Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06

notn by Photographs ana autographed
books.
There was a Burns Club in Washington
some years ago, which used to give an
annual banquet-usually at the National
Hotel. There the representative men of
the city gathered to pay tribute to the be-
loved poet. Senator PIERCE of Maryland
made a much -quoted speech on him at
this hotel in 1889. and. in consequence. a
life-size picture Of him will go into the
museum. which is not only meant for
Burns proper, but all who have in any
way helped to make it success.
Burns received only 500 for his coo
copies Of his poems Today the first
Scottish edition is valued at 81 600. An
drew Carnegie possesses one and Mr..
Smith the other
When the Scotch millionaire book
lover was here the two Burns enthu-
siasts went to Mount Vernon and left
a valuable copy as an appropriate tribute
to the man who risked so much for
liberty. This was the second American
edition, for which $3.50 a volume was
paid at a sale last week.
Even in Scotland each year sees the
Burns vogue becoming greater. He
is the one writer who has not waxed
and waned in popularity" Mr.. Smith
maintained Yet even he was at first
thought sacrilegious in his native land
4 Scotch minister who edited the Burns
poems nearly lost his parish In conse-
quence, people at first seeing in them
only the flippancy and none of the subtle
humor and gladness of living.
In the bronze bust placed directly be-
tween two windows of the first room at
the little house, and in the various por-
traits and dozens of prints on the walls,
one notes the kindness of mouth,
breadth of forehead and eye lit by the
fire of genius that was never narrow
but loved liberation and hated shams.
20 wad some power the giftie gle us.
meant just a bit of vulgar verse to the
pioneer Burns disciple, who now reads
into 1t a deeper meaning.
Another Scotch minister, who wrote a
tragedy entitled The Crave from
which Burns once quoted. was also prac-
tically ostracised by his people, SC
wicked was thought anything that ran in
verse. And these early opinions later
tributes. books or criticism, of adulation,
even books containing slight illusions to
Burns, are to be noted on the shelves OF
these bookcases.
And Mr. Smith knows them all. At
will he can select from hundreds just
the volume needed to illustrate a point
he may desire to bring out. Yet. perhaps
the pictures are even more successful in
revealing to a visitor what a slngieness
of purpose was necessary for a man
self with such treasured objects.
Lincoln's portrait, in an antique oval
frame of black walnut, looks down from
near the doorway.
II hang it here" Mr. Smith explained
when asked what connection there was
between the two great men. because l
consider that Burns and Lincoln have
done more toward the industrial indie
pendence of mankind than any one else
the one by proclaiming that an honest
man, though eer so poor, is king Of men
for a. that and the other by proclaim
ing all men brothers"
On a copper plate there is an etching of
Burns, with the beginning of the poem:
Some haze meat and Gamma eat
And some wad eat that want 1t;
But hae meat and we can eat,
Sac let the Lord be thank IT.
Mr. Smith considers this one Of the two
greatest poetic proofs Of the religious
highest themes. The other is the famous
"Cotter's Saturday Night" In this col
lection is believed to be the only photo
graph in America Of the lowly cottage in
which Burns lived as a child. Here the
poet was inspired by his fathers devo-
lions to write the world-known poem.
There are" said Mr.. Smith. three
forms of Christian worship-the family.
the individual and the public. The family
was this which so inspired the boy
There is a picture Of Tam O. Shanter.
where the devil was flddlin; the Bridge