The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-26
ROBERT BURNS.

.-s--~>o~.>o->>~~-~~,~S~~~-
One Hundred and Seventh Anniversary
OF His Observation-Disclosures by shs
Burns Club or New Yosk-Aldrcss by
Mr.. Issssa b. Perkins, ~.
The one hundred and seventh anniversy os Vie birth
the ssst poet OF nature that ~ sztea since the
dsys'of Homer tho Immortal pSsnshman lard, whose
rudevees will ever charm tho Aeartof ths masses was
celebrated last night a Itsners otel by the Burns Club
OF the city Of New York. N. James Nicholson, Presi
dent of the Club ala the Aonors OF tho evening in
satisfactory Manner andws assisted ey Messrs Gotten
and McInnes, the Vice Presidents Nessvs c. a. Nchol
and Hogg, Secretaries; Mcssrs Grant, Campbell and
Cns. stewards and Captain BrS,S Master q cers
several Of those Scottish airs which Burns has pepetu
ated by his verses. -
feeling prevailed at every table. me President an
nT SSs ne Soss, which cs%Prss The fo,ew.g
America y 'Seosand p "The Literature OF Anne ana
OF Great Hrtalnand Ireland % 'Siser Societies. -'The
Presentation Of an Original Letter Of Barns - 'The
Press and 1.-THE Lasses-GOds last best gir 70 y
Mr.. Janos6bson sang VIC first song OF the programme
in spirited manner The original letcv q Robert
which nc lived, was received with applause Tho fol-
lowing su'copy:-
srsyhe language Of refusal is 70 nc tho most difficult
Iapguagc-on earth, and you tho man q the world
excepting one Of right honorable designation to whom
It gives the greatest pain to hold such language
Ny brother has already got money, and shall want
nothing in my power TO enable him 70 fulfil his long
engagement with you; but TO be security large q
scale oven FOR brother Is what dare not DO except
might happen could not greatly Djure mo- Inever wrote
letter which gave me such pain in my life as know tho
gentleman for whom / havo the highest respect and
70 whom u am deeply obliged am, ever sw your
obliged and very humble servant, ROBERT BURNS.
The 'Gcnius Of Burns responded 10 by Mr. Hosea
B. Perkins, In Tho scbjoned address,
Mr.. PRESIDENT and GEETLEkcN BURNS CiUB--
am happy to meet with you this anniversary the
birthday OF Of the most gifted children OF song the
world has ever produced; anu whie claim 10 be as
enthusiastic an mirer Of tho genius az Burns as any
one present. still do not latter myself that can add
aught to the renown of ono whose namo is already
scrbed In brilliant characters upon the mpcrishable
altar of fame. (AppIausc) Yet il cannot do this
can at least offer my humble tribute Of love and admra
not only do honor 10 the Caedonian name but will thrill
with rapture the bosom OF every being Gods bright
earth in which is cnshrned soul alive TO tho kindngs
OF poetic fancy. And while VIC finger with admiration
delight over the glowing pages Of Scott the poet and
patriot; OF Campbell the bard Of Hope OF Ramsey and
warmest love TO the Author OF Tam OShanter and the
"Cotter's Saturday Night" fAppiause) True he had
not the grand and stately eloquence OF Chatham
the sublime imagery OF Burke; nor did he like some
saryed child OF science read the beautiful and blazing
mystery OF the Skies nor yet hike the great Atenan
OF fame but in tho purer and brighter atmosphere of
pocsy and song he tho passport to immortality.
(Applause) Burns was born amid poverty and want,
and few have ever suffered more by il than did the
thor OF tho lines TO "Mary in Heaven There was
hardly perlod-in his whole existenc, that "hungry
ruin did not have HIM in tho wind - and all through is
brief but cvent.ul life anxiety and car, rested their
eternal burden upon him. He had no hereditary dis
tincton he was not ono Of those "tticd tinsccd pcn
sioner5 on tho dcado who dare not trace back their
lineage lest they might find "that their cnoble blood
had coursed through scoundfes ever since tho 1ood
But he lustrous by nature and God stamped upon
the manly brow OF that "plouhan bard the patent OF
\ true nobility. We have alluded TO tho poverty Of
Burns but hc was not the only poet that has Eel. It's
witherns blight His was the common lot Of the gifted
Many Of the finest poems in languag, written
by men whose entire lives were each tale of prvatou
and suffering Come, spirits Of the mighty dead ye
lifted who long ago consigned 10 that dream
less state or sleep that knows waking joy AGAIN.
