The New York herald., 1869-01-26
ROBERT BUR =


..opolitan Hotel-~speeches by ID. ID.
rfeld, j.. :. Thayers III. b. Perkins, w. ~
Bryant and Othess,
The 10th anniversary OF the birthday OF hoper.
Burns, the iustrious scotch poet, was ceieora'ou
with all the honors at grand banquet gwen Hsss
night at the Metropolitan Hotel The iesuve poaiu
was graced by the appearance OF many ladies, tne
guests altogether numbering between 400 ana 900.
Mr. David Dudley Field presided. There were also
present Judge Whiting, William Cullen Bryant Judge
Jones Messrs. J. s. Thayer, H. b. Perkins, Stephens,
Bathgete Baker, Rev. Dr. Chaplin Or. Sayre, Colonel
Howe and Others. Among the ladies were Mrs. and
Miss Fried, Miss Paris, Mrs. John Tyler and daugh-
ter, the Misses Perkins, &C. The banquet, served
up in recherche style, was in every respect well
worthy the occasion, and the music Of an excellent
band considerably enhsnced its pleasure. Grace
having been said by the Rev. DR.. Chaplin a1d dinner
concluded
United statesn and The Queen Of Great Britain and
Ireland" the latter being intended 70 bring TO mind
the nationality Of the poet whose anniversary was
being appropriately celebrated. Both toasts were
received with applause.
Music--"God Save the Queen.n
The Chairman then proposed the toast OF the
evening, "The Memory OF Robert Burns, which was
responded to with all the honors BETTING the occa,
SIGN. Mr.. Field. In alluding to the great poet,
now being celebrated was condemned to rfe-
long struggle with adverse fortune. Born in
the humbiest class, poverty darkening his cradle
and pursuing him to his grave stlnted In his educa
ton, pressed with the heavy burden OF unremitting
toH, led astray by many a temptation, he sunk
before his ,ime and died broken-hearted at the age
OF thirty-seven: Yet this man, so struggling and SO
suffering, had left an immortal name. The
words which he had uttered had become household
words among the English speaking races wherever
whose sovereign he lived or in these States-once
colonies, but now rivals Of those kingdoms-or in
to the regions OF everlasting ice or in swarming
ASIA, or in the islands OF either ocean, or
Southern stars. tAppause.) The songs which he
wrote are sung from age to age, by the maiden In
no by be saor nn IN n
| by the boy exultlng in life's first pursuits and
the old man whose feet have ceased from
melodies Of early DAYS. The cottage where he was
born, the farm at MassgIel, where his ploughshare
which his fancy filed with haunting sprits the Brig
o. Doom which the flying horseman crossed, and the
gurgling Ayr, which seems st to syllable his name
all these familiar to us at this day. in another
hemisphere. as they were to his countrymen when
he died. and the monument which the men OF O later
age raised to his memory on the banks OF his native
river speaks to US as audibly as it spoke to them.
(Appause His poetry is ours almost as truly as II
theirs; ours by language, by inheritance, by
kindred and by sympathy. No brother poet has
sung of him more 1ttlngy and more tenderly than
our own Haleck:-
A 1a BuI1 soass aSus sn S s ss he h se
Tne image OF his God.
TLT9agn care and ID pain Ina and q. wan. tan ani woe
The proud alone feel.
He kept his honesty truth,
And moved, in manhood as in youth,
Pride OF his fellow
II is in honor OF such a past and such man that
! now propose the toast to the memory OF Robert
Burns. tCheers.l
said that In commem0rating the events that filled
the calendar Of the year he did not think there
could be framed in language sentiment that would
| circle Of human sympathies and regards than
the one just proposed, .'The Memory OF Robert
o S d mot % there
was no passion or emotion in the wide and varied
experience Of human life that its rays did not reach
and illustrate. From the cradle to the grave; from
one end to the other Of the ocean OF life on which
man was tossed the waves that bear us on wear
softer and brighter tint, richer and warmer glow
from the star that rose one hundred and ten years
| ago over the humble birthplace OF Robert Burns
than from any OF those majestic and full orbed
that burn In the highest heaven OF poetry. zap
was to instruct and guide us in the paths OF religious
duth failed because their teachings were too far re-
scendental they did not come down to the everyday
walks OF lie II was everything In religion to bring
home 70 every human heart its hopes and consolation
Was 1t not something IN poetry TO approach and
take possession for its first time OF the universal
heart hears Of a1 man. an And rO wa, not marvel
man was the first 70 gather up and wreath
INTO ana bond Of al al the
the inspiration OF his genius TO send round the cir
cult Of all humanity that electric thrill that untes
IN brotherhood or feeling and thoughts all who
read and speak the English tongue Applause,
Robert Burns did this. Applause.) After alludlng
speaker went on to state that those qualities could
not make a. man poet; but, born poet,
| Phar concluded an eloquent eulogy BY congralu-
atng the guests on the presence OF the greatest OF
American poets, William Cullen Bryant and hoped
| he would ever honor the banquet spread to the
| memory OF Robert Burns. tApplause.)
toast .'Our Country was warmly received. He
sald:-What host OF thoughts cluster around
the populous town, the quiet village, the majestic
river the noble lake, the cloud capped mountain the
Ts1 Ca S Are al embraced % In hoss two
the birth year OF our nation; In 1883 our ndepen-
dence was acknowledged BY Great Britain and the
Powers OF Europe, at which time we had only
thirteen States and but three millions OF Inhabitants;
bus to-day we have thirty-seven States and
this this has BEEN accompished within within the sa last
half century anu its prosperity and wealth founded
suit which in the grandeur OF Its achievements is
unparalleled IN the history. OF the world lApplauss)
What other country ia blessed In its noble charifa
bic institutions, in its beautiful temples OF learning
ana ana WIN i,s free and nnshacked press-the
penetrable shield OF patriotism ap1 moral
WORTH lApplause.l The speaker, after alluding
% slate that more than half century ago the
gallant navy OF America contested for the supremacy
OF the seas with the greatest maritime Power In the
world, and though 1t was not always victorious STILL
geherally speaking the meteor flag OF proud old Eng
land went down before the starry banner OF the young
republic. Appiausel Having passed high euloglum
Inc army of this country the national institutions
not forgetting the poets Bryant and Irving Mr.
Perkins concluded thus:Our country Is the dearest
object OF our affections. To guard ITS honor TO pre-
serve its laws TO maintain rs freedom aud 10 bear
onward aud upward ts banner should be our highest
ambtlon-that banner that borne amid the
carnage ana roar OF revolutionary battles and
that has since been baptized In the blood of the
bravest and best Of our beloved land. Loud ap.
plauseD
To-day the blood Of heroes fence II round
Whnr'er u springs its holy ground,
From and dome rs riores spread;
n where lonely seurcs tread,
Which makes the land lrcs
And plants empire In the
II Il the holy banner Of the free
The starry flower Of liberty
n lxdf ff...o' nfa.n ~