Evening star., 1903-10-26
THE POETS ADM|RER
Local Mans Work in Mem
ory Of Robert Burns.
FINE LIBRARY HERE
THE DISCOVERY" OF THE BARD'S
DESCENDANTS IN SCOTLAND.
The Cottage at Dumfries-The "Auld
Songs" Sung by Lyrist's Great
Granddaughter.

ard. published in the town where Scot
lands poet. Robert Burns. d.ed. occurred
the following reference to William r..
Smith. superintendent Of the national bo-
tanical gardens. in this city:
Thanks to the spontaneous friendly Of
fers of that perfervid Scot and Burns en-
thusast in America. Mr.. Smith of the
Washington botanic gardens, Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie has settled sixty pounds year
on Mr.. and Mrs. Brown, Burns House,
Dumfries. Mrs. Brown is the daughter of
the poets eldest son. Robert and she and
her husband, in their old age, now occupy,
with their daughter, Miss Jean Armour
Burns Brown. the house in which the poet
died. Since they took possession at Whit
sunday there have been no fewer than
eighteen hundred 1.SOW visitors to the
house.
In his vine-covered, little home in the
botanic gardens, Mr.. Smith has two rooms
devoted entirely to Burns collection,
which includes what is regarded as the
finest Burns library in the world. To many
II has seemed strange that the memory of
the Scottish bard should be most honored
by an American, and that such a memorial
should be found almost in the shadow of
the dome of the United States Capitol.
1t is true that this ''perfervid enthu-
siast' is an American, but he is also a
regards the works of bonny Bobby Burns
with such favor. He came from his native
land to this country fifty years ago and
has been in charge of the nations green
house almost ever since. In fact he has
held his important official position for so
long that Mr.. Mckinley was moved to re-
mark one occasion: presidents NAV
come and Presidents may go, but Smith
holds on forever
Unique Collection.
His unique collection represents the life
time leisure, spare money. culture patience
and loving patriotism of the canny Scot. 1t
has long passed the limits of private Ii
brary, although he is the sole owner of it.
1t is said that Burns scholars all over the
world know that nothing in Great Britain
can match 1t, and consequently when Burns
collectors are mentioned Smiths name al
ways comes on top, which means that the
United States in this respect is acknowl-
edged to have beaten even "auld' Caledonia
on such theme as her darling bard
This may seem almost incredible. but 1t is
said to be literally true Mr. Smith can
show considerably over 500 different edi-
tons of Burns poems and over 5000 vol
umeS relating to the poet, besides scraps
cuttings, extracts and relics beyond COM
putation. He showed a Star reporter who
was looking over the collection the other
day. great pile of maga zines of compare
lively recent date that he was preparing to
go over, for the purpose of finding whatever
In them threw any light on the poet or his
works.
Probably the most valuable alcove in the
library is set apart for the books that were
owned by Burns himself at the time OF his
death the bulk of his library. in fact. as de-
scribed by his biographers. A number of
these editions bear the saIne date of pub
iication as those which belonged to the poet
Mr.. Smith also has many editions of Burns
works autographed by famous men.
The Poets Family.
Besides the work that Mr.. Smith has done
in getting together all this Burniana, he
has accomplished what many regard as
far greater achievement: namely. the prac-
teal discovering Of Mrs Thomas Brown of
Dumfries. Scotland, who is the nearest liy-
ing relative of the lyrist. Mrs Browns
daughter, Jean Armour Brown, who is
Burns great granddaughter, bears a re-
markable likeness. it IS said, to the por-
traits of her illustrious progenitor. Both
ladies also said to be excellent singers
of Burns immortal songs. MIR. Smith often
makes the journey to Scotland. and he says
it has been one of the most pleasant ex-
periences of his life to hear such lyrics as
Aud Lang Syne' and "Oh, My Loves Like
a Red, Red Rose sung at Burns own fire.
side in the cottage at Dumfries, where he
lived for ten years and where he passed
away out Of the world that had shown him
much of it's darker side, by persons so
nearly like him in their appearance and
manners.
MIR. Smith has succeeded in interesting
Eumber of influential persons in the cottage
at Dumfries and in the descendants of
Burns. He has labored earnestly and
patiently to get the people of that town
TO take care of the house and make 1t a
place to which literary pilgrims may go.
ana in this he has had some success.
inf. al friA hos
sent to the Burns cottage, Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie has been numbered for some
time. He has shown the family substan-
tlal kindness, as shown in the paragraph
quoted above, and. with his wife. has per-
scnally visited them. He has even en-
dowed the great-gra nddaughter of the poet
with a considerable sum to provide for her
Old age. Within the past few months the
family has taken up it's abode in the cot
tage, and 1t is likely that the old couple
will live there until their death. Mr.. Smith
told The Stars representative that he had
ADOPTED the young girl. Jean Arthur Brown
But sne still lives with her parents. and
Will not quit them as long they need her
in their old age, although it is said that
she has been offered good positions in the
United States as / singer of the Burns
songs
The library which Mr.. Smith has spent
SO many years in collecting he is going to
turn over to Mr.. Carnegie, to be placed as
the latter sees fit. 1t is understood that
the eN-buSneSS man Will donate the collec-
ton to the public library of Pittsburg
This decision is disappointing to a good
many Washingtonians. who would like to
see it in our public library.
Mr.. Smith remarked last week that he
was never going to stop working for Rob-
ert Burns memory while he lived. He does
not believe that the Scots have taken
enough interest in the matter. and deplOres
their lethargy. By constantly writing his
frie nds III the "auld contree," however he
local enthusiasm in Dumfries will never
siumber again.