The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-20
ID.LS OF HISTORY ATiA(KrD
 BY CAROLINE TICKNUR
Flaws Picked in Washington COurtship of Myles Standish ASSailed
(Hartford Courant.)

Boston, Dec. 19.-Among the literary treasures in Boston is the original manuscript of "Auld Lang Syne," by Robert Burns. This was on exhibi- tion at the Burns Memorial Fair held recently in this city, and upon this occasion an Interesting account of it's history was read by Mr. R. E.. May, clerk of the Burns Association.
 The manuscript was owned for many years by William Pickering, the Lon bought at auction in 1855, by Henry Stevens, who purchased it for a friend tn New York state, whose descendant in Boston now owns it. The poem Is embodied in letter to- Burns friend, Mrs. Dunlop, in which the writ CT asserts that he is an enthusiast Ov- CT old Scotch songs and has picked up the one which he encloses. Then fol- lows his earliest rendering of f'Auld Lang Syne," which differs from an- other version sent by Burns to his friend. MT. Thompson, five years later.
 While 1t is probable that two of the verses were founded on still older Scotch song, 1t has been established beyond doubt and universally accep:- ed, that the song as a whole belongs to Robert Burns. though he endeavor- ed to mystify f5s friends by disclaim-- that this favorite song will be allowed to remain in the possession of the be- loved ScOtchman, though in these days of the Shattering of cherished idols, one can never be certain of the per- formance of any hero, or heroic acc om- plishment.
 At present the "muck-raker'' seems to have been succeeded by the destroy CT of our historic images, and the am- b1tion of every historian appears to be directed towards the discovery of something that was not so
 A revolutionary recol1ections! Hardly a day passes that does not carry in its wake some pet historic incident or long esteemed heroic episode. Only a fortnight since a clergyman in P.y- mouth gave his historic town a shock by challenging the much-loved legends of Priscilla and John Alden. He mer
 cilessly ruled out that classic remark dear to all New Englanders, "Why don't you speak for yourself, John?" declaring that there was no authority for its perpetration, except within the poets brain. The same was true re- garding the matrimonial mission of John Alden, who the iconoclast assert ed, never came to Priscilla as the spokesman of Myles Standish, but cOurted that fair maiden for himself alone, Myles Standish being quite in- different to her charms. In the course
 of the lecture, which embodied those
 cbdI tAhS ldCtSs luS SpSdhcT dSSdIlSu
 many other pet Plymouth traditions,
 declaring among other things, that the
 date put down for the landing on Ply
 mouth Rock was incorrect and should
 have been Dec. 21, instead of 22.
 While upon one hand, we find the
 Pilgrim idols becoming clay" upon
 the other we witness the demolition of our revolutf utfonary images. Among
 the most determined of the invaders
 of this territory is that scion of old
 New England stock, Charles Francis
 Adams. In his collection of essays
 just pub 'ished, under the title of Stu
 dies, Military and Diplomatic" he
 busies himself in brushing aside what he deems the fantastic legends which
 obscure the revolutionary history.
 MT. Adams indorses the view of Syd- ney G. Fisher who asserts that ''our histories are able, rhetoric efforts, en-
 larged Fourth of July orations, or "Our American historians have ap- preached their task in neither a judi cial frame of mind nor a detached spirit in pain vernacular they write under an over-ruling patriotism, of hero-worshipping preconception." The father-of-his-co country is not spared by the pen of the relentless truth-teller, who points out that we owe our independence, not to the skill and the ability of Washington. but to the blunders and stupidity of Howe. According to MT. Adams, the cause of the rare combination of ''an almost amazing run of pure luck,'' with the di atoriness and stupidity of Sir Will liam Howe. Washington involved his army in disaster and disgrace through bad judgment and because of frequent quick decision was essential. And Mr. Adams points out at length the instances in which Washs ngton proved himself anything but an able and skill ed commander. He views with re- gret that John F'iske should have been so partisan in his position towards one whom MT. Adams does not con-
 sider 'first-tn-war'' remarking that
 MT Ffske's ''most readable work is marred and made unre' ia ble by a spirit
 of adulatory and undiscriminating he- ro-worship where Washington is con- cerned," and is characterized by noth- ing indicative of military experience or strategic instinct. "He tells the tale:
 but he does not understand it's details, nor, from the military point of view, their significance.'
 It is plain that the members of the rising generation will have very diff ferent picture put before them in the next few years. and one can but hope that it will s'tll contain a few un- shattered images; also a few of the much-loved traditions, which are dear to the hearts of the misinformed and misguided individuals, who have been reared in that benighted atmosphere where ignorance is bliss. After all, what is bald, bare truth to us, if it robs us of the picturesqueness of Paul
 Reveres Ride, of the courtship of , Myles Standish, of Barbara F'reitchie, of our security in Plymouth Rock, and of our faith in the great leader, who was "first-in- war;" as wei as first in
 peace," and above all, first tn the hearts, of his unwilling countrymen. CAROLINE TICKNOR.