The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-25
THE PLOUGHMAN-POET.
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Anniversary Of BurMs' Bhthday-LectUre
last Evening Mt stsinway Hnll by DIR.
Osrood.
Last evening, under the auspices OF the Buns
CLUB, an Grafton was delivered al Stelnway Han by
DIR. Samuel Csgood in celebration OF The anniversary
OF the birthday OF Robert Burns. There was not q
very large audience, OWING probably, TO the unfa-
vorabe character OF the weather; but, though num-
bers We're wanting, there was no dearth OF enthusl-
asIn.
Alter an AIR or two had been played on the bag
pre-, ard Mi. Morgan, the well known organlsr, had
given Home, Sweet nome,n Mr.. WILLIAM CULLEN
BRYANT was appointed to preside. In taking the
char he said that In this time OF great and rapid
changes it was pleasing 10 fix our attention on
things that bore certain character Of permanence.
The spirit OF change respected neither crowns
nor tIaras, nor usages nor institutions OF
however venerable on age. Iut amid these
commissions they were assembled to celebrate,
not the birth Of statesman or general, but Of q
lowly peasant In an humble cottage in secluded
village Of Scotland--one who lived short life and
wrote verses, aud passed to premature grave. The
"Cotter's Saturday Night" would be read and "Auld
Lang Syne" recitcu when the Emperor Napoleon
would be remembered only as
FOOLISH TYRANT.
Burns took the themes OF his verse from COM
men lie; he took the words aud PHRASES OF the
household and brcathed into them a life anu soul
that made them part OF tnal literature which lived
nom age to age.
having teerred TO the centennial celebration OF
Burns' birthday dozen years ago, traced the early
history OF The poet. His mOher he SAID, seemed to
have had very large influence over him, ana no
inherited her rich, sweet voice. He was very well
educated, and though Obliged to do man labor
at teen years OF age lie still continued his studies,
HIS bralet Gilbert IS sad in those earlier days to
have looked more like poet than Robert. But who
could tell nom The boys lace what the man was
Nat be who was 70 be tne poet Of
suffering what he afterwards taught to all ages In
song. Burns does not seem TO have looked very
cheerf9iy back at his early days Of toll and labor
His first lay was lay or love, and was INSPIRED by
BoNNlE, soNsiE LASS;
aud from that time his muse never deserted That
always afterwards in love. Nearly all his best poems
months After the publication OF his rst volume Of
poems he became famous, and there opened before
him new career, and he became man OF affairs.
ana 10 some extent man of the world. DR.. Csgood
then carried forward his biography 10 his death in
1885, when he owed the. world thirty pounds ster.
ling, ana the world owed him debt which the re-
spect and gratitude OF ages yet TO come would not
repay. For three quarters OF century MS Ire had
critics. The estimate Of the
ESSENTIAL WORTH OF THE MAN
had, however, only risen with time. lie was shown
astlc friend OF FREEDOM, champion OF the oppressed,
Kind father and husband ana never scotfer ut
uOV OF Tie SullStidH TeIElQjl. anu Whatever IHdy
have been his failngs, nc was PROBABLY less guilty
Iaan the average Of men and perhaps even as
Carlyle said, "a man less guilty than one in ten
tbousand.n He was one OF the representative men
OF that great eighteenth century, which was CEN
tury OF revolutions in behalf OF
THE RIGHTS OF MAN.
Burns had much OF the restless and stormy spirit
OF his tinle lie iietted chafed at be CHAINS OF
conventional society. But he had respect for the
mob spirit. aud his love OF liberty was not dissoci.
ated from his love OF law. In religion he had
pretty sharp quarrel with the clergy round him, but
he had given, especially in his "Cotter's Saturday
Might 4 charming picture Of the beauty OF relt-
g,ous and orderly life. His convictions, however,
came more nom deep spirit Of reverence than
from any very close study of revealed religion.
Robert Burns was In his way born prince. and he
ssoye to win his crown rom hard, grasping world.
He represented, therefore, what was perhaps the
most frequent form OF tragedy IN those tlmes-that
OF a man Of great seDsibity condemned TO life of
limited powers. Dr. Osgood concluded by an eloquent
tribute to The genius Of the poet. M0ole had been
called the greatest Of song writer's But Byron had
compared him TO Catulius and Others TO Anacreon,
whereas Burns stood alone IN the majesty OF trium-
phant ana unique power.