Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-02-28
| NHE HOME CIRCLE |
ON THE DEDICATION OF A STATUE TO BURNS
George WTAiam Curtis
(CouHnued)
George William Curtis.
(ConhnueG.)

For ten years his life was tale ementng youth tong and
mong turning this and that surveying and flax DRESSING
finding chance; lover of all the girls and
eves everywhere frightening the long day of
pacung with the rafting fire of wit that his comrades for
writing by the wild smugge boys
Kkowad led by them into bitter shame and seproach but
turning with all the turbulence of heady youth upon his moral
haunting them with immortal rdicule. At twenty-five,
already laid in Aloway kard the seed of old
national legend which his mother had dropped his cradle began
shoot patriotic feeling and and Burns became
distinct ambition For years he followed the
pillow of his nobe But the farm which he
titled with his brother unproducve and at the time that
his genius auen his conduct hayward Dis
racte poetry poverty and passion and brought public
shame determined leave the country and 1885, when he
twenty years old Burns published his by subscription
get the money pay his passage America All could that
desperate poughman of Mosg have oeseen this day. could he
have known that because Of those abiding part of era
familiar every people, sung and repeated in American homes
his genius would be honored and his blessed
his raised with grateful pride keep his memory
America green perhaps the amazing vision might have
nerved him make his life noble his genius perhaps the full
glory might have wrought upon that great
erous, wlful soul to
"Take a thought men,"
Burnss sudden stayed brought him Edinburgh
literary society Hume gone but Adam Smith
there and Dugad Stewart There Also
Blackjack and Hugh Blair and Archibald Alison Fraser T
ler and Adam Ferguson and Henry Erskne There the
Gordon and the truly noble Lord Gencan
They welcomed Burns prodigy but he would not be paonzed
through the stately taking off his hat before the house of
Allan Ramsay and everent kissing Robert Fergusons his
eder misfortune Burns called him. He goes the
great and although they did know he the greatest
guest they greatest poet that then
walked the Of Ednbug His famous hosts all Scotch
but he the only Scochman them who had written
the dialect his and who had become famous without
ceasing But there stole the drawing
stood, boy OF fifteen who presently
eclipse all Scottish fame but that of Burns himself The poet
looking engraving of soldier lying the under
which touching lines and he read them Burns with
his full of asked who wrote them None OF the dstn
guscd company could tell him. but the young boy Walter Scott
mdy whispered the of the author and he forgot that
Burns upon him his full dark fearful which Scott
called the glorious imaginable, and thanked him Scott
Burns again.
The dazzling Edinburgh days gang social
his life The brilliant society haered him. but his bril-
ancy outshonc He than the learned wttier
gaye and than the courtet His genius
bazed like torch among the tapers, and the we'll
company, enracd by the surprising guest WINGED and
If the host condcscendng, the guest
obsequous did love lord and he chad ndg-
nanty subtle but nvncibe lines Of social distinction feeling
surely that the realm of leisure and sphere which he
himself be naturally always float beyond,
the aluring of mirage. thousand times wfuy watching this
fascinating figure amid the sharp vcudes of his life
Mauchine the stately drawing
of Castle his royal manhood magnificent capa-
by enanged and confused the heart longs but longs van
exultng and triumphant the strong
himself, Il will rise
But with all his gifts that given him. Burns left Edin
burgh his bonnie Scotland his mind full OF its his
tradition and legendary lore and beginning overflow with
songs melodies He he wished
land His toward with
he felt that its destiny reflected in his
AT Codseam, where the Tweed divides Scotland from Eng
he the but he touched the English soil he
turned fell upon his stretched his Scotland
| prayed God to bless his native land
wanderngs ended Burns settled upon the
pleasant Eland Nithsdae the hill his
| Ayrshire.
| "To make happy ire-de cline