The Washington times., 1906-11-06
RAREST BURNSIANA
GARDENERS HOBBY
William Robinson Smiths
Collection of Relics Best
n Country.
CARNEGIE HELPED HIM BUY
Valuable Editions of Famous Scot
Plowman's Poems Draw Pill
grimages Here.

Robert Burns and Abraham Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln and Robert Burns:
They are the two men who have done
more than any others for the soul elcva-
ton of the Industrial people; the one
by the proclamation that every honest
mans a king and the other by his i'm
mortal doctrine OF charity FOR all and
malice toward none.
Thus spoke william Robinson Smith,
head gardener at the Botanical Gar
dens, and the man in all America most
learned in Burnsiana. and who owns the
finest collection OF Burns treasures and
relics in this country, when shown the
dispatch stating that Pierpont Morgan
had purchased the manuscripts of Burns
at the enormous sum OF 500. 900.
Mr.. Smiths collection OF Burns treas
ures was acquired through years of
search, beginning, as he says, with two
shiilings he won as d prize for Tecitiug
a poem I'm the country school in Scot
land. which prize money he promptly
spent by purchasing a copy of Burns.
Washington Knows it Least.
The collection is in Mr. Smiths Ii
brary Of his residence in the Botanical
Gardens. Very few visitors are aware
haps. pays it too little heed Not so
liteTati and students of Burns outside
OF Washington. for many reyerent
pilgrimage is paid by Burns lovers 20
this shrine of the plow boy under the
shadow Of the Goddess of Liberty on
the National Capitol Mr.. Smith kindly
talked 10 a Times representative on his
impressions Of Burns as poet and man,
and described his own priceless colec-
ton
Burns" Mr. Smith began. was a
religious teacher little understood as
such. lie said more in one minute
about religion than Herbert Spencer did
i'm two volumes The world knows more
of the mistakes OF Burns than OF his
beauties.
AS the uncle Of Carnegie has said;
Burns was a tolerably sober man
among "A drunken set Of aristocrauc
WOuld-bes.
II am a Scotch-American, aud / In
tend that this collection shall go 10 the
American people. L am so fearful that
after my death it may become scatter
ed, that / am going to leave II 10 Mr..
Carnegie as trustee, who has promised
20 endow the collection and take care
of il for me. Besides. in late years Mr..
Carnegie has helped me buy some OF the
rare old editions. Ii is the greatest PIT
per monument ever built 10 any man,
with the exception of Shakespeare-all
my own labor, a labor of love and years.
LAS Burns himself said 10 his wife.
L will he greater one hundred years
later than now More appreciated. he
meant, and his prophecy is coming true
/ am sorry Burns went TO Edinburgh
instead of 10 the West Indies. for 1 be-
leve he would have graVitatod To
America and become one of our great
est Americans. He had his faults, but
he has left his virtues IN enduring song
for the world A genius for hard study
distinguished him, He always had a
book In his hand, at table, on the mar
ket cart, and as he walked behind the
plough. His Aud Lang Syne is an an
them that is sung around the vile
world, wherever English is spoken
Richer in American Editions.
Speaking Of his collection directly. Mr..
Smith said.
My collection is richer in American
editions than any other. / have 100 IN
all Among them IS the secold Ameri-
can edition. Of which George Washing
ton owned a copy, and il is positive that
he spent the afternoon of hi- life more
comfortably because he had good copy
OF Burns. Ny idea Is 10 Increase Burns
photography IN this country. For as
have always said. America is my wife,