The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-05-16

to him a letter which had been received
from the blind clergyman, DR.. Thomas
Blackjack, who ranked high as a man
and poet. This letter, which spoke in
favorable terms of the poetry of Burns.
may be regarded as the turning point in
his career. About two months after this
episode he went 10 Marlborough. and
there in that renowned center of learn
ing the poor farmer of Ayr found his
stock Of early reading of much benefit.
new edition of his poems was brought
out, from the sale of which he realized
the sum of $500. He then gave up the
idea of emigrating and resolved to make
his home in Scotland.
The next summer was spent in a jour
ney through the country Of his BIRTH
and some Of his poems refer to the places
visited at that time. With "A part of his
money he purchased a farm at Ellisland.
Dumfriesshire, where he moved with his
bride. Jane Armour. The same year that
he came 10 the farm he accepted the ap-
pointment as guaSer in the system of
excise by which the taxes on distilled
liquors were collected. From Ellisland
he removed TO Dumfries. where he was
advanced to the position of eXciseman.
Here he was led into temptation which
he could not resist He soon became one
Of the many cOnvivial spirits that fire.
qUented the Globe tavern, and his early
N'tANAlf dN llAG dEG VI llllI ell was TIE
result Of a night of excess at this favor
lite rendezvous. OverpOwcred by the ef-
fects Of the liquor he had imbibed. he
fell asleep on his way home, and a fatal
chill following, the seeds of a rheumatic
fever took possession of his weakened
frame He was removed To a fishing
hamlet near Dumfries in the hope that
the sea air might benefit him. but he
soon returned to his home, where he
died on the 2lst of July. 1896. He was
buried with military honors by the Dunn
fries volunteers, to which body he had
belonged.
BUrns's powers Of pOesy were attuned
70 the common things-to the wee. mod
est, crimsOn-tipped flower" the ''cow'rin
Jim'rOus beastie." the elk happing
bird the "ourie cattle or silly sheep
10 the common peOple-tO John Ander-
son. my 10. John Tam O'Shanter."
Poor Maiie'' or the Jolly BegEars' -
With his limpid rhymes he has rendered
immortal the land that gave him birth
for who can forget Caledonia while Bon
ny Doom and Irvine Water run? The
Castle o Montgomery may crumble
into dust. 'Willies Mill run by steam
instead Of water, and Nance Tinnocks
Cottage become q black and dilapidated
howell with no Jolly BeggarS" TO go
there to tipple. but while there are lovers
of the common things and events Of
life. while there are those who do not
DOW down IN dDleCt SUBMISSION To form
and caste and MammOn. Burns will con-
tinue 10 be read by those who worship
true worth, though in humble guise
Burns was a true lover of nature. His
ardent love for the things about him.
the dear common things of everyday
life the tiny bird and wounded hare. the
streams and woods. the braeS and moors
the flower that fell beneath his plough
share. all these were not too insignificant
TO escape his notice. He has forever i'm
mcrtaliZed them in lines that are known
and sung wherever the English Ian
guage is known. Speaking Of this char
acteristic of the poet. Helen Hunt in her
'Burns's Pilgrimage" uses the following
beautiful language:
The scenes he pictured in the realms
Of pOesy, the braes and mOOrs, rivers
and sky. the mists of the sea. the far-off
island peaks, are as beautiful elusive
and Turing now as then. and in the in
alienable loyalty of nature bear testi-
mOny today 70 their lover.
This is the greatest crown Of the
hero and the poet. Other great men hold
fame by failing records which moth and
fire destroy. The places that knew them
know them no more when they are dead.
Marble and CANVAS league in vain TO
keep green his memory who did not love
and cOnsecrate by his life blood in fight
or song, the soil where he trOd. But for
him who has done this-who fought
well, sang well-the morning cloud and
the wild rose and broken blades of
grass under mems feet become immor-
tai witnesses; so imperiShable, after all,
are what we are i'm the habit Of calling
the 'perishable things Of this earth "
LongfellOw has beautifully expressed
this sentiment in the following lines:
He is the greatest artist. then,
Who follows nature-neVer man
As artist or as artisan
Pursuing his own fantacies.
Can touch the human heart or please
Or satisfy the nobler needs.
As he who sets his willing feet
In Natures footprints, light and fleet,
And follows fearless where she leads.
1t is this quality of Burns, the art of
pOrtraying naturally the common feel
ings and common events of every day.
Of throwing a glamour over and around
such apparently insignificant objects as
the field mouse the timid hare, or the
simple daisy, that renders his poetry en-
during while that of other and more
aspiring writer's has long since been for
gotten.
With what tenderness and compassion
does he look upon the modest daisy
whose life IS cut short by his plough
share while working in the field at Moss
giel. One can almost see with what rev.
erence he stoops to pick up the frail
blossom with his tOil-begrimed hands:
wee, modest. crlmSOn-tpped flower,
ThOu's met me in an evil hour;
For | maun crush amang the stane
Thy slender stem:
To spare thee now is past my power
Thou bOnny gem.
The Haunting flowers our garden Yield
High sheltering woods and was maun
SHE'D;
But thou, beneath the random bieId
o. clod or stane,
AdOfns the histie stibble field
Unseen alone
There in thy scanty mantle clad.
Thy snowy bosom sunward spread,
Thou lifts thy unassuming head
In humble guise;
And now the share upturns they bed
And low thou lest.
The fate Of the daisy has a deep lesson
for him, and in its death who knows not
but some vision other than human made
known TO him his own early demise, for
does he not add:
Such is the fate of the Iuckless bard.
on LIES rough ocean luckless starred.
Uuskilful ne to note the card
o. prudent lore,
Till billows rage and gales blow hard
And whelm him Ger
Even thou who mourn'st the daisy's fate,
That fate Is thine-no distant date:
Stern Ruins plough-share drives elate