THAMES BURNS' CLUB.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVII, Issue 5945, 16 December 1887, Page 2

THAMES BURNS' CLUB.

INAUGURAL MEETING. The inaugural meeting of the above took place in St. George's Hall last night, the President (Captain Farqubar) occupying the chair. The attendance of members, and their friends, of whom a considerable number were ladies, was in every way creditable to the enthusiasm of our Scotch friends in memory of their national poet. No attempt was made at decorating the hall, au omission, no doubt, due to the fact that St. Georges Hall is ouly looked upoo in the light of a temporary meeting house. A well-executed pianoforte solo, performed by one of the ladies, formed au appropriate prelude to the evening's entertainment. The President addressed the

meeting in the following terms :— Ladies and gentlemen,—On this, the first social gathering of the Thames Burns' Club, you will naturally expect your President to make some reference to the objects of the Society. Not being a man of many words, I oould almost ask you.to tako the will for the deed, and relieve me of the dutv, but to show myself a man of deeds, I shall face the task with Caledonian pluck and trust to yonr kindly sympathy to help me through with the task.- You all know how this club originated and has been framed upon the model of the Auckland Burns' Club, so that I need not enlarge upon that subject. As to the aims of the. organisation the name, alone explains them The primary object of a Burns' Club must be to study the poems and of the immortal ploughman poet of Scotland. ■ This opens up a wide field of hidden ' riches—a goldfield waiting to be developed in order to yield us valuable specimens, j and I hope everyone will dig deep down into that mine of wealth. I imagine foe Thames Burns' Club will serve a wider purpose than this. The name and genius ' of Burns should serve as a rallying cry to

> bring the colonial Scots into contact with each other, and a link to bind iheni together in a bond o£ sympathetic brotherhood. In all he wrote, Burns was intensely I Scotch; the national Bentiment shines out in his writings as it did in his character. ' You all remember that he could not find the heart to cut down the Scotch thistles, even though they destroyed his crops of B " bearded here," and he has told us that he i bad in his youth: Even then a wish (I mini its power), A wish that, to ray latest hour, Shall strongly he.'.ve ray breast, That I, for puir auld Scotland's sake, Some u-efu' p?an or hook mioht niako, - Or sin" a sang at least.

As he sang of all things Scottish, Scotch drink, Scotch character, story and superstition, Auld Scotland was at once his inspiration and his theme. He sang of her mountains and her mice, her forests and her daisies, her rivers and her souple sconeß, her heroes and her haggis, her nobles and her jolly beggars, her wildest revelries and her most solemn religious services. So the name of Bums, identified as it is with all that is Scottish, will be a bond of union,

" Auld Scotland, oor auld respectit niither." And will stimulate us to a study of Scottish music and literature. We will meet to sing the auld Scotch Bangs in the braid Scottish tongue, to hear the inspiratmg music of our country played, and at times I have no doubt, "Hornpipos, jiga, strathspeys, and reels, Will put life and mettle in oor heels." We will meet together from time to

time to grasp each other's hand in friendship, and talk of the days of " Auld lang sine," We will rejoice in the grand old country from which we sprung, and talk over the exploits of her heroes, explorers, inventors, and poets. These being our aims, ladies and gentlemeD, I need hardly add that the effect of our meeting together will he to strengthen the feeling of national sympathy, and arouse the Caledonian blood to a high pitch of enthusiasm in the

" Honest men and bonnie lassies" that join the club. But while Burns was an ardent Scot he was a great deal more. In imitation of his spirit we shall not exclude anyone from our meetings, but will gladly welcome all who admire the "wood notes wild" of the beloved land. Thus will we carry out the spirit of tho inspired bard's aspirations after universal brotherhood. "For a'that and a'that, It's coming yet for a' that, When man to man the world ower, Shall brithers be and a' that." The addresß was received with marked enthusiasm' and greeted with frequent apclause. Tims appealed to the spirit of " *■"» Boon got on to the tapis, patriot- intense Scot " took to and mora than ou_ 'Weof. Mr R. the boards" in pursuance iu. -•»<} N. Smith gave a humorous reading, i» u .. Mr William Murdoch " Tarn o' Slianter," a Scotch recitation. To say that lis did this "waal of Scottish poetical pleasanties" substantial justice is doing the ex-Oounty Councillor scant justice. He is, as every one knows, a " host in himself,-' and with the assistance of a Kilmarnock bonnet, specially prepared for (he occasion, lie became a complete embodiment of Tamo' Shanter and Souter Jonney rolled up into one, His rollicking personifications of the • *•' Drouthy neibors noibors meet was literally true to nature, and would lead one to suppose that he had practised the step to good advantage. In marked contrast to that part of the performance was, [the deep pathos he adopted,.in touching j off the moralising portions of the poem. I "Ah gentle dames, it gars me greet To tjiink how money counsels sweet. How money lengthen'd, sage advices, The husband frae the wife despises. Following up the versatility of his talents, the performer got to the moreamerous part of the poem, '"\. But Tam kenn'd what was what, fu' brawlle) There was ae' winsome wench and walie. aud at this point he became downright sentimental his deepest sympathies being evidently wrapped up in the effort. Iu short, the whole thing was a complete sue j cess, no one witnessing it would doubt for I a moment but that your" leel Scot," under the patriotic spell, becomes a second edition of the heroic Lochinvar— " Gallant in love and mighty in war." Mr D. W. Pitkethley read a characteristic Scotch piece entitled, "Saltcoats," in which some of the more humorous traits of Scottish life and character are well pourtrayed. During the evening some very good songs were sung, for therenderdering of which the meeting was chiefly indebted to the ladies. By way of bringing the proceedings to an appropriate issue a good rattling Scotch reel was got up, after which, the Scotchman's benediction, " Au Lang Sine," concluded the ontertnio ment.