The record-union., 1891-06-13

abbey walls, and, entering the NTH,
broadens into deep pool or linn. Hence
Linn Cluden, 'the Cluden Pool" and the
name of the grand old monastic pile, Lin
cluden Abbey, which towers at its edge
above.
Thus all the winsome way to Ellisland
are found pastoral historic and romantic
scenes and objects. You finally come to
bit OF almost champaign country. Com
Portable steadings with snug stone cot
tages lie on either side of the highway.
TO the right is an ancient gate opening
to long lane, hedge bordered, between
well-kept fields, where the young grain is
already rich and green. The wagon way
is thick with the falling blossoms of the
hawthorn. The hedge-banks are mass
OF gladstone daisies. a tiny burn, having
its source in springs above, wimples at
one side half hidden in the grass and
daisies. And at the end of this lane, just
over ridge of warm and yellow loam,
are seen the low roots of a cottage and its
humble outbuildings, here and there half
hidden in the foliage of surrounding
trees. This is Ellisland, for tour years
the farm-home and home-heaven of Rob
ert Burns, the only spot on all this earth
where h comfort and happiness We're his.
From the highway Ellisland is disap-
pointing. The ridge of the steading-
fields forms monotonous horizon line.
But Burns knew where to build his NTH
side nest. From any point in the vicin-
ity of the onstead or farm buildings there
is glorious view of the Valley of the
NTH. Almost the entire course of the
river is traceable. Coming from it's crys-
tai cradle among the mountains Of East
ern Ayrshire, ittumbles along in south
westerly course, watering the royal burgh
of Sanquhar and the ducal Village of
Ihornhlll, thence passing the stupendouS
mass Drumlanrig Castle-where Scott
was guest when the first intelligence
and agony of his financial ruin came upon
him. At Auldgirth Bridge the mount
AIMS press the stream closely. Then the
river broadens and sweeps in gentle sin
uosities through the widest expanse of
the valley past Ellisland, and on to Dunn
fries and the sea, heightened in its exqui-
site beauty by myriads of tiny burns,
braes and lesser dales which soften the
outlines of the greater dale until the
whole fair face breathes eff sweetness and
repose.
The house faces to the east and north q
gentle bend in the NTH, which murmurs
here over the shining shadows not a hun
dred yards distant. With the outbuild-
1ngs and their connecting rubble walls a
sunny, nearly inclosed, quadrangle is
formed. The side next the distant high-
way, to the west, has to the right, as You
enter the inclosure, stable and cow
house and byre or feeding and straw
yard behind. TO the left is a millshed. a
modern structure, tiny barn, and be-
hind the latter (which, with the stable and
cowhouse, stand precisely as Burns built
them) is the inclosed stackyard where
bonnie Jean found her husband in that
great agony of detection which gave the
world the matchless hymn to Mary in
Heaven.
The house itself, into the construction
OF which the poet put months Of his own
labor, working alongside the rustic stone
masons OF the time, remains to this day
exactly as he built it. 4 small kitchen
has been added on the side next the river.
which now, as then, is the front of the
house. The portion built by Burns is of
rubble, about 30 feet long and nearly 80
IN width. 1t Is one story in hight, with
an ample attic. There is large room
about Is feet square at each end. The
entrance from the Nith-side was into a
hallway, from which these two large
rooms was reached. Out of this one
could also pass to the attic above, and to
a small kitchen which, with little bed
room, stand between the two larger
rooms. Of the latter, the one at the left
or north end, which communicates with
the little bedroom, was used by Burns for
the ceremonlous entertainment of distin-
guished guests. The other, at the south
end, was the real heart of the home-the
spence" or liVing-room of the poet, his
wife and BARNS. The family provisions
were kept here. In one end stood the
bed. The meals We're eaten here. And
here the companions that Burns loved
came into the ingle-nook glow Beside
the fireplace is a broad, low window.
Against the side wall stood an oaken ta-
bic, and here the poet, in this sunny cor
ner, could feast his eye upon the flowers
and vines of his own little garden. LET
them dwell fondly upon his cattle and pet
sheep in the billowy field beyond, or con-
jure glorious fancies from the noble
sweeps of Nithsdale's broad southern ex-
panse, crowded at its eastern edge with
noble forests and the huge gables Of Dali
swinton Hall. BY this little window
Burns either composed or put into COM
pleted manuscript form the greatest
amount of the greatest work of his life.
How we prize the least reminder of these
royal fellows when they are gone! There
are those who would pay 81 200 each for
two of the tiny panes in that one sunny
window. On one Burns wrote with dia-
mond, and afterwards partially erased.
Home he had not-home is the resort,,:
on the other he inscribed his favorite
maxim, An honest mans the noblest
work OF God" These inscriptions, the
house and outbuildings, and few sturdy
trees the poet planted, are the only visi-
BILE relics of the bard's life at Ellisland:
for the spot is one of the few in Britain.
more grace TO it, that is not show place
where the insistant reminder of the end
lessness OF fees merges reverence and
emotion into ridicule and contempt.
The almost exclusive haunt of Burns at
Ellisland was within call of his bonnie
Jean just below the high bank or scaur,
upon the edge of which the cottage stands.
Between this and the NTH for long dis
tance to the north and south runs lovely
river road. Out of the cottage inclosure
a shaded path and wagon way descends
to join the river road. Half way down
this almost sylvan way is copious
spring. The bank of the scaur-side in
the shade is a mass of ferns and violets,
and in the sunshine a wondrous constel-
latlon of 'wee crimson-tippet flowers"
the daisies of Scotland, for which Burns
felt something akin to alteration. Then
came the silvery shadows of the NTH,
Beyond its stream, leading to the mead
owlands above, is haugh, a golden mass
Of waving broom. Along this dreamful
way, and up and down the river road,
Burns sauntered and dreamed. It was
the scene of his most ecstatic achieve
ment, Tam O'Shanter," which the cele-
brated Alexander Smith thought, as it
was written III day, the best single days
work done in Scotland since Bruce fought
at Bannockburn.
Ellisland originally comprised 10 acres
of land. The lease to the poet was for
four terms of nineteen years. 1t was ex-
ecuted in March, 17SS, and would have
expired by Limitation in 1854. Burns was
to pay ESQ per year for the first three
years, and 970 thereafter, and the owner
allowed the poet e300 towards the erec-
ton of the cottage and outbuildings. I
find the present owner to be one DIR. J.
NJ. Taylor Of Spittlefeld, Dunkeld. The
stealing has been reduced from 170 acres
TO 100 acres, and it is now leased for the
usual nineteen years-term, fifteen of
which have expired, TO family of hard
working and intelligent Scotch farmers
named Grierson at a rental of ESQ per