POET AND HERO.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 31, 31 January 1912, Page 3

POET AND HERO.

MR. MAXWELL’S EULOGIUM ON ROBERT BURNS.

Owing to the exigencies of space much of the matter in the speeches at the Burns celebration last Thursday had to ho digested,' this being especially noticeable in the case of the speech of Mr D. Maxwell, who was entrusted with ’the chief toast of the evening—“The Immortal Memory of Robert Burns.V We therefore now publish Mr Maxwell’s remarks verbatim. Mr Maxwell said: Mr Chairman and Gentlemen: I rise to propose the, toast of the evening, and to ask you ;to join with me in drinking to the, jmmortql, memory of Scotland’s national poet, and,, I think I may add, Scotland’s national hero—Robert Burns. , It has been said that the Scotchman’s prayer is, “Oh Lord, gie us a guid conceit o’ oorsels.” An English critic said the prayer was quite unnecessary, as Scotland already had all the conceit she needed and a good deal more than she was entitled to. I mention this because if, in 'the few brief remarks I propose making, I may seem to lavish an undue amount of praise on Scotland and the Scottish people, you will understand that I am merely a victim to the Scotchman’s prayer. When I speak of Scotland’s national poet it may be asked: ..“Had .Scotland no other poej;s?” and tire answer would lie “Yes.”, StpthiaKl had a number'of poets, and pf a. high order of merit. She had, ,Tannerhill, the sweet 'singer, Motherwell, jAllan. Ramsay, Ferguson, Hpgg,, , the Ettrick Shepherd, and the giant, ;Sir Walter Sco'tt. One might wonder how Robert Burns, without, any pf the adventitious aids of birth,, ■, lyealth, or education, succeeded in wresting the laurels from such a distinguished and gallant company. Of course it was mainly by the force of his genius; but one of the contributing factors of Jiis immense popularity was the fact that lie sang of. Scotland and the Scottish people in their own language—in the braid auld Scottish tongue—and Ids humorous and masterly use of the Doric has given unbounded pleasure and delight to Scotchmen the wide world over. When I use the term national hero I. may say I have given the matter some consideration. And when one thinks .of ,the Burns Clubs in every English-speaking country, the ceiehlhWorrs of the anniversary of In's birth,,.the .affectionate mention of his name wherever men meet, and tho large gathering that is met hero to-night to do honour to Ids memory,- all ,go to satisfy me that in the whple range of Scottish history , there is no other man -&o deeply seated in tho affections of' the Scottish,. people as Robert' Burns. When a, speaker has to mention Ids works hq jy embamisod; not by the poverty, but by the ■ wealth of the material lie can select from; but some stand out prominently. “Auld Lqng, S.YWi”. ,hns, been,.snug.dm every part of the civilised' world, and when one considers the adventurous nature of Scotchmen and the fact that wherever two or-three Scotchmen are gathered together, 1 in coni pad y with a bottle -of wlitek’y they are' sure to sing |“Auld/ Lmlg Syne,’”' one would ho justified in' saying that it has also been sung in many parts of tho uncivilised world. • ■.

“Wo twa line paidl’t in the burn Frae morning sun till dine, But seas between us braid hao roared, •Since Auld Lang Syne.” It’s very simplicity is its charm. Another noted song is“Wullie brewed .a peck o’ maut And Rab and Allan cam to pree, Three blyther lads the lee lang nicljt You wadna find in Christemlie. Tliis is a picture of hilarious jovial conviviality. . Burns had the sturdy independence typical of the Scottish nation and expressed it in “A Man’s a Man for a’ that.” “Is there for honest poverty wad king his lieid an’ a’ that.

The coward slave we pass him by, we claur bo puir for a’- that. For a’ that, and a’ that’ Our toils obscure and a’ that. The rank, is but the guinea stamp, tho man’s the gold for a’ that. Tire Scotchman is often pictured as a sly, pawkie, cannie, mean, miserly, grasping man. He is not. Here we have Burns, who was the very spirit of his time—an open, generous, high-spirited gentleman. Ho readied high water mark in “The' Cottar’s Saturday Night.” To show his dislike for hypocrisy lie wrote “Holy Willie’s Prayer.” A favourite piece is “Man was made to Mourn.” “Man’s inhumanity to man

Mai ces countless thousands mourn.” Attention lias often been drawn to tire honour that Burns has conferred on Scotland. I would like, however, to draw ' to the honour Scotland lias conferred on Burns. If oven an inferior and insignificant nation hy universal acclamation pro r claimed a man to bo her national poet and hero, that would he a high honour for any man. But when a nation like Scotland—a nation that in war, in law, in medicine, in philosohy, in tlheolngyj in commerce, in agriculture, in the arts and- sciences, a nation that in every phase of mundane activity has been for centuries in the forefront of the battle, a nation that by her love of education, the high level of her individual intelligence, her thrift and enterprise, her honesty and sturdy independence, has gained the respect and esteem of the whole civilised world—when a nation like that proclaims a man to be her national poet and hero, it would add a lustre and brilliance to the fame of any man who ever lived. In conclusion, Mr Chairman, 1 may say

that no school of philosophy has yet decided what is the most successful life, or what constitutes tho greatest man—whether it he the pursuit and acquisition of groat wealth or the pursuit and attainment of great knowledge and wisdom, or whether it may bo any of the many objectives that are the aim of men’s ambitions—ambitious for which men live and for which men dio. But if the attainment of world-wide fame and securing the enduring affectation of a great nation may bo- considered a successful life and constitute a great man. then Robert Burns had the most sue-, cessl'ul life and was one of the greatest men that ever was born in bonnie Scotland. Gentlemen, I ask you to join with me in drinking to the Immortal Memory of Scotland’s National Poet and Scotland’s National Hero—Robert Burns.