforts often made to
"Then gently scan thy brother man,
Still gentler sister woman;
Though they may gang a kenninlwrang
To step aside is humann
He further spoke of Burns as the poet of
humanity and progress, who sang his sweetest
music i'll advance of his age. He never flung
his shafts at religion but at its counterfeits, as
he illustrated in the we'll known verses,
IAN hail, Religion! maid Divine,
Pardon muse so mean as mine,
Who in her rough imperfect time,
Thus dares to name thee;
To stigmatise false friends of thine,
Can meier defame thee.'
Pleasant reference was also made to many of
the characteristics of his poetry, illustrated
with apt and beautiful quotations from his
works
He was followed by James w. Weir, with
the national song, 'Robin was rowing boy, "
and by VIM. McGregor, with a recitation upon
4he death of Burns
The Mayor, Hon w. W. Rice, was received
with much applause. He returned his thanks
in the name of the city which he represented,
which was to nearly all of them an adopted
city, and which they all loved not the less be-
cause it was the home of their adoption. He
spoke in eloquent language of the bravery of
the Scottish people, as exhibited on many his
torical battle fields, and paid just tribute to
the memory and fame of Burns. He was
heartily applauded, both while speaking and
at the close.
Mr.. j. w. Weir responded to the '1and O.
cakes" speaking in praise and memory of the
native land, with feeling and effect. Mr.. Ed
win Bynner spoke briefly, and in his usual
agreeable manner, closing with some exceed
ingly interesting and meritorious lines upon
the subject of the festival. Other speeches
were made by Messrs. McCombe, Firth, Sher-
idan. and others, which added much to the
pleasure and satisfaction of the exercises, but
to which the lateness of the hour at which they
occurred allows but passing allusion.
The success of this new festival will un-
doubtedly encourage the regular observance
of it hereafter under the auspices of the club,
which has been organized, and has made its
| first public appearance under circumstances of
SO much encouragement.