Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-12-15
VOL. 54--WH0LE NO. 2,70l
Walter Scott's Greeting to Robert
Burns.
CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK, 1880.



Mr.. Wallace Bruce rectcd the following POeI
at the ST. Andrews Dinner, Delmonicos, New
York city, on the evening Of November the 9Ott
prefacing It with the following paragraph :
"Aiter the unvciling Of the Burns statue fe'
weeks ago in Central Park after the eloquen
Grafton Of George William Curtis had stirred th
hearts Of thousands who love the lines Of th
Peasant Poet after the crowd had dispersed ant
night had settled down upon the three statues Of
Shakespeare, Scott and Burns, It seemed to me
eminently fitting that Walter Scott should exten,
n greeting to the newly arrived poet and intro.
duce him to his bronzed friend and conrad
William shakspearo"l
We greet thee, Robie, here to- night,
Beneath these stars 30 pure aud bright
We greet thee, Poet, come at last
With win and me thy lot to cast.
We've talked about thee mony day
And wondered when you'd be this way
Reach out your hand and gie's a shake,
Just auoe, for auld acquaintance sake.
We welcome you from scotia's land
And reach to you brither's hand
kindred soul to greet you turns
win Shakespeare, this is Robie Burns
We've sung your songs here mony a night
Till that dear star is lost In light,
And, Willie says, the lines you wrote
win even do for him to quote.
He likes your verses wondrous weel
And says you are glorious chiel--
In fact, the only one who knows
The space 'twixt poetry and prose,
Oh Robie If we had a plaid
We'd quite convert yon StratfOrd lad.
lie said, in truth, but yestcr- morn,
"lm Scotch In w.t. though English born
"And, Walter, 1t may yet appear
That Scotland takes in Warwiokshire--
Let Avon be the border line,
Blot out the Tweed or draw Il fue"
SO Willie brew your peck O. maui
And set the board with attic saut
For Rob has come at last you see
We were pair, but now we're three.
We need no other oomrase now
No modern bard o classic brow'
'Tis long before another man
Win be admitted to our clan.
Iu stormy nights twas lonesome here
When win recited half O. Lear;
But now he quotes 0 Shahter's Tale
In thunder, lightning, and in hail,
And says his witches can't compare
With those that chased o. ShaRter's mare;
He's even learned your Dell Address
To quote some night for good Queen Dess-
For Robie this is haunted ground
Where Spirits keep their nightly round
And when tho witch ing hour is near
You'll see strange beings gather here.
l saw Queen Bess the other night
Beside him, clad In vesture bright,
While kings and queens, n noble throng,
In dim procession passed along,
And walls seemed rising from the earth
Like Leicester's tower at Kenilworth
And all the pageant that was there,
Seemed floating in the moonlit air,
Ayel Beauty, Jealousy and Pride,
In Dudley's Halls walked side by side,
While Amy Robsart seemed to stand
With fair 0phelia, hand in hand.
And, Robe what a vision came
As Willie whispered Ariels name
The towers dissolved and round him drew
The stately gentle, fair and true
Miranda, Juliet, Imogene,
Hermione and Katharine,
While Rosalind among them stood
The sunlight of sweet Arden's wood.
'Twere long to pass them in review,
For still the circle wider grew
Until the airy vision bright
Was lost at last In liquid light.
SO let me whisper In your car
Never to tell what passes here:
There'll bo grand reception soon
To greet the lad from Bonnie Doom.
We1l gather up the jolliest crew,
Falstaf, Prince Hal and Rhoierick Dhu,
And the rantin' brither Scots
Frae Maiden Kirk to John 0'Groats.
So, Robie, make yourself at home
'Mang friends and brithers you have come
And here's land that's quite as fair
As that between the Doom and Ayr;
A land that glories in its youth,
That owns no creed but living truth,
Where pith o. sense and pride o. worth
A refuge find from rank and birth;
A land that's made your verses real
Whose guinea stamp is houor's seal,
Aye Robe, here they've quite forgot
To write the Sir--just Walter Scott
And here thy songs will ever ring
Through all the years the centuries bring
Till all are free and every sea
Shall know no shore but Liberty.