The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-28

ROBERT BURNS. 'e*
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BY J. M. GAM ERON.

~ HURSDAY, January %. was the
 birth anniversary of poet whose
 influence and fame are co-extensiVe with civilization and even beyond it. The day is celebrated in his honor over a wider area and amongst greater variety of people of every race and tongue than any other whatever in the history of the world The breeding Hindoo of the lndias equally with the fair-skinned native of the northern shore is under his spell; on the banks of the Ganges as on the banks of the Clyde on the banks of the Hud- son as on the banks of The Mckenzie. where thela is heart to fel and mind to dare there is response to the produc- tions of Robert Burns Nor is this all lis birthplace itself and the immediate districts he mas made cassie forever at tract d larger number of visitors of every class, from prince 10 peasant than any other on the globe, and these are lncreas- ing year by year.
 The life of this man in the abbreviated material language of the age was such a blank failure that one may well won der what success really is. Poor in worlds gear, the past century has never theless shown his life to nave been about
  our control over the resources or laws of nature are far and away beyond our command over the resources of human nature The disparity here is the cause of many disjointed periods in history and in domestic affairs In the former, per sons, places, industries and institutions are comparatively features of a day; ma terial things that will soon lie buried, rusty and dlsmantled though they loom large in the eyes of the vast majority. In the latter progress lags and halts be- times; but this Is the sphere in the heart and mind of man in which the genius or . few transcendent poets, philosophers and teachers shine with eternal light Tor the hallowing and ennobling of mankind. Of such is this bard who sings of love, Freedom, kindness and manhood with such harmony, drectness and surpassing mo- mentum that he has thrilled the Whole gamut of human aspiration. His lines produce not only instant intellectual con yiction, but all the emotional effects Of symphonic music. Assuredly this Is the true success. What is life even with the possession of millions without sympathy, emotion, high ideals-wthout thoughtP
 In Burns the poor and the down-trodden find utterance for their deepest senti- ments His genius. perhaps the most di- rectly inspired in the whole range of lit erature. reached out into all realms Of nature and under his spell the signlh- canoe, the moral and spiritual significance of the lowliest things, the very lowliest, such as the wild daisy and the mouse, are brought forth pregnant with meaning to all mankind. In closeness to nature and clear lyric splendor where is his equal! .Auld Lang Syne,' "Comin' Through the Rye" and a hundreds others, have be- come grafted into the language of man kind They are sung and chanted not only where the drum beat of the British empire resounds around the world. but still wider and further-wherever the hearts of true men beat. In the final verse of one of his most famous produc- lions he writes this:
 And thus I pray that come 1t may,
 And come it will for a that;