New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-26
THE BURNS ANNIVERSARY.

The 1l1th anniversary of the birthday of
Robert Burns most pleasantly celebrated at Del
monico's last night. The chair occupied by DAVID
Dudley Field, esq
After dinner the Chairman proposed the usual toasts
to the President and Queen Victoria To the third toast
The memory of Robert Burns" VIM Cullen Bryant re-
sponded as follows:
excuse me, am sure, from entering into any formal
euoey of the poet in honor Of whose memory we hold
this high festival think Of nothing in his praise
which have not already said in public like occasions;
ana viii not weary this company Of intelligent critics
here with pot OF white paint In one hand and brush
IN the other thinking to improve the Wilderness OF the
lily by covering with paint have tried to do 1t before,
and could not perceive that the owerthis queen OF
the field, more Respondent in its native beauty than
whittier for it. Let me only dwell upon this fact-a
marked one in the history of our lterature-that
classical wherever our language is known. Before
Which time OF B0rns there e ws' long d
nature through the spectaces OF books period during
Image from nature found its into their They
contented themselves with ringing the changes on those
which the authors before them had made familiar Then
arose Scottish poet, James Thomson, Sho flung these
spectacles to the ground, crushing them under his re-
morseless heel and looking at Nature with his own un-
Seasons with images new fresh and bright Nature
herself He 1t who, IN the time OF Pope. when the
poetry in the poetry Of the drawing-room.
started boldly away from the common track, and, to the
OF the woods and the fields, and IN portions OF his poem
the poetry Of the household. 1t was literary revolu
to employ the scottish dialect 0I Il w for
Burns TO do this in such manner TO give the Scottish
dialect place in the general literature Of our language
1t he who struck the grand masternote Of Scottish
song making 1T heard in almost every latitude OF the
globe and calling forth an answering reverberaton from
far distant regions Many OF those who sit at this table
have doubtless heard the report OF cannon discharged
among the Highlands that overlook the Hudson our
eXutng and Astounding river" The sound has scarcely
left the lannon's mouth before 1t is reechoed by one OF
the majestic Observation-Disclosures perhaps--on whose
summit the clouds rest and the lgntnlngs are DOfn
Crow Nest rolls 1t back from his dark precpices and an
Gent forests Then headland remote receives
IT, and from its elf filings 1t back to the listener The
sound travels swiftly on, and response comes from
hight after hight until 1t passes away among the hills
and shores which lie beyond the sight. Such have been
the reponses of Scottish poetry called forth In different
regions Of the globe by the poetry OF Burns Almost
wherever they read they have awakened the desire
to compose verses in the same dialect Let me instance
our country The other day took up the poems OF
George Hill Of Guilford just published found among
them several in the Scottish dialect Here was reyer-
beraton from the shores of Long Island sound on my
table lie the poems Of the late Mr. Wilson OF Poughkeep
musical responses from the banks OF the Hudson Ia
my library the poems OF James Linen many OF them
Scottish, answering from the rocky eInnenees
that skirt the western border OF our empire on the great
Pacific SO the reverberaton Is likely TO go on from gen
Grafton to generation, involuntary tribute OF admTa
from the world Of letters to the genius OF Burns
Next came poem on the Genius OF Robert Burns'
by Sidney W. Cooper wel-written and weLdelyered
tribute.
sour Country" was responded to by David Dudley
Field.
Altogether IL was a most enjoyable intellectual treat,
to which the presence of the ladies gave additional zest
while It prevented those socaled excusabe excuses IN
which the rougher half OF humanity are wont 10 Inauge
when hOnOrng genuine Scottish fashion the memory
OF him who sang seductyey the virtues oil the paey
bree."
DINNER OF THE BURNS CLUB.
The birthday of the plowman poet duly celebrated
evening with song eoquence and good cheer by the
Burns Club Of the City Of NewYork at the Astor House
About guests marched the earpercng sound of the
pibroch into the dining room which was decorated with
a fine portrait Of Burns above which the British and
American flags were fraternally draped. At the main
table sat the President OF the Club, Mr. c. B. Gotten,
together with Judge Whiting, Col. A.. J. H. Duganne,
Prof McKenna. and Messrs. j.. Delafeld Smith, Hosea
b. Perkins Henry H. Reid, aud A. r. Dyett. Grace was
pronounced by r. g. Willard. First Vice.Presdent and
Recording Secretary Thos Nicholson reclted the " Ad
ly declared by the unniated to be nothing but oatmeal
President letters OF regret from President Grant and
VIM. Cullen Bryant, and also from Gov. Holman, who
SAID
honor the countrymen OF Robert Burns that they
keep fresh in their hearts the memory OF their peasant
poet But not to Scotland alone do his songs belong
They the treasured heritage OF the whole world they
reach high and low, the rich and the poor inspiring a
broader love OF mankind arousng inner appreciation OF
wholesome humor. awakening pure sense of sympathy
penetrating the robes Of hypocrisy, and shifting oppres
The President brief address. proposed the first
toast, THE Day we Celebrate which was drunk stand
ing. with three cheers. Mr. Robert Anderson sang
There lad was born ~ KYLE" with much spirit,
and was warmly applanded. The second toast The
Genius OF Burns" was then proposed, and Mr..
Hosea B. Perkins responded.
Mr.. James Gibson then sang " MY Mamie OF ana Mr..
Henry II. Reid responded 10 the toast. America"
Anderson and Watts, delegates from the Gale
DOMAIN Club, then introduced and heartily welcomed
Mr. Anderson made neat little speech and proposed the
following sentiment: Physical and mental culture
the buwarks freedom in Caledonia they find
increasing sympathy in her children in America After
another song, 1.-THE Indians Lament" by Mr.. James
Gbson the Hon f. Deaeld Smith responded eoq uenty
70 the toast scotland" Mr. Malcolm Taylor sang
"Scots wha haze wi Wallace bled."
After the reading Of the poem. the programme was
continued as follows:
and Poetry Of America Re'Ponse-Gen Watt De
Peyster. Song-Mr Henry Spear
VI The and Poetry Of Great Britain and Ireland Response
Prof McKeuna Songs-Aesss Hudson, Gibson, Anderson
VII The Responsible J. L. Wilson Song-Mr Malcolm
TAYLOR
Will Tie Bar Respobse-A Dye,s esq SOng-ML D. Hud
tx The and Navy Re,ponse-Gen D. hcGregor Song
Nj Robert Anderson. =,
sister societies Responsibilities Reeke CbfOf ~ j. Gale
DOMAIN Club Soug-Mr. James Cumming.
XI THE Laes!" Respoase-Mr John Reid Sought James
Gibson.