The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-01
SCOTIA'S SWEET BARD.
Essay ON BURNS READ BEFORE
RICHMOND LITERfRY SOCIETY.
The circumstance which Governed the
actcr-Extracts From His Best Gems.

VINO Is universally acknowledged 10 be
one Of the greatest of all poets. and Of
whom lives have been written by many
writer's OF ability equal to their theme.
vho had access to all The sources Of in
formation and materials for writing pro-
perly OF his life and work. Besides
these. there Is much other writing Of a
miscellaneous sort in regard 10 him and
his poetry by some of the best writer
81 this country. who have written OF hii
with undying beauty and grace. 1t vd
therefore. be as thankless a task. AIT
is an impossible one, TO attempt Ito
substitute for those apt and EXCITE
forms and SMILES. which have nkcn
shape and pass current in the minis OF
men. new figures ard phrdseologyf Which
must be Of less lustre and dignity
or course, rs the subject isn poet.
ia viii bring Up naturally .he sin sub
Jcct Of poetry. and this is = cry large
subject, about which men havcbeen con-
corning themselves since thefnrst days
of the creation. We cannot . very deep
~ into this great subject. out We may
set up. however. some few OF the attri-
butcs OF good poetry. as standard. by
which We may. in some measure. try the
question now before as.
\ late writer says: The heat rays.
the ligt. the actinic must all be com
hincd I'm ever various ppportions, and be
hind all these there gows and pulsates a
spirit Of mysterious md immortal force.
which is the vital srark.'" He also says
that Wordsworth Z was an inspired
schoolmasttr. and could create Ii soul
under the ribs 4 peddntry. and con-
coived his impressive titled Of "The
Faculty Divlnef This may be. and
doubtless Is correct.
But let us heir from some others whom
perhaps we NAY better understand
one says: frhe highest poetry is that
which represents the most universal feel
ing. not ne most rare" Many poets
have uttered that which is in al men.
hut Shakespeare utters all that Is ia men
poetry IL O. unite men fogethcr,' "One
touch Of nature makes the whole world
KIN"
u. is to see the soul OF goodness IN
thi. 3 evil. and the truth which lies
b., ne root Of error 1t has the ten
d ness ~ woman. with the broad and
r.esivc Judgment and calm justice of
-.,niv i-teiIcct" 1T makes passion, love,
.~a,ashrtss. honor; and wa, chivalry."
.f tytiios I'm symbols anC idealizes in
armon with thoughts that breathe ana
words that burn. and bodies forth the
sha.es Of things unknown.
o.. benefits % all people who have had
q knowledge of IT have been almost
...sl to the blessed Christian religion
i,...f. II has inspired heroisui. 1t en-
s.rlers maGuauimity. i weaves In along
NTH our heart strings the tender and
delicate threads 81 sersibiity and SYM
fafrv. And t0 TOW its noble work, il
caches mercy, charity and love towards
aI mankind.
The poet IN a golden cline was born"
He saw through life and death, through
good and il.
lie saw through his own soul.
The marvel Of the everlasting will,
IN open scroll,
Before him lay
II may he proper here TO Give a brief out
lina Of what We're the causes which pro-
drcll such q people as our poet wrote
about. ana which also produced such a
moot 20 write Il them. The same causes
(which produced the one brought forth
the other. During the reformation, when
at 81. Andrews. John knox. broken in
body. and scarcely able 70 stagger up
rfo pulpit stairs. stil numbered in the
parish church, mis- voice Hke ten thous-
ana trumpets braying In the ears OF the
n~e..le.r Leading them as "a prophet, the
common tEHDAE VI NNIf EeNNr~ 49,
asr.rdoucI and the religion of the Kirk
was established upon the ruins of the
older rflf-iOn. Before this the minds
~ men were looked after by the church.,
and the common people MAD peeh the
.r.. ,,-.s Of the mobiles. "They had Meth
.r vII nor opinion Of their own p"'
ow they began TO think ana act IoI
-.-r-.lves. They held opinions OF thelr
, and were ready 10 stand up ana
-. nd did stand M anu
Ant for them with a tenaclty "hic'i
rs much a characteristic OF them
..- as f. is now-through q long ana
f...5v struggle. LOng-headed, thrifty
f-f,sf-y obtained. Chastened with
'o.a ana reverence for hon
... and the religion or the
E.-. aut stMl resisting the dream cI
John Kncx. that the clergy should RUE III
.H. lh-s. as was the constitution under
Calvin ~ Geneva. they were a sturdy
independent. God-fearing people, Dut
underneath these qualities the Scotch
wen. us rguished for humor. a humoE
which he loves what 1t laughs at
Doubtless loving right well the good thlnss
of uf--as VINO does not?-and this humor
bad with it q keen and pungent VIII 70
Ioat lt VIZ. ~
Scotch n was made, ana from ,hlS
t. NAt one tiuvN'N
w.n aI ST.. traits and characlerlSncS
which lst .uished them, came I'ODeIs
I-r.r taef.9thcOsis Of all Scotlanu' az"
al Sco-el1-n everywhere. gittea Wy 10
ture wItl a soul and nina anu INC
fncultr liI 10 transmit 10 an mar
rind. in s0a. md story, the history ar
daly lives o. his people. TO sing Oh low
and beauty. NJ LIES happy days OF sun,
shine and q towers. 10 combine VII anu
kindly hluor and roliicking num- 20 s'hs
~ heroes. 3au.e and glory; 10 ten Oh
good aad loft deeds; 10 glcrity charlty
ts sitr the t.ar Of gentle pity 10 the
su0rrne. 60 I..1t the way 10 heaven
nd chant t1s r.1uiem Of the dead
There wer. Songs and TRADITIONS STAT
tsled over SO nd before he came OUT
these were rn1 .r passed about amongst
tte people iron mouth 10 NOUN ID
mlflated and tle forms. But they KEEP
aliv. that love 0f humor and wit whlch
H'lmbered ir D. hearts OF the people
and which was D .dy 10 burst INTO name
90 The first toIsl 10 the vital spafk.
Yet there vas ereat a~ntagonisn Pc
tween the Sc3ict verse and the more
rigid forms ~ So1tch theology. ana lne
Scotch were an aastere people In pubic
ana believed iu tn feachings or the hirh,
and the Kirk @asht that songs am
mirth and Jes,ins we're ht only lVi N"e
ungodly.
B1t "the generous verse Of Burhs
springs out Of the ron bound CalVihls'n
~ the land like lowing water from
Horcb's Rock" r Gathered from ms
ancestors. but exalted their works
tAHn nh