New-York tribune., 1906-10-28
DEPENDING BURNS.
Not Responsible for 'The Merry Masses of Cal
edoniG-"

edOHt0-
From The Dundee Advertiser.
1t frequently happens that at sales of Burns
lana there occurs book entitled The Merry
MUSES. of Caledonia which is dealt with Inys-
teriously item intended only for the col
lectors of curious literature. This method Of
treating the obnoxious publication has naturally
increased its monetary value 1t IS mentioned
with bated breath as publication so objection
able that it must only be known to the cosnos-
cent? lest the reDOWn or Burns, the repUted
author. should suffer. The consequence has been
that this atrOciOuS libel upon the fair fame OF
Robert Burns has gradually increased in value,
until the book that was hawked about sUrrepti-
tiously seventy years ago for two shillngs now
brings from thirty 10 forty shilings. and is gen
orally withdrawn from catalogues and sold
privately" The imposition has now lasted 50
many years that it is full time an exposure
should be made of it
1t is well known that when Burns had under
taken 10 supply songs for JohnSon's Museum"
he began to collect the lays that were then
freely sung in the bothies and by the farmers
ingles though they had become obsolete among
the more cultured classes These songs were
often-to use the expressive Scotch word
.sculdudery," and there is proof from what
Burns actually did that he meant to substitute
more modest lines for the rude phrases OF the
originals In December. 1873. Burns lent his
manuscript copy OF these songs for a few days
to John McMurdo. writing In his accompanying
letter: "A very few of them my own; there
is not another copy of the collection in the
world" The manuscript copy had been returned ,
TO Burns. and thus. as Chambers records the
book fell after his death into the hands OF
OF those puD1SneTS WHO WOUiQ SdCIiHCS nlSsu-
est interests OF humanity to put an additional
penny into their own purse" Thus il happened
that, in 1901, Stewart. of Glasgow. published his
Poems ascribed to Burns, not contained IN any
edition of his Works hitherto published The
mean looking volume as Chambers called IL.
is in lbs pages 1Smo. and contains about ninety
Scots songs, ancient and modern. selected for
the use of the Crochallan Fencibles-" OF these.
Scott Douglas attributes about one-third to
Burns, and seven of these are 50 harmless that
they are included in all editions OF his works
and are well known and popular But II
is certain that Burns never contemplated that
the songs he had not had time to alter would
ever be attributed to him
The 'rCrochallan Song Book Offensive as q
may be- is not patch upon the wretched ccilec-
ton OF disgusting obscenity which Is known as
The Merry MUSES. OF Caledonia" This volume
usually bears the date OF 1877. but If hzs been
frequently printed privately IN Later years
though the date Is retained II WAS hawkec
around the Scottish flrmhouses and oothtes
about seventy years ago. together with other
scrupulous printers never allowed the supply u
be exhausted The present writer has proof
from family tradition that several OF the poems
In this collection were written Cnot for publica-
tion) by DR. John G-Rme OF Glasgow. one or the
original contributors to 'WhiStlebinkie,- the
famous collection OF songs first published by
David Robertson Glasgow. IN 1SS2 GrSeIne was
extremely popular in Glasgow conyivia1 circles
early last century He was born in that city IN
wa, taught practical weaving that he might
take up the manufacturing business Ultimately
he directed himself to the study OF medicine.
and established a good practice in High street.
Glasgow, where his death took place ON Febru-
ary IL. 1851