"AN UNSANCTIFIED DAVID."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9022, 7 April 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

"AN UNSANCTIFIED DAVID."

BURNS AS A HOME RULER. EmekitdsProfessob J. S. Blackik delivered a lecture on " Robert Burns" a few evenings ago in the Grand Hall of the Waterloo Rooms, Glasgow. The lecture was given under the auspices of the Kinning Park and Glasgow Eastern Co-operative Societies. There was a large attendance. The Professor said that he was going to lecture that night upon Robert Burns, as one of the three great representative men of Scotland. They all owned they were Scotchmen. Hβ (Prof. JBlackie) waa not ashamed of his nationality. He was not so big as John Bull, but he > was made of as good stuff. (Laughter and applause.) The three great representative men of Scotland were Robert Bruce, John Knox, and Robert Burns. Other two great men he might name, Walter Scott and Tom Carlyle, but they didn't stand historically quite the same. Three was the complete number, and Scotland was more thoroughly and completely represented in Robert Burns than even in Sir Walter Scott. Hβ did not say that Walter was not a wealthier and richer man, but he was not so outside and inside the Scot as Robbie Burns was. Why ? Because he was a Tory. (Laughter and applause.) The Professor declared he was not a politician ; he was only a philosopher; and he said, looking over history, the Scot was a democratic animal, and the Covenanters represented democracy in the Church, and Robbie Burns respected the Covenanters and loved the Covenanters, while Walter Scott sneered at them, though in a goodhumoured * way certainly. Proceeding to sketch the events of Burns' life, the learned lecturer alluded to the fine society of pure Scottish ladies into which Burns was received on his entry into Edinburgh. Where, he asked, were there such ladies now? None in Edinburgh that he knew of. There might be some in Glasgow, though ho did not know them. (Laughter.) If we did not take care of ourselves there would be no Scotland at all fifty years hence ; we would be all very glad to play second fiddle and first fluukey to John Bull. (Laughter.) Recitiug the qualities which, in his opinion, made Burns ono of the greatest lyrical poets of the world, Professor Blackie remarked that Burns had a special eye to beauty, and especially to beauty in women, because if the lily and the rose were beautiful things, a woman was ten hundred times more beauful, for she had a soul. He had great humour, which many great men and poets had not. Two great men he could tell them of who had no humour. One was John Milton and the other was William Ewart Gladstone. (Laughter.) It was not essential to a great man to have humour. Then, Burns was a man of great patriotism, and a man who, if he had been living at the present day, would have been, like nimself, a Home Ruler. (Loud applause.) If we submitted to the treatment that the people on the Thames were inclined to give to us on the present occasion, and present ourselves to be kicked, depend upon it we would be kicked. (Laughter.) Then, Robbie Burns was thoroughly Scotch, and after him came Walter Scott, thoroughly Scotch ; and if we were not Scotch after that, we deserved to be kicked out of the world as soon as possible. (Laughter.) Very few of the great lyrical poets had that grand combination of poetic sensibility and manly strength which Burns possessed. The poetry of democracy meant the manhood of the individual and the brotherhood of aIL Burns was a democrat. All poets were democrats, because to them all men were valuable not for birth or title, but for native worth. Hence the song, " A man's a man for a' that," which, next to " Bannockburn," he always looked upon as expressing most of the manhood of Burns. King David was a kind of Burns in ancient times. As the old wife said, "Burns was an unsanctified David." (Laughter.) No doubt Burns was not guiltless of errors and indiscretions. Neicher did King David avoid great sins, especially when the Devil appeared in his most fascinating form —in the shape of a beautiful woman. (Laughter.) Therefore, if we could forgive King David, in spite of something more than a pecadilio, we must not lose respect for Burns. The poet performed his mission in life, which was to elevate successfully, triumphantly, gloriously, completely to elevate, to enlarge, to put a classical stamp upon and to give a world-wide celebrity to Scottish song. (Applause.) There were long before his time many first-class Scotch songs, and they were still produced every day. It was a mistake to suppose that other songs were not so good as Robbie Burns'. Other people did not write so many or make such an impression upon society, but there were plenty first-rate, many better than Burns', as, for instance," There's nae luck about the hoose," " Up in the mornin , early," and many more that might be named. In " The Lyric Gems of Scotland," a book published in Glasgow, hundreds of Scotland's best songs were to be found, and not seven out of ten in that volume belonged to Burns. Notwithstanding, if it had not been for Burns Scottish song would not have attained the world-wide reputation it has. (Applause.) He made some blunders. The great blunder was want of moderation- He didn't always hold the reins upon himself ; there was nothing more about it. He had the moral courage to attack the clergy when he said they were inhuman, and so did good to the Church and to himself. Many looked upon him from that time with aversion, but Professor Blackie could not think the less of him. He thought it was part of Burns' mission to attack the Church, and make it more human in its sentiments and sympathies. (Applause. At the close the learned Professor was awarded a cordial vote of thanks for his interesting lecture.