BURNS’ NIGHT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 27 January 1940, Page 5

BURNS’ NIGHT

SCOTTISH SOCIETY CELEBRATION ADDRESS BY MR W. J. SHAND SMITH “THE IMMORTAL MEMORY” The Burns address and toast to the memory of Robert Burns was delivered by Mr W. J. Shand Smith, Past Chief of the Nelson Scottish Society at the Burns Night celebrations of the Society. In the course of his address Mr Smith said:— ‘‘lt is a pleasure to be called on to address a meeting at this time on a ever-living, ever-inspiring and everenduring subject. Robert Burns. “We are met out of patriotism, out of gratitude, and out of veneration for poetic genius, the highest gift to man on this earth. His presence haunts this room to-night. A form of mingled mist and light. Far from that coast. Welcome neath this roof of mine, Welcome this vacant chair is thine Dear guest and spirit. “Thp theme we are on to-night is not new and it is difficult to strike a new line of thought. Robert Burness, or as he afterwards preferred to be called. Robert Burns, whose work on his father’s farm, as a ploughman, brought him into constant daily contact with nature in her various moods, quickened his powers of observation, and led him to notice and love the common objects of the countryside. Many of his poems testify to this intimate acquaintance with the sights and sounds of nature. “The most national of poets. Burns is at the same time one of the most cosmopolitan, for has he not sung of home and love and freedom—sentiments which are common to humanity, and which find responses in the hearts of men everywhere? Appealing to many of the highest and best features in Scots history and character as Burns did. he struck notes, which, while national in their form, are universal i a their essence. The author of “A Man's a Man for a’ That” needs only to be known to become a favourite in every land “Many people think that Burns was uneducated, but that was not so, having received his education from his father who was an educated man. and from other educated men. At the age of 20 years the poet possessed much general knowledge and was as educated as nine-tenths of the gentlemen of his day who had been to the universities. Carlyle expressed the opinion that Burns would have been good at any occupation, and Lord Rosebury said that if Burns had entered parliament he would have been an outstanding debater, but in those days there was no chance for a poor man. An essayist has expressed the opinion that Burns could not write pure English without being artificial and stilted, but that is not so. I ask you, where in the English language will you find more pure English used than in his poem “To Mary in Heaven” and there are more of his poems written in pure English, although he nearly always used the Doric language in his expressions and writings. “One of the most alluring episodes in the career of Burns was his association with Highland Mary and the story has seized the imagination and touched the hearts of people all over the globe Burns and Mary Campbell, or Highland Mary, plighted their troth by observing

