had ever been before; and his personal habits were more virtuous. Added to these causes for content was the idolatry in which he was held by his countrymen. "This enthusiastic reception of their native poet is certainly a great glory to Scotchmen," says Rossetti. "And any one who is bent upon remembering to their discredit that they left the man Burns to live and die an exciseman should bear in mind also that they had already reposited the poet Burns in their heart of hearts, and that at this minute there are probably ten Scotchmen to whom Burns and his work are a breathing and potent reality, for one Englishman to whom Shakespeare is any more than a name." The last four years of Burns's life were so filled with shame and distress of every kind that one would be glad to forget them. His health gradually declined. When he was but thirty-seven years old, the poet wrote his last song, "Fairest Maid on Devon Banks." In January, 1796, he contracted a rheumatic fever, but. would not allow a doctor to be called. What business has a physician to waste his time over me?" said he. "I am a poor pigeon not worth plucking." He realized that his end was drawing near. "As to my individual self, I am tranquil," he said. "But Burns's poor widow and half a dozen of his dear little ones,—there I am as weak as a woman's tear." When, in July, 1796, it became known that Robert Burns was dying, the grief and anxiety of the whole neighborhood—indeed, of all Scotland-were unbounded. Reports of his condition were eagerly sought and passed from house to house. Men meeting in the street stopped to speak of the beloved poet. And when, on the 21st of the month, he breathed his last, the nation. mourned and did him reverence. His friend, Mr. Allan Cunningham, who witnessed the poet's funeral, thus describes it: It "The multitude who accompanied Burns to the grave might amount to ten or twelve thousand. Not a word was heard. was an impressive and mournful sight to see men of all ranks and persuasions and opinions mingling as brothers, and stepping side by side down the streets of Dumfries, with the remains of him who had sung of their loves and joys and domestic endearments with a truth and a tenderness which none, perhaps, have since equaled." The personal appearance of Robert Burns, when he was in the full vigor of mind and body, was most attractive. He was nearly six feet tall, and of fine physique. His features were extremely pleasing a broad brow with dark curly hair upon it; large black eyes which "literally glowed" with feeling; a good nose, and most expressive mouth. Charles Kingsley pays Burns the tribute of saying that in personal, manly beauty he was one of the four men of modern times who represent the highest ideal,— Shakespeare, Raphael, Goethe, Burns. The poet's mode of composition is interesting. He thought his poems out as he worked, or as he walked in the woods or by the streams. He usually had on hand five or six poems, which he perfected as the mood was with him, setting them aside whenever his mind felt any weariness. When they were written out, his wife often sang them to some familiar tune, that he might judge of their musical and metrical qualities. "Tam o' Shanter" was an exception to this method of production, being completed in a single day. This popular tale in verse was always regarded by the poet as his masterpiece. Carlyle gives his critical preference to "The Jolly Beggars," as the most completely artistic of all Burns's works. "The Cotter's Saturday Night" is given first place in this collection, not because it is considered the best, but because it is very characteristic of the poet's style, showing his love and sympathy for the humble details of the home life of the peasantry, his manner of thought and of expression, his humor, and his reverence. The majority of critics and the people at large regard the songs as the most truly inspired of all his writings. "A Scottish peasant's life was the meanest and rudest of all lives until Burns became a poet in it and a poet of it." This is, indeed, one of his greatest gifts to literature: he gave permanent form to Scotch life in its own native dialect. His influence during his life and since was widespread. Carlyle, whose essay on Burns is the best that has ever been written, says in his concluding lines: "With our readers in general, with men of right feeling anywhere, we are not required to plead for Burns. In pitying admiration he lies enshrined in all our hearts, in a far nobler mausoleum than that one of marble; neither will his works, even as they are, pass away from the memory of men. While the Shakespeares and Miltons roll on like mighty rivers through the country of Thought, bearing fleets of traffickers and assiduous pearl-fishers on their waves, this little Valclusa fountain will also arrest our eye; for this also is of Nature's own and most cunning workmanship, bursts from the depths of the earth, with a full gushing torrent, into the light of day, and often will the traveler turn aside to drink of its clear waters and muse among its rocks and pines!" CHRONOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF BURNS'S LIFE. YEAR EVENT BURNS'S AGE 1759, January 25. Born at Doonholm, Alloway, near Ayr. 1766. Removes to Oliphant Farm 1773. Writes first published poem, “Handsome Nell" 1777. Removes to Tarbolton, Lochlea 1784. The poet's father dies. 1785. Burns writes "The Cotter's Saturday Night," "Hal loween," "The Jolly Beggars," etc. 1786. First edition of his poems, published at Kilmarnock; writes "Twa Dogs," "Brigs of Ayr," etc. 1786, November, to 1787, April. First visit to Edinburgh. 1787. Second edition of poems, issued in Edinburgh . . 1787, October, to 1788, March. In Edinburgh. 1788, March. Leases farm at Ellisland 26 27 28 29 1788, August. Marries Jean Armour. 1789. Appointed an exciseman. 1790. Writes "Tam o' Shanter ” 1791. Gives up farm and removes to Dumfries as excise officer. 1793. Second Edinburgh edition of his poems THE SCOTTISH DIALECT. THE first or Kilmarnock edition of Burns's poems, issued in 1786, was entitled "Poems, Chiefly Scottish." One of the poet's earliest patrons, Dr. James Currie, who edited his countryman's "Works," prefixed to a glossary of Scottish words the following valuable remarks: "The ch and gh have always the guttural sound. The sound of the English diphthong oo is commonly spelled ou. The French u, a sound which often occurs in the Scottish language, is marked oo or ui. The a in genuine Scottish words, except when forming a diphthong or followed by an e mute after a single consonant, sounds generally like the broad English a in 'wall.' The Scottish diphthong ae always, and ea very often, sound like the French e masculine. The Scottish diphthong ey sounds like the Latin ei." To these helpful suggestions the pupil may add the words of a modern Scotch scholar, John Stuart Blackie, who, in a recent "Life of Burns," says: "The Scottish language,— or rather, as we ought to say, the Scottish dialect of our general English tongue,-besides having more of the breath of sentiment about it, is more musical in a technical sense, and, like the Italian, richer in full vocal sounds than the more highly cultivated sister dialect. . . . There is hardly a Scottish song of any popularity in which the broad musical a is not dominant. Scotch |