cone and tell how your whole lives OF
toll ard poverty and want Como, blind Homer, from
thy lonely garrett, with ''thoughts that breathe and
words tina, burn come Milton, rom thy. tols aud
poverty has been tho sad fo OF ears brightest
genius, how her tattercd mantle has fallen upon
being that shone and spanked like Jewels in
Gods own blue sky. tApplause) Burns was the poet
o. nature and ms early days were spsn, in agricultural
his more active brain revealing IN the r fields OF
fancy, In speak, OF himself he says, THE poetic
genius OF my country found mo where tho prophetic
bard Ejah did Ehrha-as the plough threw her IN
spring mantle me- TWAS hero then that hc first
thing % Of Ssa.y 0 wa. Joy ala n.s pss
unaocod the tiny flower that bloomed by The roadside
he gaxed with rapture upon thu field 81 modelling grass
and waving grain; the gray old and the dim
Old woods had charm Tor him, tho low naurmuS Of no
brock music TO ms ear tho gentle zephyr.
",
waters Of tho swost flowing Alton 10 him mirror
In which no reflected many bright images OF oyci
ness and truth lc caught Inspiration from tho
atom and the sta, the and tho pcbbn. lie dill
visa tho classic shores OF Greece nor wand bonca,h the
sunny skies OF Italy, yet hnscafin the glances
81 the dark eyed daughters Of SpaR but no bched
jects Of beauty in everything around him The fai.-
haired maiden and the Jolly rgatn ipsp red hin, more
Tia, tue fallen shat, OF Wondering eon"n they kin;
the finest chiscngs OF Phdias or Tho incest touches
o. an Angelo Aipiaese) There is no arccatou 10 b,
discovered In his vrngs-n dies for show -four sh
but almost every verso no las written contains
truth. lie did not hkc Byron and Shelley, write what
sa, OF Burns aud did his fame rest npon his basis oay
u would he moro enduring than monumental brass
marble, Tor
Truth crushed 70 esrth shall risc again,
The .iernai years OF God are hcss,
pu, Error. wounded w,t,le. Ia pa'",
lie ,hc poet of The people, and ,bc, idol ~ day
iog amcst every poem he has ~rttn goes dise ,,y
tho heart OF humanity aud the civilized world bows In
WHO has done TO ilustrst, and autiy the donrs
Tic ancctons1 ~ who ., happy AMI genial in the so,si
va,c him in tho .caio Of bsIns does no. cci.s bari
In this respect tower grandly above ali other poet.
That Spirit az times wild and stormy that hurt forth
In the gIor'ous war ode, =.
Scots, WIN hae WI Wallace bledi
scftened iuto tic warmcst sympathy n tho baro
mention or misfortune, and tho poor and oppressed
u humanity found u lin sincere ffiend-a
iauntiess champion bravo fender Ito was tho
possessor OF rare conversational a'tis n " rad
that ono OF the most charming tl,es Of tho wet OF
scotland declared Burns 10 be tho most and
agreeable person she c,cr knew and tic beaut MI ard
accomplished Duchess OF Gordon raiJ in n letter 10
Trend, that no man conversation oyer carried cr
completely on her feet Robert Burns AZ ono no
rod o. hts life no took interest IN roIrica, matters
and, viewed as o politician, no was honest and inic.
pendent Poiitcang nowadays not much troubled
ia that way That 20 patriot and loved his oonu
Try with an in.cr'y tia, knew bounds we have tho
strongest PROOF IN many 81 his poems His not that
clustering spui~ = patriotism that annaes many OF
the polite ans Of the present day-manuracturcd NJ
ward moc,ngr and primary elections and that thgnders
forth In buncomb speeches az the cvicr Mug and
Twenty third street dem but his was the natural
patriotism Of an honest and god-like soul Tap
phusel AZ tho ego or thirty seven al that was mortal
Of tho Scottish shaisnor was consigned 10 m, connon
mother OF us al but thank Coai Tho glorious culapa
tons q HE grca, nd s,fvc 20 console to eunobc To
onTapture humanity. tArpiause) Yee Tho liz ht OF his
great genius yet hngers, gliding carhs oftcst spires
With tho nndsing Charms OF poetry commanding for all