the old Scots custom of exchanging Bibles over running water, but they were never to meet again, as Mary died shortly after this. The sad event induced Burns to pen that most pathetic ode “To Mary in Heaven ‘lt is not possible to conceive how much poorer the world would be to-day without the poems of Burns. The loss to literature and humanity would be beyond estimate. Snatches of his songs are carried in the minds of the people all over the world. The wind whispers them, the birds whistle them, music boxes play them, bells ring them from their spires. They are the property and solace of all mankind. They embody human emotion in its most condensed and sweetest essence. They appeal to all ranks, they touch all ages, they j cheer toil-worn men under every clime, ! breathing the spirit of brotherhood. 1 He lived in an age that produced some I of the keenest intellects the world has I ever seen “The eighteenth century whispers to I us the names of Burke. Goethe, Fox, I Nelson. Mozart, Pitt, Wellington Napoleon and others who made history, and yet above them all. the world pays homage reverently and sincerely to Robert Burns, the muse of the common people. He made the Scots language classic, and Emerson said that it is the only language made classic by the genius of one man, and other professors have declared the Scots language to be the most kindly and expressive known. I have no doubt that there are some in this room that rre unacquainted with the Bard’s works. I commend them to you as they will improve your mind and character, without taxing your brains to understand their meaning, as one has to do with other poets. There is something in his poetry if we look for it. This is what has made Burns popular and will continue to keep him popular. He is in a class by himself, with the feelings and failing of an ordinary moral, but inborn in him the genius of expression possessed by no other. He was the peasant’s poet, their preacher and prophet, throwing the light and glory of his genius over them and lifting them out of darkness. One of his characteristics was his sincerity and earnestness in writing of his joys and sorrows. He spoke direct from the heart. He penned no verse for money, and copies of his verges were passed round among his friends. He was a patriot and gave them freely as a heritage to his country, and died a poor man. Recently the sum of £2.450 was paid for a single copy of the Kilmanock edition of Burns poems, originally sold at 3s a copy, for which Burns received fid. After his death the money that would have made his life more pleasant is heaprd upon his shrine. That has been the fate of many great men, and it is much the same to-day—cruci-fied in life, canonised after death. “Only some 20 copies of the Kilmarnock edition exist, most of them in museums. Burns’s song “My Love Is Like a Red, Red Rose,” written in his own hand writing has lately been sold for £2OOO. Lord Byron said it was the humbleness of Burns’s birth that in the great secret of his greatness is found. He poured forth in verse the simple lives of the people and he found means to decend to the utmost depths of the human heart, or to ascend to the loftiest heights. Burns did not despise classic learning, but he knew that the poet could not be manufactured and that he had got his genius direct from the Almighty. This is how Burns put it Gi’e me a’e spark O’ nature’s fire, That’s a’ the learning I desire. Then though I drudge through mud and mire At plow or cart My muse, though hamely in attire May touch the heart. “I am convinced that had Burns lived longer than 37 years we would now have a greater fund of song and poem than we have, but he fell as heroes fall, having fought life’s battle bravely and well, under adverse circumstances, and we commemorate the memory of one whose pillar of fire will illuminate the path of generations. His voice has gone ringing through the courts of time for 181 years, and has become louder and clearer than when it first broke on the ear of man. “A touching and revealing universality of our great social anthem “Auld Lang Syne,” written by Burns, an incident which happened a few years ago in Brussels, is eloquent and calls for narration and attention. The occasion was an international conference Toasts were the order of the day, and as the company was representative of all nations, the interpreter was much in evidence. Just at the break up of the gathering, each man at a given signal got up on his feet, joined hands and the walls of the hall were made to resound with the words of a song, which required no interpreter, for every man knew and could sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ which is sung at the end of nearly every gathering all over the world. Could the same be told of any other song ancient or modern? “He could write in excellent English and I have, to prove this statement, already quoted to you a verse from that very beautiful poem “To Mary in Hea-

ven” which is written in good English and there are many other verses in his poems in the same class. Listen to these lines taken from his poem entitled “The Cotter’s Saturday Night”: From scenes like these, old Scotia’s grandeur springs. That makes her lov’d at home, rever’d abroad. Princes and Lords are but the breath of Kings, An honest man the noblest work of God. O Scotia, my dear, my native soil, For whom my warmest wish to Heaven is sent, Long may thy hardy sons of toil Be blest with health, and peace, and sweet content. “If Burns lived to-day his pen would be active in the cause of peace and the abolition of war. He hated war, because war is the self-inflicted Punishment suffered by humanity, because they have refused to settle their differences according to the precepts of Christianity. “In his patriotism Burns was influenced by the early heroes of Scotland. the deeds of Wallace and Bruce, the fights and struggles of their ancestors which had brought them the benefits they lived under that day—freedom and liberty. “These made a lasting impression on his mind, as he considered that it was the right of every nation, however great or small, to have a place in the sun, and to live their own lives without outside interference. “Nazism and dictatorship have succeeded in silencing the voice of freedom and liberty in Germany, and so our nation is at war in an endeavour to restore peace on earth and good will towards men—a consummation devout ly to be wished. “It is safe to say that Burns had a home in the hearts of more people than any other man who has lived in the world. What is the cause of such worldwide fame and sentiment I think it was because of his glorious humanity, his sympathy with all living creatures, his Christian and charitable charity and kindness of heart. But long as human hearts can find delight In love and liberty the wide world o’er. While honest tongues shall plead the cause of right. Till man shall crush his fellowman no more Enshrined within those hearts shall live thy name, Those tongues with joy sing thy undying fame. “Burns, though brief the race he ran, though rough and dark the path he trod, lived, died, in form, a soul, a man, the image of God. Joyfully I give and cheerfully will you respond, in silence, to the toast, of the “Immortal Memory.”