The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-26

poet-laureate, and was by formal min
ute adjudged "a gentleman" Re-
noWhed Allan was encouraged and
stimulated by his connection with his
JGcobite friends I'm the Easy Club"
aud the result was his title to fame.
THE Gentle Shepherd" For 1000
years or since the days of Theocritus.
no such pastoral production had ap-
neared, and its success was instantane-
Gus and complete. Its merits are not
so much along lyric lines as in it's
arch. sly, pawky fun" In this it is
inimitable. To its influence we can
trace some of the more pathetic humor
of Burns.
Between Ramsay and Burns Scot
land gave to the world Lady Ann Barn
ard author of the most tender and af-
fecting of modern Scottish ballads,
Aud Robin Gray" and above ALL
John Skinner, author of "Tullochgor-
um,' which Burns pronounced the best
song scotland ever saw, and declared
it to be delightful. Then welcome to
the masters of Scotch songs Burns
and Scott. These are the names to
conjure with. Had Scotland done moth
ing but give these two to the world, it
would have owed her debt of graft
tude too large to pay.
THEIR HISTORY KNOWN.
The history of the first of these two
men is as well known to Scotchmen as
the shorter catechsm. During his life
time he was regarded as phenomenon.
And when he has been more than a CEN
tury in his grave, he is a phenomenon
still He came from Ayreshre with all
the sense and shrewdness of the peas
antry, the passion of its lovers, the wild
merits of it's theories and hallowe'ens,
and of all the great men of the Lowland
country he was incOmparably the jol
liest one. What fun he had! What mel
ancholy! What passion. What home
ly sagacity! What sensitiVeness! Not
only did he purify existing Scottish
songs, but he added to it most that is
best and rareSt.
1t remains for US to inquire freely
into the causes which have tended to
make bonnie Scotland land of poetry.
1t is almost q universal gift there--not
to be a great poet, but to have thoughts
and feelings which Walter Bogart
would call "literates que" and a re-
markable proof of this is seen in the
fact that but recently thirteen volumes
of modern Scotch poetry have been col
lected, and among them are some gems
hard to match in any age or literature.
No branch of song or poetry is want
ing in Scotland's contribution to the
worlds store of great verse Briefly,
then, the true causes of this are the
Scotch scenery and the Scotch mind.
In the bleak hills, in moore and glen.
in battle field and ruined stronghold,
every bird that sings, the brakes of
gorse, impress themselves on the mind
of the Scot and become the haunts of
the muse As the misty mountain
blows on the Scottish bardS, they be-
come the loving oracles of nature. 'To
the last" as Steadman says, Man Will
be awed by the mountains and sad
dened 10y the waning moon and Will
find the sun-kissed waves sparkling
with his joy and the stars of night
looking down upon his loneliness"
And few lands have such sweetly
saddening, grandly inspiring scenery
as blue heathered Scotland. 1t is a
we'll known fact that the Scottish mind
has a tendency to develope its overflow
ing tenderness and earnest passion in
lyric strains of simple beauty which
no literature and no age has sur
passed. 1t has a quaintness and a
grace, and elegant simplicity and an
affectionate tenderness which are all
it's own 1t is this feeling which cries
to us in all its wondrous witchery in the
lines,
"E'n then wish I mind its power,
\ wish that to its latest hour
Shall strongly heaVe my breast,
That | for poor auld Scotland : sake
Some useful piece or book could make,
Or sing song at least
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