The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-01

"Bruce's Address to his Army at Ban
nockburn"-
Scots, who hae wi Wallace bled"--
the words Of Which we're set by Burns
to the original tune of "Bruce's March"
at Bannockburn. When the song was
started the old Scotchman started up
with mis- eyes aDlaze. and In a voice OF
G trumpet, took up the words and tune,
and when he SUNG out:
Welcome 70 your CORY bed
Or to victory
II went reverberating through the house,
shaking the doors and windows like rum
bling thunder. He sat down, with his
face almost glorited. and said: All. mon,
could ony but Burns write like thotY'
There %as present a long. lean, ignorant
skipper Of a barque which was at anchor
In the bay, who had been telling long
sea yarns at dinner. but had been quite
! left out in the talk about Burns, but the
opportunity now seemed TO be offered for
him to get In, and he whined out with
supercilious air:
"Who IL this fellow Burns. anyhow, you
are making so much noise aboutY'
An air Of the blankest wonder and
l AfMATNfnrnt came ONtf tht JIM oNoNNff
mans face, ard he turned upon the skip
per and cried out:
"Hoot. mon, you must ha' come from
! a heather land. and ha' you heard OF
Moses and the praphets?" and then. with
great contempt, he said: "The mon Is a
heather. I'll la foregather with a
heathen." and took up his hat and cane
and stalked of.
For an hundred years Burns has dwelt
lovingly in the hearts Of the people. His
popularity has stood the test and held
it's own for native Wit and humor, depth
Of feeling, pure pathos and divine in
spiration against all comers
In our generation another great poet
has visited us. Probing evil and finding
the soul of goddess, searching at the
root OF error and finding truth; uttering
that which is In all men. and made pas
sion love. selfshness honor, and war
chiVairy; who swept MS Tyre with
a zephyr's touch. bringing out sweet mem
cries Of long ago. or struck the strings TO
the clarion voice Of war. whose divine
inspiration and plastic mind wrought out
glorious visions of good deeds and noble
actions, and with an art divine COULD
vihrate our heart strings With a d~eftness
and strength that sounded all the emo
ions Of the human heart, and gave US
knowledge of life and death, and, like
"fne Dying swan
AT first TO the ear
The MARBLE was low. and full and clear,
And floating apOut the under sky"
But anon his awful. jub.lant voice,
with a music strange and manifold.
Flow'd forth on a carol free and bold,
As when a mighty people rejoice
With shaving and cymbals and harps' Of
gold;
And the tumult OF the acclaim Is rolfd
Thro' tho open gates of the city sfar,
To the Shepherd who watcheth tine even
iDS star"
And after typifying. In an immortal
song. the sublime faith of Yea. though
[ walk through the valley Of the SHADOW
Of death I will fear no evil, for thor art
with me-" twilight and evening bell
have come for him, and he has put out
10 sea and crossed the bar and met his
pilot face TO face"
He also, along with this other divine
soul, who lit the way and went before
him. snail forever dwell lovingly in our
hearts and our memories. Let rs hope
and believe that. having found the happy
isles he has met the great Achilles, whom
he knew.
I have not spoken Of the faults OF
Burns. 4 cruel destiny cramped and
1nNar1Fu MN on every manu-, anu ms
proud spirit at times famed out against
1t. Poetry was the celestial element
Of his being" and this In its full measure
was denied him by ignoble surroW1d.ngs
Of poverty.
It can be OF no value now 10 look
into the derelictiops Of this man born OF
a We shall
Make no deep scrutiny
Into his mutiuv.
"Owning his weakness,
His evil behavior,
And icavins IN meekness
His sins to his Saviour"
And now, in closing this paper. ] vi
take the words Of aUother, tor NO ous
ever has or ever can write as noble Of
truer words about Robert Burns: witt
our readers in general, with men Of righI
feeling anywhere, we are not required
to plead for Burns. In plying admiration
he lies enshrined In all our hearts in a fal
nOblcr mausoleum than that one of maj
BILE. neither will his WORKS. even as they
are, pass away from the memory Of men
While the Shakcspeares and Millions rol
on Ike mighty rivers through the coun
try Of thought. bearing fleets Of trahickeri
and .ssiduous pearl fishers on their wave!
this little Valclusa fountain viii also ar
rest our eye. For this, also, is Of ma
lures own and most cunning workman
ship; bursts from the depths Of the eartl
With a full, gushing current knto the Hgh'
OF day. and often will the traveller turn
aside 10 drink Of it's clear waters arC
muse among its rocks and pines
n. S. W.