BURNS ANNIVERSARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21243, 26 January 1931, Page 8

BURNS ANNIVERSARY.

COMMEMORATIVE CONCERT. The concert given in His Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night by the Dunedin Burns Club to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns proved a great success. There was a good attendance, and the programme submitted could not fail to make an appeal to the heart of every true Scot. Where all the performers did so well, it may be invidious to single out any one. but the singing of Mr Arthur Macdonald of Scottish songs was really outstanding. Mr Macdonald is a Scotsman, lie has a fine resonant singing voice, and his interpretation of the songs lie contributed thrilled the audience. These are the songs lie contributed: —•“ Scots Who Hae ’’ (encores “March of the Cameron Mon" and a swinging humorous number in which he told of now he led the Kaikorai Band) and “The Lea Rig” (encores. “Bonnets of Boiitiie Dundee ” and “ Will Ye No Come Back Again,” the audience joining in heartily in the singing of the chorus of the latter romantic number). The rest of the programme was contributed to as follows; —Selection, Dunedin Highland Pipe Band; part song, “There was a Lad" Bui'ns Club Choir; “My Heart is Sair ” (encore, “ Doon the Burn, Davy Lad ”). Miss Dorothy Sligo; dance quartet and specialties. Patsy Atkinson, Daphne Allan, Flora Macdonald. Muriel Lee, “Of a’ the Airts” (encores, “My Nan is Awa’” and Flow Gently. Sweet Afton,” Mr Sidney Taylor. Mrs Wilfred Andrews, who now resides in Wellington, was given a great reception. She was in splendid voice, and gave a magnificent rendering of the song “ My Love is Like a Red. Red Rose.” In answer to a demonstrative recall, Mrs Andrews sang “My Ain Fireside ” and another Scottish number. In the second part of the programme Mrs Andrews sang “Whistle, and I’ll Come Tae ie, My Lad,” and sang. it. well. In her encore numbers she again greatly pleased her hearers. The Idlers’ Quartet Party sang “Lassie o’ Mine (encore, “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny "); instrumental trio, “ The Thistle,” and selections. Miss Sybil Boker, Mr Keith Hunter, and Mr Lloyd Hunter; “ Sleep’st Thou or Wak’st Thou ” (encore “ Turn Unto Me ” and another charming number), Mr Alfred Walmsley; part song. “The Star of Robbie Burns,” choir. The concert concluded with the singing of “ Auld Lang Syne.” Mrs A. H, Newey acted as accompanist and Mr F. C. Cooper was in his usual position as conductor of the choir. The chairman, Mr G. Currie, announced after the stalwart pipers had played the opening selection, that Mr Donald MncQuilkan, of Whare Flat, aiid Mr James Young had sent in bunches' of heather. He said it was very pleasing to see such a large audience at the gathering to commemorate the birth of Scotland’s national bard. Robert Burns was born on the banka of the River Doon on January 5, 1757. He was born of poor but proud parents, and he was destined to become one of the greatest poets the world has ever known. His chivalry, his patriotism, this love of his fellowman endeared him to the hearts of Scotsmen the world over, and they could not but be proud to belong to a land that bred such a man as Robert Burns. — (Loud applaiise.) ADDRESS BY THE REV. ALLEN STEVELY.

