The record-union., 1891-06-13
IDTLS FROM ELLISLAND.
Description of the Farm Home of
Robert Burns.
The House Which He Built, With Many
Fascinating Unpublished Facts and
Incidents Concerning Its Past and
Present Occupancy.
Especial Correspondence Of the RECORD.
UNION. Copyright, 1891
ELLIsLAND, Scotland, June 2, 1891.


created by the living presence of Robert
Burns in southwestern Scotland, and
looking down along the flaming shaft Of
light that links his genius and his world
girding human love and magnanimity to
the fadeless Immortality of his memory
and name, have always felt that the one
among them all which most breathes to
the beholder the spirit of ineffable pathos
and tenderness was this, the bard's farm
home of Ellisland.
In the period between May, 1856, at the
age of II years, and the end of the year,
1871, when he came from this Ellisland
farm to the three rooms in the 'Wee
Vennel," in Dumfries, period of but
four and one-half years, more personal
hope and disappointment joy and suffer-
ing, anguish from impulsive wrong doing
and heaven Of the purest domestic bliss,
temptation and victory, agoniZed despair
and triumph, were crowded into the
poets experiences than fall to the lot of
most great men in their entire lives. In
this brief time, first he was disowned and
deserted by Jean Armour, through the
bitter and ever-unreasoning opposition of
her father. He was then betrothed to
" Highland Nary Campbell, the hero
inc of his immortal ode, '"To Mary In
Heaven" who shortly died of malignant
fever at Greenock.
About 100 of his most characteristic DO
ems were already written, and the now
priceless first edition of the same had
been issued from the rural press of Kill
marnock, in the County of Dumbarton.
Twin children had been born to him out
of wedlock by Jean Armour, one of
whom, Robert, in after years a man of
rare character and worth, survived the
poet 5S years, his decease occurring at
Dumtries in 1857, and his body being in
TERED in the Burns mausoleum in that
city. Burns local fame having attracted
the attention of the literary coterie at Ed
inburgh, he was invited to that city where
he was affiliated" at the famous lodge
of Freemasons (which still meets in the
veritable room then used) and subse-
quently "inaugurated" as its poet laure-
ate, the latter event being the subject of
celebrated painting, while he was made
the literary lion OF the day as new and
enlarged editions of his poems appeared.
he then made tour of the border coun-
ties Of England and Scotland, and unfair
nIshed by fame, returned to Mauchline,
the old hOme-spot in Ayr, drawn there by
his true love for his Jean, who repented
her remuneration, and with whom the
former intimacy was renewed. The tour
OF the North was then made. Burns re-
btl4 AlS1 W EICdtCI LlluDuISu literary III
umphs. He was introduced TO Mrs. Ma
clehose, the ''Clarinda" of his famous cor
respondence, and again returning to his
beloved Jean, took her secretly to Tar
bolton Mill, where twins, both of which
died, were again born to them. Being
now independent of scandalous opposi-
ton, Burns publicly and proudly "ac-
knOwledged" Jean Armour as his wife,
then as sacred and binding marriage in
Scotland as any other and, in this in
stance, necessary only because debarred
formal marriage by the wife's parents.
who thus were solely responsible for the
cloud upon the poets marital record.
Burns also satisfied the church, which,
III those days, was not so very difficult of
satisfaction He was also in q position
To satisfy" jeans parents, for on settle
ment with CreeCh, his Edinburgh pub
Usher, the then astonishing sum of s., 500
was found to be at his disposal.
Then came the brief, bright days Mag
unanimously generous always, much of
this sum, the first and last good fortune
Burns ever knew, went to J ean's parents,
and to assist his brother Gilbert Burns in
averting disaster in the latters farIn-Iife
efforts. His lucky meetings with the in
genious and kindly Patrick Miller of Dal-
swinton Hall had occurred. 1t had been
settled that the poet, who hated the city
with royal hatred, should return to the
quite forgave this plebian longing and
love, the source of his grandest inspira-
tiOnS. This beautiful farm of EIlisiand,
five miles above Dumfries, was taken at a
rental of $50 per year. Burns, unaided.
began his farm labors the first Monday
after Whitsunday, l7S8. He toiled man
fully until the autumn of that year. mean
time singing many lusty song to his
absent wife, and built the lovely cottage
which stands here embowered in roses to
this day. And then was celebrated the
simple and glorious homecoming, when,
with rustic rites, and his bonnie Jean
upon his arm, preceded by a peasant
girl carrying the family Bible and bowl
Of SALT he marched proudly into his lit
tie home-heaven beside the winding NTH.
All evidences agree that in the brief pc
Rod of a tritie over two years, between
Whitsunday, l7SS, and Martinmas, 1871.
Burns and his good Jean experienced an
Eden of labor and love, despite their final
enforced departure. 1t was also the pe-
riod OF Burns best and greatest poetic fe-
cundity, But more children came to
them. These must be supported. The
crops failed, and inevitable ruin was ap-
preaching. 1t was then, with nowhere
else on earth to turn, with no one on
earth to defend him from the wretched
influences of such environment, that, TO
save his wife and children from actual
want, he was forced to accept the Govern
ment position of exciseman at the beg
carly pittance of ESQ per yearl The five
remaining years of his life, after the poet,
his Jean and their three children, Robert,
Francis Wallace and William Nicol. re-
moved TO the humble lodgings, their
first home in Dumfries, checkered, sad,
pathetic beyond comprehension, are
known TO all.
Although thousands of Americans each
year visit the mausoleum of Burns at
Dumfries, it is surprising that so few
come here to Ellisland. Not 100 have
come within the past five years. Entirely
aside from the interest associative with
Burns, 1t is altogether one of the most
charming half days excursion in Britain.
by foot, on your bycicle, or by carriage,
II Is but five enhancing miles and back
again, chiefly along the banks of the
RIVER NTH, which, after passing beneath
The So0-years-old bridge of Devorgilla, at
BumfrieS, broadens and soon cmerges
WIN the majestic tide of the Solway.
Slthsdale itself is one Of the most beauti-
lul OF all the Scottish lowland valleys,
and along the entire way from Dunn
iles 10 EAlsIand its loveliest views are
seen.
Leaving the quaint old city of Dunn
fries, you cross the "new brig'' to the
west ana are at once in the pretty brae-
side hamlet Of Maxwellton famous
wherever heart-Songs are sung for that
one lneXpressIbly tender ballad. equal to
any that burns himself gave the world.
matchless Annie Laurie" Then the
Dumfries and Glasgow-winds over hraa
and hill, through dale and dingle. over
beck and burn, through shadoIyv a 1,o,,-
ues and patches of sunshine, past desertad
clachans and now silent olden inne.of-
call, with the songs of streams and birds