The times., 1897-08-01
Smith and Burns.

Not long ago, when the new material for
the Henley edition OF Burns was being
sought at home and abroad, a certain
dest ScOtchman, living in the United
States, had an original manuscript Iith0-
graphed and sent 70 the publishers In
making acknowledgment OF this Courtesy
on page 400 Of the third volume, recently
published, they write him down As Mr.
W. r. Smith, of Cincinnati. Ohio. There
can be 10 reasonable doubt that a Mr.
w r. Smith does reside in Cincinnati Ohio
Perhaps several of them But the Nr.
w. Il. Smith who possesses the original
Burns manuscript resides, and for forty
three years has resided, in Washington
city as superintendent Of the Botanic Gar
dens. A5 present, Furthermore, he is prssi-
dent of the Society OF American Florists,
and for over a generation he has been
widely known In this country as the friend
OF many distingUis he'd men. He has
always been at home 20 them In his little
red brick cottage, which nestIes, well
hidden, just under the white majesty
of the Capitol and at peace in the green
plaut-world of its own.
The treasure of this house, as IL is the
pride of his heart. has long been his Burns
frcm his general library. How interesting
this collection is may be inferred from ms
own statement that it contained two hun
dred separate dated editions Of Burns out
of the six hundred editions which he says
have beeu published throughout the world.
To this treasure house of his beloved poet
he expects to add other volumes, 10 he
obtained from the Mitchell library of GIas-
n
The affection with which he still plans for
the further enrichment of his hoard is
passion that began in youth. The first
shillings he ever earned, he says, were cap
tured at village school examinatiG
In the dreadful presence of the dominic
and the minister the class ha d been called
up TO recite, member by member, stanza in
turn, Gray's '.Elegy-" They soon stuck.
'.You go on with it. Dux, )" commanded the
dominic. Go ON with IL he did. and two
shilliags were laid in his palm for this feat
of memory, whereupon he took 20 his heels
and spent his prize for his first volume OF
'Bobbie."
Among his rare editions he reckons ons
published at Alexandria, Va, in 1913,
during the war with England. Only two
copies of this, he says, are known 70 he
In existence. Another is the first American
edition. Another Is the second American
edition, to which belonged the Washington
copy now owned by Representative Cabell
of Illinois, and held to be priceless. AS
TO the final disposition of his Burns library,
he thought at one time OF sending it to a
Masonic institution In Kentucky, owing TO
tbs friendship for the late Senator Beck
OF that State, another rugged Scotchman
whose portrait hangs on the library waT.
He has since thought OF lcavingit toPriuca-
ton College, out OF regard fer the late
President McCosh. But his preference Is to
have 1t housed at last in Washington. In a
room that be wouldlike Mr.Andreyy Carnegie
to build for 1t there instead OF the one the
millionaire is understood to have offered
to buiid in Pittsburg. 1t would be u pitv
ever to have the collection removed from
Washington. where 1t is so often visited.
When Craibe Angus wanted the loan of is
last year for the Burns celebration at
Glasgow, Mr.. Smith declined to scnti il.
being loath to disappoint his American visit
ors- In this conheetion he quoted with :. ne
| feeling remark once made by niece of
Burns: "A Scotchman always begins by
finding fault with my uncle; but the Ameri-
cans-tbey never find fault with him. a
ecotchman must coma to this country In
sisted Mr.. Smith. to find out Whist tt near =
to love the poet OF Scotiand.-The Book-
man.