Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-07


breeding ground and hotbed OF malaria.
He transformed Ii into a thing of beauty.
filling II In with fertile soil and planting
it to trees and shrubs.
During the half century and more that
he piled the husbandmans art in Wash
ington and elsewhere in every state and
territory OF the Union he set out In this
reclaimed morass and miasmatic fen
thousands of rare, scarce and valuable
trees and other plants gathered from
every latitude and cline. From this
arboretum millions OF useful shoots and
seeds have been disseminated over the
land.
Assemblies Burns Literature.
William Robertson Smith was for many
years recognized as the foremost collector
OF the works of Robert Burns in the
world. His collection, which is carefully
preserved in bookcases that line the
library of the quaint brick dwelling near
the southeast corner of the National Bo-
tania Garden. where Mr.. Smith made his
home for sixty years, represents the life
work of one of the most devoted OF all
admirers of the poet. For more than
seventy years Mr.. Smith has been gather
ing this notable array of books.
One of the features OF the collection
Is that 1t was made by a man who was
not blessed with sufficient means to buy
every rare volume that came to his
notice. Many Of the books are gifts from
prominent people throughout the world.
Many bear the autographs of celebrated
Burnsanists of England and Scotland.
AS the collection OF Mr.. Smith grew.
other lovers of the poet made contriba-
tons from time to time, so impressed
were they by Mr.. Smiths love for Burns.
During the last fifteen years Mr.. Smith
was greatly assisted in perfecting his
Burnsiana by financial aid given him by
Andrew Carnegie, one of his closest
friends.
Comprises Nearly $500 Volumes.
The William Robertson Smith collection
comprises nearly $500 volumes all told,
including 700 copies of the 900 editions
of Burns poems. songs and letters. OF
secondary Importance to these is a coll
lection of 200 volumes. minus twenty
books, an exact duplicate of Burns own
library, SO certified by the poets son
the works which Burns studied and from
which he drew his great fund of knowl-
edge. The other 1900 and odd volumes
of the Smith library comprise Burns
biographies, criticisms, eulogies and quo
tations, showing the immense influence
of the great poets mind on mankind, the
worldwide recognition of the incompara-
BILE genius that slowly brought him into
public favor.
Supplementihg these bound tones IL
perhaps the most extensive assortment
of newspaper clippings pertaining to the
Scotch bard and his works TO be found
anywhere.
BY the terms Of Mr.. Smiths will An
drew Carnegie and his trustees will fall
heir to this exceptional Burnsiana. The
collection is to remain In washington
pubic in pure democracy-with dema-
gogues left out" This was the terse
answer of the jealous and learned biblto-
phile recently when asked about the flu
Ar.r<. 81 ~ 1cnf trx.
Selects Home for His Books.
It would be glad" he went on, If
arrangements could be made to house IL
permanently in the substantial brick resi-
dence Of my late friend, Senator Justin
s. Morrill,. on Thomas circle, as an APP
probation of a man who, next to the
Scotian poet himself, did more for rural
life in America, In my opinion. than any
other citizen within my knowledge.
Rural life is the mainstay of the ma
ton. and II received its greatest impetus
on this side of the ocean i'm the enact
ment of the Morrill, law providing for an
agricultural college in every state and
territory of the Union"
or the many edition copies in Mr.
Smiths library none was more highly
priced by him than the very rare sup
pressed" 1Smo, forty-eight page print OF
Burns Letters to Clarinda." published
by T. Stewart, Glasgow, 1902. The va
grant volume was ''bagged In wayside
cottage" in Inverness by craigie
Angus. a celebrated Burnsianist now de-
ceased. who presented IL to Mrs. Carnegie.
who in turn presented it TO Mr.. Smith
on the occasion of his visit 10 Skieo
castle several years ago.
Visited by Eminent Men.
The quaint brick dwelling in the Ma
tional Botanic Garden which houses Mr.
Smiths priceless library of Burns works
and which was his home for so many
years. has been visited by some OF the
country's foremost statesmen during the
last half century. BY reason of its ioca-
ton at the foot OF the Capitol grounds the
National Botanic Garden has been a ia
vorite place of recreation for many or the
nations statesmen. who. tired as the re-
suit Of long debates in the houses Of Con-
gress, have made of the garden resting
place.
When they visited the garden they
never failed TO drop In TO see Mr.. Smith.
the latch string of whose home was ever
on the outside. Many of them were his
warm friends. and their knowledge or
trees, plants. flowers and vines was In
creased by their talks with him. Visitors
tc the home of William Robertson Smith,
however, received more than mere knowi-
edge of plant life. They received the cor
dial welcome from a man who believed
in the universal brotherhood of mankind.
They We're Tor the time tfdnSpidHteu INTO
a miniature world of cheerfulness-a gar
den of flowers and poetry.
1t was in this quaint home, in the pres
ence of Mr.. Smith that Senator William
Pitt Fessenden told Senator Grimes OF
Iowa that the attempt to impeach Presi-
dent Andrew Johnson was "a dirty bust
ness" And il was in the Burns library
that Mrs. Jefferson Davis, looking al
Fessendens picture. which hung over the
gardeners desk full fifty years. said to
Mr.. Smith that. owing to his great ability,
William Pitt Fessenden was THE most
dangerous man in the north" Here IL
was, also, that Commodore Wilkes, the
famous explorer, made the statement in
the presence of Senator Pearce OF Mary
land and Senators Fessenden and Morrill,.
that George Washington himself, having
created and located the National Botanic
Garden, ii must never be despOiied.
Cherished Objects.
Among the most cherished objects OF
the place is the celebrated Crittenden oak.
the product of an acorn brought from a
Kentucky forest in 1861, at the instance
Of the patriotic Scotch gardener. and put
in the ground by Crttenden himself. 1t
was planted on the spot that. soon after
The breaking out of the civil war, had wit
messed an impromptu meeting between
Senator Crittenden, Representatives, John