The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-01-28
BURNS, ANNITERSARY.

The birthday of Robert Burns was
 celebrated in Warner hall last night by
 the Caledonian club of this city. There
 was large and representative audience
 of Scotch people and their friends. Chief
 W. c. Mcintosh presided and in a few
 well chosen remarks referred to the or
 ganization and it's objects. He gave a
 brief sketch of the foundation of the
 mans well known social proclvities One of the chief purposes of the club
 had been and is the celebration of the
 birthday of the national bard, Robert
 Burns. After paying a lofty tribute to the memory of the poet, the chief in a few words introduced the entertainer of the evening, Madame Annie Grey.
 Madame Grey is a thoroughly Scotch
 woman and is, as is well known, mak- ing a successful tutor of the chief cities Of the United States. She is accompan-
 led by her mother, who acts as pianiste
 and accompanist. Mrs. Ogilvy Grey is a
 charming old lady over seventy years of age, but the dexterity with which she
 manipulated the piano gave one the im-
 pression of her being thirty years
 younger. Madame Annie Grey came
 here with reputation which was in no
 way dimmed by last nights concert.
 The entertainment took the form of a
 g-lecture-recital, and was most en-
 joyable from beginning to end. There
 was not weak spot in the programme,
 and the lecture was treat throughout
 The lecturer graphically sketched the
 percentage and birth of the poet and H.
 lustrated her remarks by singing There
 Was Lad" The audience was imme-
 dlately won, and the attention and en-
 thusiasm which greeted each succeed ing number was the highest compliment
 the artist could desire. After briefly | touching on the poets childhood, edu- cation and early attempts at poetry, Madame Grey interpolated a Gaelic song in the original, the music of which
 was favorite of the poets. The singer accompanied herself on the harp, an instrument as she told her audi ence, which was more ancient than the bag-pipe The Gaelic song was so rap turously received that the singer had to respond with an encore. Continuing, the narrative, the lecturer described the poets personal appearance, his early love affairs, and his unsuccessful WOOL ing of Ellison Beglie. The poets atti- tude for love and love songs were hit off with brilliant flashes of wit and hu- nor, blended with the deepest pathos. The love song, Mary Morrison" was sweetly and naively rendered and close ly following selection from "The Cot tar's Saturday Night" recited with rare expression and dramatic power.
 The connection of the poet with Jean Armour and Highland Mary was very tenderly touched, and after singing "Ye Banks and Braes" end Green Grow the Rashes, o" Madame Grey intimat- ed that the Rev. MT. Hall would deliv- CT an address on The Genius of Burns" So much has been said on this subject that one despars of hearing anything new and a pleasant surprise and literary treat was awarded the au- dience who listened attentively to MT. Halls powerful address. As a criti- cism and appreciation MT. Halls ad- dress will be found to be original and enthusiastic and no greater praise can be meted out to any many these latter days. It is given in full as follows: THE GENIUS OF ROBERT BURNS.
 It is delightful to listen to the mar ration and interpretation of a Scotch life by a Scotch lady especially when she adds to the rhythm of the poet the beauty of her voice, But we all claim right to analyse and criticise, to ad- mire and love; for Robert Burns, the poet, is not only the idol of Scotland, he has become the possession of the English-speaking world. Every detail | of his romantic life is interesting, but he attracts us most where his life toucher our life and his thought our thought. 1 Who has not felt the charm of his mar vellous personality and seen the flash | of his wonderful genius! Do not say he ' was an Ayershire ploughman and untu- | tored in the schools. Genius is not the | gift cfartistocracy, IT the product of the | pedagogue If ever there was a born | poet it was Robert Burns. His first [ heart throb was in sympathy with all i around him. He studied little except in | the great university of life And it is well | for poems and songs were hiding in | every nook of his humble surrounding that he could have never discovered k with the test-tube of logic or the tele- scope of philosophy. His rhyme flowed i as naturally as the song of the morn ing lark or the waters rushing down the glen.
 Burns was not the sun that fills the earth with glory, but the shaft of light that strikes through the rifted clouds and transformes a few hills and val leys unto a picture of the impressionist type. He was more apoet of feeling than of thought. His characteristic are E tenderness and beauty, rather than 
 He was not a poet of theology He satirizes the systems of his day but offers nothing better In fact he had no harmonious system of theological thought At best he did not rise above he conception of Deity offended" md stands perplexed in the presence ,f the unknown why" of action. Tn his sphere he must yield to Whittier. he poet of faith, Milton, the poet of 'edemption and Tennyson, the poet of 
 Nor is Burns to be classed with the poets. If he had any philosophy itsprimary diction was man. Man was thesoul-center of all his feel T t~t. .1rs. II. .I...~ l..