“ROBERT BURNS’S LAST POEM.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19203, 20 June 1924, Page 6

“ROBERT BURNS’S LAST POEM.”

TO THE editor. Sri;, —I have just seen a copy of the poem published in your issue of 4th inst., with notes on its alleged history, and its discovery in the possession of an aged boot living near Dunedin. Tho whole thing bears the mark of a “fake” ; and I wish to state that to me it is no more genuine than an alleged Burn’s poem that was once shown mo by a spiritualist, with the statement that it had been communicated by Burns from “tho other side. My friend was enthusiastic in bi.s praise cf the poem, which he held to bo in “Robin’s” best style just as you characterise tho verses “To’ Miss Jessie Lowara" as “worthy of Burns at his best, and not unfit to be classed along with ‘Tho Cottar’s Saturday Night.’ With all deference 1 submit that such praise is absurdly extravagant. Even if Burns, can be proved to have written tho verses on his deathbed they show a total absence of the Burn’s toucli, and do not add to the poet’s fame. Let me point out a few marks that favour the presumption that we are dealing with a clumsy literary forgery. The opening four lines were apparently written bv same one who thought Dumfries is situated on or near the sea shore—which it is not—and that Burns, on his deathbed, could see the su.ii “half hidden in the .sea,’ and the flowing tide merrily racing shoreward, at the moment he requested Jessie to “let the curtain bide” and allow the setting sun to shine into the room. (Presumption No. I—that1 —that the poem was not written in Dumfries.) Then, there is no sign of Burns about tho composition. The language is not: his; the sentiments are the merest commonplace; the style diffuse and weakly sentimental. From all I have read of the peel’s last days, he was never in the condition that he could write or compose a line. (Presumption No. 2 —that the verses wore not written bv Burns.) turning now to the seventh stanza. In the third Imp Burns knew better than to write “Wilt” when he plainly meant “Will')”—short for “will it.” The closing stanza is marked b v peculiar weakness of diction and incorrectness of gram mat ieal construction. T cannot imagine Burns (even on bis deathbed) writhm about his “poet skill.” (Presumption No. 3- that the verses were writ ten by some mediocre versifier and probably copied by some ignorant person.) Another point that should bo made clear is—Are the verses in the handwriting of Burns, and is the signature his, or a forgery? On these and other grounds I class the whole thinir as attempted imposture. 1 hope the “old" Scotsman, living near Dunedin,” will come to the front (if there he such a person) and explain how the MS came into his possession or that same one will he found to vouch ' for the good faith of Mr Wm. Smith, of Carluke.—l am etc.. J. Liddell Kelly. Dcvonport, June 14.