Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-01-26
Robert Burns.

AmmANeE8AEy IN kAAD 1DAESAAs-AeD NCACDA&-
tiOn by the New Haven Californian
Cuban Elegant Tribute by Rev. DIR.
Todd-Other Addresses and Exercises.
The one hundred and twenty-second ami
versary of the natal day of Robert Burns was
celebrated at LOOMS Temple of Music last
night in the customary highly successful
manner by the New Haven Caledonian club.
A large gathering much enjoyed the affair,
and everything passed off in very happy
manner to all present. The exercises en-
braced programme of literary exercises and
concert, banquet and dancing. Chief Rob
ert Macarthur presided very happily, and
opened the exercises with remarks. beau
tiful special tribute to the. occasion was an
address by Rev. DIR. Todd, which appears be-
low entire. Rev. DIR. Barbour and Rev. Mr..
Meserve added to the interest also by speech
es. Among those who sang are A. McPhee,
J. Wood, Mrs. Wood, P. Sterling Miss Flor
ence, T. p Gillespie. About $50 sat down
to the fine supper provided for the occasion,
Mr. L. E. Doolittle caterer. Messrs. P. Ster
ling, J. Wood, T. McLelland, J. Stevenson,
D. Mcdonald were the committee of arrange
ments, and Messrs. John Brown, T. McLel-
lduuy obcG obCAA4A5 eAAO ASNORVAOAA ~SA1A-ASeNS'
Address OF Rev. DIR. Todd.
The poetry of Burns presents a phenom-
enon unexampled in the history of all itera-
ture It did not, like the poetry of Milton,
fail to be appreciated till long after the poets
death, and then slowly and gradually creep
up to fame From the first moment that any
of it was published, it was received with the
greatest enthusiasm. 1t did not, like the
poetry of Byron, create a transient excite
ment; it has never fallen, as the poetry
of Shakespeare at one time for
considerable period fell, into obscurity.
For nearly a century it has steadily
maintained its sway over the minds OF men,
in an ever charging realm. Chaucer, Spen-
Ger and even Shakespeare. have spoken chief
" to the educated and cultivated. But the
poetry of Burns has commanded universal
homage. On the one hand, the most learned
men, the finest scholars, the noblest poets,
the greatest prose writer's and orators have
not hesitated to express in the most unquali-
fed terms their admiration for and devotion
to the productions of the ploughman of Ayr;
on the other hand, his songs are on the lips
and in the hearts of the lowiest; they are
the favorite songs of prima donnas, rouslng
multitudes to enthusiasm, and of dairymaids
and housemaids doing their solitary tasks ;
they are heard in the mines of Cornwall,
Pennsylvania, California and Australia, in
the camps before Sebastopol and Richmond,
on the prairies of the West, amid the Arctic
SHOWS and along the coasts of Africa. y
Let me rightly point to some of the elements
in the poetry of Burns which seem to me to
account for its popularity and its power.
To begin with that which is of least though
not little Importance, Burns wrote in the
simple language of every day life and in the
most natural inartifcial style. He called
things by the names by which they were
commonly known he used words which
every one understood; for the most part
they were the monosyllables of Anglo-Saxon
or Celtic origin he had little recourse to the
long words of Greek er Latin formation !;
he did not tumble up his words in sentences
of foreign and intricate construction; he
knew what he meant to say and said it, SIM
ply and powerfully, and every one knows
what he meant. And not only SO, but he Sc
lected and arranged his words with such taste
and exquisite sense of rythm and melody
that the mere utterance of them makes a
kind of music. Undoubtedly the poet was
guided in this by a natural instinct but it
were mistake to suppose that all this was
accomplished without study or effort. It is
common to hear of the 'Eartless grace of
Burns; the poet himself uses the phrase of
himself. But let US not be deceived. Burns
himself tells us that in his earlier years he
made the direct study of certain collections
of songs which fell into his hands '"The
collection of songs was my DGde mccain.
pored over them, driving my cart, or walk
ing to labor, song by song, verse by verse,
carefully noting the true, tender or sublime,
from affectation and fustian. I am con-
| WINGED 1 owe to this practice much of my
critic-craft, such as it is" The "artlessness'
of Burns is rather that consummate artful.
ness in which art is concealed. Let me give
an illustration and proof of the art of Burns
You know that poets often try to convey to
| the ear, in the sound of the words which they
employ, a noise of which they are speaking.
Thus Homer endeavors to convey to the ear
the sound of the twang of the bow and the
hiss of the flying arrow of Apollo.
"Ekklanxan d'ar oistoi p
| or. the cantering of horses over the plain.
Polla ananta katanta paranta dochmia t. elthon."
| A line which Virgil has initiated:
| "Quadrupi dante putrem sonitu quatit unguls
campum"
| It will be conceded that such effect is moi
to be accomplished without careful and
studied choice of words. Now it has beer
| - I,--o hat
even in books of rhetoric, has any notice
been taken of the frequent and remarkable
use by Burns of this trick of language ]
| will give single instance. The poet is de.
scribing the work in srnithy or biacksmith's
shop; and we seem to hear in the very sono-
rous and ringing words and alternately slow
and quick cadences which he employs, that
which we have SO often heard in reality-the
ring of the irons, the heavy fall of the jour.
neyman's great hammer, the quick, sharp
strokes and rebounds of the masters small
hammer and the clangor of the anvil.
Nae mercy then for arm or steel:
The brawnie, bainie, ploughman chiel
Brings hard owre hip VII sturdy wheel,
The strong forehammer
Till block and studdie ring and reel
WI dinsome clamor.
pass to a second characteristic of the
poetry of Burns, namely, its sympathy with
| nature. There are few grand descriptions in
it of natural scenes or artistic effects; but it
shows everywhere thorough acquaintance
| with and love of the little details in nature.
1t would be interesting to know how many
things in nature are mentioned by the poet,
and each usually with some epithet infinitely
or accurately describing something in its ap-
pearance or habits. For instance, in the
elegy upon the pretended death of famous
fisher and hunter
Now safe the stately salmon sail,
And cells weel kennd for soupIe tail
And geds for greed,
Since dark in Deaths fish cree1 wall
Tam Samson dead.
Rejoice, We birring paitricks a.
Ye cootie moorcocks, crousely craw;
Ye maukins, cock your fud flu brau,
Withouten dread
Your mortal foe is ava,
Tam Samson's dead.
Or in the elegy upon the death of Matthew
Henderson:
Mourn, ilka grove the cushat kens
Ye hazelly shRws and briefly dens,
Ye burnies dimpling down your glens
Wi todd1in din
Or foaming strang, VII hasty steps
Frae lin to lin.