New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-25
ROBERT BURNS.
ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS BY DIR. SAMUEL
OSGOOD.


OSGO0D.
The R,rns Club of this city celebrated the eve of
the nth birthday anniversary Of Scotands favorte bard
On stairway Hall last evening" by Grafton delivered by
the Rev. Dr. Samuel Osgood, ID. d. C. g. Nicholson, J.
Cunningham, Bernard Smyth, Robert johnson, and
others were upon the platform. william Cullen Bryant
presded and In introducing Dr. Osgood, made few re-
marks.
DIR. OsGOODs ADDRESS.
II Is your enthusiasm for your national poet and n0tmy
presumption that brings tonight TO say my poor but
honest word for Robert and his place in mod
ern life.
1t would seem as II everything had been said about
him that could be said Four biographies Of him have
classics in literature, the masters Of criticism
have mostly tried their hand at the analysis OF his
genius and painters have set before every land and
walk and home that has ever been touched by his
foot or named by his Our people at large have
been made familiar with his life well as his songs.
Your celebration of his centennial twelve years was
memorable in itself and OF great multitude that
went round the globe. How short the interval
since that time seems now, and yet what an
interval alike in years and events. Your Presi-
dent then is your President tonight, and ap-
parently as young as then, although he has helped
save the nation and himself he has turned old
Homer into our tongue, and shown that our pure
American is the best English Your orator. Henry "ard
Beecher Is not quite done speaking yet nor are his near
weary of listening. FtzGreene Halleck was among
your guests. The names OF Washington irving ana
James Buchanan-how much they stand for!-are upon
your record Of those who sent regrets at their necessary
absence. and James T. Brady and John W. Francisco
much missed nowhere among your honored speakers
table, while the obscure guest who spoke theh
upon the genius OF Burns Is called by you now, In the
absence those shining lights to appear again before
YOU even the risk Of repeating his dizziness and the
trial OF your kindly patience which then so cheered MS
wel-meant words.
THE PIowBoY.
The year l771 found Robert Burns plowboy on the
small upland farm Of Oiphant, about two miles distant
from the clay howell of Aoway, where he was Dorn jan
uary 49, 1882 and lived till he seven years OF age Ills
father intelligent, aectonate, energetic, devout
man, with remarkable respect for education ana
logged independence equally characteristic OF the old
Scotch Covenanters His mother had less culture
but equal heart, and she seems to have given
to Robert her eldest the music or her voice, Win
its store Of old songs and ballads, and the light ana
beauty Of her eyes. From his sixth year he went at
times school, but he learned apparently quite as much
from kind old SOUL Betty Davidson who lived In the
family and told him stores Of legendary lore. AT IL
years he knew English grammar pretty WELL and he had
read few books Of history such the Life OF Hanni-
bal" aad the History Of Sir William Wallace" with q
pretty liberal allowance Of study OF astronomy and
History under his good fathers own guidance lie
seems also to have been well instructed In religion, and
cussons Of the day. From his 18th to his 18th year he
was called to do the full work Of a man. and perhaps
never recovered from the overstainng Of his constu
ton Yet in the intervals of this hard work he went on
with his studies and added tolerable knowledge
of the French language his attainments, with such
reading Of miscellaneous literature in his way
The boy does not to have any especial atten
pears 70 have had great hopes OF his future lie was
grave and thoughtful and with less look OF poet than
tell what boys to be by their boyish looks anu
dongsi Extraordinary genius Is not as lrecocio9s as
life OF the man, and comes through pam 10 gh ana
poet is born not made; but the poets blrih Is
Of the spirit not OF the flesh, and certain regeneration
must always carry IT out. 49, ..,,-,,,
youth and perhaps well that he who was to be be-
yOnd all Others the poet OF the common lot should take
his intuition at the hand OF tdt the S MNrd and
senmenalize and mOizc about it, but labor itself IL
fearful reality and only ne who has WORKED H ca e e
how Burns the plowboy learned in suffering what
p ne 1ans9 and humanity but also calmness and
JOY of that stern teacher for he who writes or sings
yoke learns judge and life tendery and wisely,
and to enjoy as none Others DO the sweet blooms OF
pleasure that contrast with that dark brown earth
which is the labOrer's sphere and type
His own view of his lot as Iaborer Is sufficiently dark,
the chceress gloom of hermit with the unceasing toll
OF me to IN, my le9 year. ht'e
POET.
Thus the Plowboy becomes the Poet, and to him in
this character turn To give more distnctness
to our ohand sketch we may as well close his boysh
career with his stay at Mount Ophant, and date his
poet life from his removal LOchea in 177 at the age
of 49, He had begun indeed to rhyme two years before
and the bonnie sweet sonse lass who first started his
started his In direction that he never fors0oh
about H. Seven years with his family at Lochea and
at MOsquet brought Burns 10 the year lI56 AMI
at the age OF 81 TO name of renown His life generally
at this period, simple sober and severe yet with
ebuOns Of fun and folly the chief and saddest OF
which during his fix months absence AT Irvine,
small seaport town, where lac learned a1iressng and
met bertinsm and freethinkng, not without serious
to his regular and aborous course, and after his fathers
DEATH 1885, he, with his brother Gilbert took the farm
there renewed the hard struggle for life for themselves
their mother and sisters. During the two years here
The poetry which has given him his fame composed
in very short time. apparently not exceeding fifteen
ioweenb 'Man was Made to Mourn" 'Thc Coters sat
Be qas "sTie iva Dogs" .The VISION" &c.
IN July 1885, his volume OF poems appeared at K,lmar,
cearedthe sum of $40 Read over the list of those
poems and see how much ien loo was IN them and
Summer time OF his inspiration, which never returned
True poetry like true n1 haa 5 o1T on
that was both poetic and eloquent He had Travelled lit
that he had taversed and with the few books that he
had studied he had found about all there il IN the hui
sons He had toed and foicked loved, and as far as
his kindly temper would allow he had hated he had
ceeded proudly, and failed miseTably, and with his
fame he found himself in disgrace and the verge OF
exile to foreign country because severe father would
not permit him to marry the mother OF his child Surely
there enough Of Joy and misery here TO fill out the
OF poetica experience and to bring home To him
every note his harp All that he wrote genuine,
the utterance OF real feeling; and undoubtedly
well for his and genus that instead VI learning from
books he learned from his intense experience, and
in his own sphere found fresh world opened 10 him,
which him the Homer, not of the historical epic,
but the lyrical song-not in the Juventus Mundi the
youth Of the world, but the Juventus Cords the youth
OF the fresh unhackneycd heart.
BURNS IN EDINBURGH.