The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-25
ROBERT BURNS.
Deep in the general mind of man
Ills power survives >,

his power survives.
No poet of the last century is surer
of literary Immortality than Robert
Burns. He was not a model in personal
character, nor did he aim to express
the classical or the legendary in state
ly and highly polished verse: but
With the dover of genius he sang of
and to the hearts of the world and the
world of hearts was so touched by his
melody that it will never forget his
singing. He wove his own pains and
pleasures, moreover, into his song, and
evoked universal sympathy.
How thoroughly human all his poems
are! He looked into mis- own heart and
wrote; and it is certain that no poet
who limited himself to homely themes
personal and neighborhood recitals
ever wrote his name as inextinguisha-
bly, as he did in the book of literary life
One great example occurs to us in
Wordsworth; but it is not to be for
gotten that, noble as much of Words
Worth's verse was, a great proportion
of it could never be ranked as poetry.
whereas the poetical and the sentiment
tai We're closely allied in the verse of
Burns, and no such wedding process is
required in dealing with What he pro-
duced as is needed in dealing with
Wordsworths work.
Today, in every large city in Ameri-
ca, among the native as well as among
the Scottish residents, in all the towns
of his native land, and everywhere in
considerable populations in England
some Kind of observance of this poets
birthday is in progress or will be before
the night is gone. The music of Scot
lands modern days, to which Burns
contributed such beautiful specimens
will be sung again, the bagpipe will he
played, the characteristic dances and
jokes of the Scottish people will be re-
peated, and tribute, social and literary.
Will be paid to his deathless genius.
The supper of the heart" said one
of our own singers, sis when the guest
is gone" Although in his own time
Robert Burns was priced by his fellow
countrymen, his popularity has grown
with the years since his death. and the
loneliness of his lyrics is united in the
common praise of men with the lovali-
ness OF his tender human nature. If
Burns was not 'unco'guid." and If he
went astray, he was yet the friend Of
man, often wise and right hearted in
terpreter of the experiences of life. and
an immortal singer of the equality of
mankind and of the loves of men and
women. For these things he is. and
should ever be, held in tender recol-
lection throughout the civilized world
In some places today his statue or
his bust or his picture will he nut in
place by his admirers. That erect.
symmetrical head, 80 level looking. and
those eyes, as of a master. hintinp
nothing of any weakness, will be found
In city libraries, in club rooms of his
telloW-countrymen ana in the homes of
those in all lands who regard him as
one OF the few poetic geniuses of the
last century. AS the process of sifting
poetic product goes on he will be more
and more widely cherished. and his
statue, his bust and his portrait will
become increasingly familiar.
Some poets Of the last century have
waned somewhat and then returned to
vogue; but Burns has never waned
nor will he ever-despite the sad mis-
behavior of his earlier years, desnita
what some religionists may regard as
his perverseness-put his songs will re-
main precious gift to the literature
of tender sentiment and deep human
philanthropy, even as his heart will re-
main among the cherished by all people
for all time.