“ The spirit of the immortal bard passes by us to-night; let ns touch his spirit." With these striking words the Rev. Allen Stevcly concluded a very fine address on Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns. Mr Stevely. who quoted all his verses from memory, spoke as follows; No poet, whatever his race or age, has so completely won the affection of his countrymen as Robert Burns. Fqr over a century his name has been a household word, and his poetry a powerful reality wherever the Scottish language is intelligible. Speaking as the American Consul in the city of Edinburgh, Mr W. L. Bonney gave an address on “ American Appreciation of Robert Burns.” “ 1 learned the songs of Burns," said Mr Bonney, “in a small village in the upper reaches of the Mississippi, and I have heard them *in the timber camps of Wisconsin, in the drawing rooms and public halls of the great city of Chicago, in remote mining towns of Mexico, and in the high mountain resorts of Argentina. To-day let the passing traveller listen through the open window of the cottage in distant Oregon at eventide, and he will hear the strain of ‘Bonnie Dpon.'” As Emerson has said, Burns “. has made Lowland Scots the Doric dialect of fame —a language made classic- by- the genius of a single man." Yet the circumstances_ of his life—-his lowly orgin, brief education, continual toil and. poverty, and. early death were all against the manifestation of his genius. The home, in w;hich he was born was a clay habitation by the wayside, about two miles from- the town of Ayr, and the school he attended was a similar hut beside it. At ■ lo he was doing a man’s work on his father's small farm. Marked as provincial by every token of environment and circumstance, he ascended the heights of literary fame, and will be remembered with affection till the sands of the desert grow cold. Clearly there is a Hand that exalts those of low degree! All the struggle against tremendous odds and poverty and suffering was powerless to quench the poetic fire in the soul of Burns. Ho was the poet born. , That was the impression he early made on the leaders of thought of his time. It was in Edinburgh that the famous meeting of Burns and Scott took place. Scott was then a lad of 15. .Years afterwards Scott wrote an account of his impression of Burns, “ His eye alone,” wrote Scott, “ indicated the poetic character and temperament. It was large and literally glowed when he spoke with interest. I never saw such another eye in a human head, though I have seen the most distinguished men of my, time.” The outstanding features _of his poetry are versatility of imagination, vigour of expression, and veracity of description. In song he is matchless. Emerson has said, “his love songs woo and melt. Their spontaneity and warmth and freshness, and melody and directness of appeal are qualities which had long been absent from lyrical poetry. It has been well said, Song gushed from his heart as rain from the clouds of heaven, as tears from the eyelids start.” • . ■ Burns had the poet’s appreciation of the wondrous beauty of Nature. His power of graphic description is seen in many of his poems. Take the lines from The Epistle to Davie.” Yet Nature’s charms, the hills • and woods, . The sweeping vales, ail foaming floods, Are free alike to all. ' In days when daisies deck the ground And blackbirds whistle clear, With honest joy Our hearts, will bound To see tlie coming year. . The great gifts of the universe are free to all—.the air, the sunshine, the birds and flowers. Sunrise and sunset are without money and without price. And it is the true poet who makes us feel more profoundly the wonder and beauty of earth al Equally 1 notable is the fact that Burns found his themes in the simple, everyday life of the common folk. Indeed, no subject was too humble for his muse. It has been pointed out that the songs of Shakespeare are very simple, but under the touch of his genius they are immortal. We find that quality in much of the poetry of the Scottish Bard. He has immortalised the simplest scenes, and most homely subjects. You feel that in the “Cottar’s Saturday Night. The keynote of the poem is in the lines: November chill blaus loud wi angry sugh; The short mug winter-day is near a close; , , The miry beasts retreating frac the plough: . , ' . The blnck’ning trams o craws to their repose; The toil-worn cottar frac his labour goes. This night his weekly moil is at an end. . Collects his spades, his mattocks, and his hoes. Hoping the morn in ease and rest to spend. And weary o’er the moor, his course does hameward bend. It is a simple, rustic scene. But the poet lias enshrined it in that immortal poem, and it lias become a thing of beauty and a joy for ever. Burns is the poet of common humanity whose everyday toils and joys and sorrows and aspirations he has glorified in song! ■ Another important feature oi his poetry is the large place given to the sentiment of human pity. His verses have helped to usher in the day of the larger heart and kindlier band; for where can you get a

more tender expression of this sentiment than in the poem entitled “A Winter Night?” Listening, the doors and winnocks rattle, I thought me on the curie cattle Or silly sheep, wha bide this brattle O’ winter war, . And through the drift, deep-lairing, sprattle, Beneath a. scaur. Ilk happing bird, wee, helpless thing, That, in the merry months o’ spring, Delighted me to hear thee sing. What comes o’ thee Whare wilt thou cower thy cluttering wing, And close thy ec. Moreover, there is the golden note of idealism in the poetry of Robert Burns. These lines that occur in “ The Epistle to Davie ” are not for an age, but for all time; — It’s no in titles nor in rank, It’s no in wealth like Lon’oli bank, To purchase peace and rest; It’s no in njakin’ mucklo mair; It’s no in books; it’s no in loar, To make us truly blest; If happiness hae not her seat An’ centre in the breast,We may be wise or rich, or great, But never can be blest; Nae treasures, nor pleasures, Could make Us happy lang; The heart aye’s the part aye That makes us right or wrang. And the poet has struck deeper chords than even these. He has touched the heart of that mystery of life and death for’ which there is no solution except tnc Christian faith. We might think that it was Browning and Tennyson who were most deeply engaged with the great questions of faith and hope. Confronted by the mystery of death, Tennyson wrote: Thou wilt not leave us in the dustl Thou madest man, he knows not why; He thinks he was not made to dm; And Thou hast made him; Thou art just, , U Burns, before Tennyson was born, said all that and more in words which express the invincible cry for immortality. These words you find in his poem, io Mary in Heaven”: Still o’er these scenes my mem’ry wakes. And fondly broods with miser care; Time but Hi’ impression stronger makes, As streams their channels deeper wear. Mv Mary! dear departed shade! 'Where is thy place of blissful rest.' See’st thou thy lover lowly laid? ■ Hear’st thou the groans that rend his breast? It is because Burns is the singer of these deep, elemental things that we remember ’him; it is because m his inmost heart life had called forth such cries, and had received such answers, that we find in his poetry a witness ot the things that never die. — (Loud applause.)