National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-25
Robert Burns,

Lo! the lamp that iIlumes the eye with IT, fame,
IT l'ghtt ms and dies in its turn;
All! pity the Poet. nor envy his fame;
His fate is TO shine, and to burn.
There is q story told of an ancient magician
who possessed glass which had the wonderful
power Of magnifying the minutest atoms Of the
atmosphere into myriad forms OF organic lite and
beauty. Such a magic glass was the genius of
Robert Burns. Looking through his finer men
tai optics a world of beauty Is revealed to the
dullest mind. Byron, Moore, and many other
leading poets have generally selected their sub
Jects "ready made" accompanied by some pres
tIge OF high lie. Robert: Burns took his subjects
sin the rough" and with the plastic power of his
genius nodded them out into the glowing forms
OF poetic life. Like sunset upon the clouds, the
halo Of genius transhgured the homeIIest object
that he touched into "a thing Of beauty" which
"is Joy forever" 1t shone upon a modest daisy,
wasting its sweetness on the desert air. and
10 that daisy, in its reflected beauty, tran
sends its royal sisters Of the tropics. II flashed
upon little mouse, which had been rudely
turned out Of Its winters home In "cauld Move n
bers BLAST" and that "Wee, seekit GOVERN, timor
GUS beastie" grows into human thing. and
nestIes itself into the wsrmest sympathie5 Of our
heartsi But aside from the pOstic charm OF his
Muse 1t was his fearless Independence Of soul,
his noble yindication Of true manhood, which has
endeared the name Of Robert Burns not only to
the Scottish but TO the American heart. Let IL
never be forgotten that the poor ploughboy IRON
Ayrshire, although recognized and honored for
the time by the proudest circles Of Edinburgh,
land and proclaimed IN words Of startling power:
1.-THE rank is but the guIne1's stamp,
The mans the gOI0d Tor a tnAI!
A rich man builds q magnificent mansion and
his fellow-men honor him for the WORK Burns
has built q mansion-"not made with handy
and how many thousands OF human souls have be-
guiled the gloom and monOtony Of every day life
In running through Its grand palace chambers,
peopled with poetic forms Of exquisite beauty and
most touching sentiment, which, preaching to
stones, would make them capable" Who shall
estimate the value Of Burns productions in
humaniZing, refining and elevating the great
language is spoken? If the primary object Of
human life be the growth Of the soul-the deVel-
opment Of our higher natures-shall we not honor
him who adds even zone iOt or title to our i'm
Hamlet said Of his uncle: "Those who would
make mouths at him when my father lived, give
twenty, forty, nifty, hundred dueats for his pic
ture in little" This selfish phase OF humanity is
rich and high bOrn cOuntrymen, who made
mouths at him" while he lived, scOTned his pow
erty and froWned upon his inhrmlties. built him
magnificent tomb alter ne was dead; thus TAX
ing more care Of his dead bones than his living
body. Truly has Carlyle written, with scathlnH
sarcasm, while living he cried for bread, and
when dead they gave MIN stons.n
Tho florist spares no pains In tendorly rearing
rare exotic plant, feeling we'll assured that he
will be richly repaid by It's rich doors and exqui-
site beauty. Mankind, however, while they read
no indulgence to spare for Its Inhrmlties nor even
charity for Its misfOrtunes. They would express
the last drop Of poetic juice from its brain, and
little reck II human blood dow with Il.
II 1t DO true that the souls Of the dead can re-
visit the earth and behold the reelected splendor
OF their old lives, Robert Burns Is amply repaid
for every pain he has suffered; for as long there
is beauty upon the flower, music In the air, and
sympathy 10 the soul, 20 long Will the name Of
Robert Burns be cherished rs hous lhold 1 ol IN
our hearts. II. CLAY PREUss.