THE POET BURNS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 9, 26 January 1937, Page 8

THE POET BURNS

Hastings Scots Mark 178th Anniversary MRS BAIRD'S ADDRESS

The skirl of the bagpipes filled the Oddfellows' Hall, Hastings, last evening, when the Hastings and District Scots Society held its seventh annual Burns supper to mark the 178 th aiuiiversary of Scotland's national bard, Kobert Burns. Chief Hugk W. C. Baird presided over a large attendance. The address was given by Mrs Hugh Baird, who was introduced by the Chief. Mrs Baird explained that none of the leeturers approached had been able to atlend, and so she had agreed to give the main address. Mre Baird spoke _ 011 the works of Kobert Burns, quoting loug passages from inemory to show the beauty of his lines. There were more birthday parties m honour of Burns, Mrs Baird asserted, tlian there were in iionour of anyone else; and more people visited the birthplace of Scotland's poet than that of any other person. The Duke of Windsor during his world tour as Prince of Wales had said that throughout the world he had seen more monuments to ihe memory of Burns than to any other person. ' ' There must be something wonderful about the man to inspire all this," said Mrs Baird. Carlyie had .said that the uian was more interesting than his works. When Mr J. M. Barrie was given the honour of the Freedom of Dumfries, which had been conferred much earlier on Burns, he paid tribute to all those who had shared this honour with him. "But," he had said, "we all step up on the herb and let the exciseman go pastl" Burns was an exciseman, said Mrs Baird, because he had to earn his bread. and butter, but he hated the work, as was sliown in one of his poems, which Mrs Baird quoted at length. WROTE FROM THE HEART. He had liss place in all our liearts, and his works tound a special place in our literature. There was no sameness about auything he wrote. His metres showed consiuerable variety. Burns wrote of his own experiences, 011 everyday topics, subjects unthought of by otiier poets. He wrote from the heart and because of this captured our hearts. Other poets had our admiration, but Burns had our love. Carlyie had said of "The Jolly Beggars" that this was Burns 's finest poeiii — the most original and the most pure. There were "The Cottar's Batur- . uay Night," "Tam O' Bhanter," and the "Diugs cf Ayr," a prophecy which came true; the epistle to a young lriend, which Burns ended with the femark that he had not himself foiiowed Ihe advice he gave. There was the liuniour of his "Tam Sampson's Eleg) i ' ' and his poem on dining with a lora. '.'The Daisy" and "To a Field alouse" showed originality of thought. "Ho calls the mouse 'his feilow morual,' " remarked Mrs Baird smilingly. "I arn sure the lassies would not agree with that." Other poems which rars Baird mentioned were the "Aduress to the De'il," the beautiful epitaph written for his daughter and hegmning "Here lies a rose," and "The Epistle to Davie."

Of his patriovic poenls they had "Shall Haughty Gauls" in which occurred the lines Mrs Baird hoped would be long remembered: "Be Seolland stilJ to Scotland true, among ourselves united." "The Rights of Women," written for Miss Fohtenelle to use as a prologue to an address in 1792, had many passages appropriate at the present d'ay, and made reference to armaments, revolutions, and European uneasiness. MUSIC AS THEY STOOD. Raferring to the songs of Burns, Mrs Baird quoted Carlyie, who had said that Burns 's songs did not require inusic, for they were music as they stood. "Scots Wha Hae' " he wrote while riding his horse in a violent storm, and Carlyie had described it as the finest song of its kind ever written. "The Cauld Blast" was one of Burns ',s last works, being composed to little Jessie Lucas, who helped his wife to nurse him during his last illness. Mrs Baird stressed that Scotland 's national song should be rendered "And Auld Lang fcsyne"; there was no mention of the "days of Auld Lang Syne." Burns was born on January 25, 1759, and died on July 21, 1796. Carlyie had said we had only his youth, not his ruanhood. His geuius had been cut cff almost in the middle. But, continued Carlyie, he lay -enskrined in our memory better than in marble. Sir William Watson, ono of the greutest poetc, who died only last year, wrote a beautiful poem on Burns 's grave, in which he told us that it was Burns 's greatness, not his littleness, that coucerned mankind. Ingersoll, tke American writer, had visited tke shrine also and written tkree verses about it. Mr Simpson, replying to Mrs Baird, pointed out the significance of the occasion in that the main address had been given by a "Scot-tish lassie" for probably tlie iirst time. Mrs Baird had dipped deeply into Burns 's works, and her^ address would kelp to create a similar love of that master poet in all those who heard her. He had not heard a iiner address. During the evening songs were rendered by Mrs H. Poppelwell, Mrs McDuff Boyd, Mr H. File, Mr T. Johtislon, and Madame Mercer, and Chieftain P. J. Priest reeited one of Burus's poems "IMMORTAL MEMORY." The toast list was: "The lmmortal Memory of Kobert Burns" (Chief Hugh Baird),' "Tlie .Lassies" (Chieftain B. Farquharson — Mrs G. R. Harper) ; 4 ' Disting.iished Visitors," coupietl with the uame of Mr H. M. Campbell (Chief llugu Baird — Mr H. M. Campbell). Tlie piping-in of the haggis was an lmportant part of the programme, tor no Scottish gathering is conmlete without the liaggis. The luiggis this% year was made by Mrs Gordon, and was carried in by Mr Dunean McKenzie, !ed by the drum-major and members of the society 's Highland pipe band. Council lor Andrew Robertson reeited the "Address to the Haggis, " after which Chieftain Sliaw said tlie Selkirk Grace. Chieftain Farquharson, proposing tho

toast "The Lassies," admired the way in which the lassies had rallied rouud and helped the sbciety. Mrs G. R. Harper, in replying, spoxe of Burne ',s works, with particular reference to quotations about the lassies. Chief Baird spoke of the sympathetic help Mr H. M. Campbell had given the society on several oceasions in proposing the toast of " Distinguished Visitors," and expressed delight at the presence of Mr and Mrs Campbell. Mr Campbell, in reply, remarked that it was most necessary that the society should flourish. Nothing could be worse than to have. the old Scottish ideal-s, customs, pleasures and sports allowed to die. They were one of the baekbones of the British Empire. He would continue to help the society as long as he lived. Mr Campbell spoke in kumorous vem of his recent trip to Scotland. The evening eoncluded with supper and dancing.