The record-union., 1893-09-09
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1881
AYR, Scotland, August 26, 1893.

80 ~ *
UNION. Copyright 1881
AYR, Scotland, August 26, 1898.
In that broad measureless sense in
which poet of the people knits his per-
sonality adorably into the hearts of an
entire nation, all of grand old Scotia, is
truly the Land of Burns" In q closer
geographical respect, where both person
ality and genius have been all-pervading,
and have LETT on every hand some memo
ry OF association and enduring reminder
of the bard's actual presence, there are,
provincially, distinctively two Burns
Lands" in Bonnie Scotland.
These are Ayrshire, on the Firth of
Clyde, and Dumfriesshire, on the Solway
Firth, adjoining counties of southwestern
Scotland. From the top of Merrick Noun
tain, in the northern part of Kirkcud-
brightshire, which wedges a strip of glo-
rious hill country, up to the north, be-
tween the two former shires, to which l
had tramped to wander down the Doom
from Its very source, the sight can trav-
erSe the entire breadth of both the Ayr
shire Land of Burns and the Land Of
Burns of Dumfriesshire. There is not an
other scene in all the world more fraught
with glowing natural beauty-nOt another
one more mourntully sweet and tender in
gentle and pathetic memories
10 the eye the panorama of all the
lovely land IN which the brief life Of the
bard was passed is practically complete.
To the mind OF all the vast host OF his pO-
etic creations; the Joy and sadness Of the
man in their doing; the penury, struggle,
glory and despair, from birth to death,
are here massed with overwhelming i'm
pressiveness. To the west is Ayrshire, at
first, by the birth-spot near pleasant Ayr,
sunny and low beside the sea. Then,
following the vale OF the Doom, it comes
all the way to your feet, in gentle up
lands, then in rugged hills and shadOwy
burns, and finally in huge mountain and
savage glens. Passing over into Dunn
friesshire, the mountains spread into
broad, luxurious wales. One, where the
murmuring NTH winds to the Solway, is
dream OF opulence and rest. Then as
the spires of old Dumfries town blend
with the ragged Solway edge, "hoary
Criffel" looms threateningly. At last a
CLINT of blue shows where is Brow Well,
from which the poet, close to death, was
carried back to the little Dumtries cot
tage and his loyal Jean, ana like tiny
dazzling cone OF white is seen the dome OF
the huge mausoleum where old Scotia S
dearest bard is at rest in eternal peace.
The two shires aud their very tOpogTa-
phy-the western sea and its soft shores,
the wales, the uplands, the midshire
rugged nights, the sweet valley where the
bard's most fecund and his happiest
hours were passed at Ellishand beside
the NTH, the lowering mountain again,
the CLINT OF the sea and a nations grave
powerfully suggest the two epOchs of
Burns eyentful life. Ayrshire saw his
youthtide, his feverish, fervent early
struggles. Dumfriesshire gave the only
blessed calm he knew, the sad and des-
perate later days, and yet it was in Dunn
frin ~ hot la -cffl1
Ayrshire glories in his birthplace, the
scenes Of his youth, the unfolding of his
genius, the first acknowledgement of his
fame. Dumfriesshire is glOritled by his
ripper fame, his better accomplishment.
even by the pathos of his later days, and
by the precious heritage Of cherishing his
mortal remains.
Though here to wander by the Doom, to
which the mind unconsciOusly reverts at
mention of the poets name, while pill
griming among the countless shrines cre-
ated by his living presence in these two
shires, and looking down along the fam
ing shaft of life that links his genius and
world-girding human love and magma
nimity TO the fadetess Immortality OF his
name, l cannot but feel that the scenes
which most breathe to the beholder the
spirit of inetfable pathos and tenderness
belong to the second epoch of his life, and
lie along the NTH instead of clustering
Doom" True, from where you may
stand here with me on Merrick's nights
the Ayrshire shrines, almost within
the limit of vision, are rich and count
less. YOu may not discern each one with
the naked eye, but you can plainly see
where all may be found in a short days S
journey.
The spires Of Ayr seem almost beneath
your feet. Just outside the rim of ver-
dure shutting in the city, where a faint
curling line of misty purple outlines the
sInuous course OF the Doom as it nears the
sea, are tho low-roofed thatched cottage
where Burns was born, beside the splen-
did seat Of Roselle, on the little farm OF
seven acres which was rented by the
poets father, and the spot where the gyp-
sy hag foretold, as the father was riding
ing in haste for the doctor, that
Wen a be proud OF Robin.
Not half mile distant can be deserted
the rotting bell-tower of "Alloway's Auld
Haunted Kirk" All about the scenes OF
Tam O. Shanter," and near on a slight
eminence can be seen the white, colon
naded shafts of tho great Burns monu-
ment. But few miles to the northeast,
in a pleasant champaign country, now
dotted by thriving villages and threaded
with emerald lines of hedge, coppice and
plantations, are Tarbolton and Mauch-
line, but four miles apart.
At the former was laid the scene ol
"Death ana DIR. Hornbrook,p - and it was
here that the pathetic parting of Burns
and his Highland Mary occurred You
can see the square tower of Mauchline
Castle, whose owner, Gavin Hamilton
became Burns patron, and will know
that at the village was Johnnie Dow's''
house, and still remains unaltered the
public house of "Poosie NansieD the
scene of the Jolly Beggars." while over
there but mile and half west of Mauch-
line is the noted farm of Mossgiel, once
conducted with such ruinous heroism by
the poet and his brother Gilbert. 1t was
here that the "Cotter's Saturday Night
and others of Burns greatest poems were
written, and where the poet, after prepar-
ing to fly to Jamaica, and suddenly being
called by DR.. Blackjack to Edinburgh
from which he had returned in triumph
was clasped in his poor old mothers en-
brace, while her ecstatic lips could ouly
utter the cry, 'Oh, Robert, Robertr'
These and countless other interesting
with many tender identificatiOns of barC
and place or object, are yours when wan
dering in or near the vale of the Doom
They are all fine and good, and wortl
coming long way to enjoy, but 1 do no
think any or all of them take hold of the
heart as does the spell which broods OF
the side of these mountains in the Dunn
friesshire land of Burns. Perhaps it i
vour own attitude and sentiment Per
haps in the Doom country the suggestive
ness of the youthful, vagarous impuI
sivelv riotous earlier years of the plow
man poet, when he himself sang of the
Razish art of Rob Mossgiel,
baunts YOU like hints of lowering shad
ows. Perhaps, too, 1t Is the occasiona
shock to your own reverence that nov
and then comes from the holiday sort o
10 oil Il /,