New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-08
THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Dir. Andre50 Lang on the Recent
KiLmarnOck HOdr.
From Longman's Magazine.


The hoax IS usually rather cruel and stupid
form of the practical joke; the fun turns on the
discontinue Of another person, ana on the
hoaxer's sudden sense Of superiority. Hoboes,
it IS usually said, recognizes in these factors
the origins of mirth, and no doubt early man
must have laughed consumedly Wheh ne wa
kened up an enemy with a stone spear point
The sense of superiority Is the essence OF the
Jest. Lately. some one told me that as walked
in the street l was observed to break INTO d
broad grin. Probably l was thlnAlng Oh
French reviewer who. in tackling a recent Work
of mine. certainly provided me with d suuueA
The recent Kilmarnock hoax differed from
most as it really was intended, l suppose 10
teach and certainly does teach, neeuIul llioIdI
lesson. KlmarnOck is an old wild wing TOWN.
in Ayrshire
The cowls of Kilmarnock had splits and had spears
And long HATED gules to kill cavaliers
saws the poet. Moreover. kilmarnock Is, some
how connected with Robert Burns, perhaps be-
cause his poems happened to be printed there;
Therefore there was joy in the Town CounclI
when the Provost douce man." read letter
purportinE to convey the desire OF MIR. Andre"
Carnegie to build Burnsocarnegelufn' OF teLI
pie. for the joint cult Of Burns ana CaLhesle a.
kiluarnoclx AS far as l remember the letter
the temple was TO be in the style or the fuT
thenon. with friezes representing the loVes Oh
Burns while statues. in the Interior dlsplayeu
his characters such as Shanter, the wee
modest crimson tippit beastie." the Mouse. rem
dered immortal by the bard; Holy Wine, 1Sos Ii
Nan Highland Mary, Lord Glencalrr, ana al
the pellmell of Burnsian characters WhetneI
the figures were to be IN that popular material,
WAX rather in bronze, my memory ooSS
inform me, but all was 10 De HieIlAOIiA4 ~ ~
nations pride" ,, L,..
II was a glorious conception. and would NAYS
provided a great deal or enpIoylheIt III ,-
Scottish -chool of sculpture and brought money
into the town, for who would not nave h 4
pilgrimage to the Burnsocarnegeluln OuiIL
fries proud she justly Is OF the Alausoseu'
v-ould have taken a lower seat, and even STRAIT
ford-on-Avon would have seen her Blrthplacs
and free library pale their inenectual hres'
I2rt the whole idea to the sober mind. seemed
only compatible with the hypothesis thai Mt
Carnegie is rather assam unsouhu ny polIle,
sis Indeed. the JOY OF Kilmarnock was uaIiPsu
when this offer Of temple to the Nat9iI inoo
was officially discaimed. Mr.. Carnegle mas ieESt
dreamed of hanging on to the plald OF ue
Ayrshire ploughman by erecting TINS staleIy
fame The thing was q hoax. Sofneoody seliss
of propriety had been weaker than his sense Oh
huInor Extraordinary to relate, the humorlst
was no less person than n Balhe OF the goog
town. Observing the absurdity OF men anu
Scots the baiie had allowed a snllIe 10 CIO9S
his lips That smile the Burnsocarnegeiun-
lie had seen that Scotland expects MT CaIhe-
gle to do his duty, which ls 10 erect Tree LoLa
ries through the length and breadth OF q Pres
bvterian land, and under every green tree, but
for F[iluarnock he would, naturally, 60 more
and intoxicated by love OF the Nations Prlde,
he would "a stately pleasure dome decree IKE
I<,bla Khan in Xanadu To Scots. this scheme
could not seem incredible, SO demoralized are
they by transatlantic dollars. Scotia. puir lass
has long lain like Dan3e. in q brazen tower
into which Mr. Carnegie like Zeus Of old, has
descended in shower OF gold Free libraries
are the conselens OF that manOuyre.' The
Battle calculated correctly on the creduhty OF
his denoralized country7nen, and the hoax was
n perfect success But the humorous moralist
had actually employed n policeman 70 typewrite
the letter containing the spurious offer. why
policeman? Was that a subtle part OF the Joke
II did not need Mr.. Sherlock Holmes TO hnd out
the Joker and the Bailie's place IN council knows
him no more He sits in sackcloth, with ashes
on his DOW but probably he has the sympathy
OF Robert Burns who, II mortal things touch
immortal minds must be greatly diverted