The Dumfries House in which Burns Lived and Died.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 685, 4 November 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Dumfries House in which Burns Lived and Died.

A little, unpretendingbuilding on a narrow street in Dumfries, which we visited today, has aa interest which far surpasses that of the wealthy nobleman's lordly mansion, — for it was the houaein which Robert Burns lived and died. It is a plain, low, two-story house, built apparently of B tone, covered on the exterior with plaster of a yellowish-white color. The principal rooms in the interior were on. the first floor, a sitting-room, a parlor, and a kitchen. The parlor was a room about twelve by sixteen feet. Above, were two front chambers, each about ten by fifteen feet, and tome smaller rooms. In one of the front room Burns died. The house was occupied as a residence by his wife until her death, some thirty -four years after Burns, and remains very much the same as itjjwas when the poet lived there. In Dumfries, some of Burns' most beautiful poems were written. It is a town of almost 12,000 inhabitants, in southwestern part of Scotland. It is rather a picturesque place, being located in the beautiful 1 Valley of Nith, and with the bold summit of Creffel looming up in close proximity. Near the ' Kings Arms,' where we stayed, i 3 the old Globe Tavern, which was one of the poets favorite haunts. We visited it about ten in the evening. This house, still kept as a tavern, is the house which Burns describes as the place ' where his friend Clarke and himself have had many a squeeze.' The room where the poet and his friends used to gather, remains unchanged. The old wooden wainscoting is just as it was ; and in the corner called Burns' corner, where the poet always used to sit, still stands the chair which he occupied ; and in the centre of the room is the table which he used. At the time of our visit, a party of Scotch poople, from the humbler tanks of life, were (Visiting the scene. To 'this clan the momqry of Burns isspccially dear.' We all in the poet's ol4, arm-chair, and partook together of such beverage as the, house afforded; and then, one of the ptrty, who|liadafine, manly voice, sang with threat spirit and feeiin^, the beautiful song of Burns. 'Of a' the >airts the wind can bla«v.' In the chamber above, upon two fo the panes of glass, in the window, are inscribed in Burns' writing, two verses of his poetry. He had a fancy for vrri- ; ting snatches of songs upon glass, and a number of similar mementoes of his, still exist. In St. Michael's Churchyard, in Dumfries, .his remains are interred, and a mausoleum is erected over them, which contains a monument to his memory. This) is a work which ba<* been greatly criticised, and which doubtless, has great defect as a work of art. The conception is, however, striking and agreeable. , Burns is represented life size, standiug at at the plow, while Genius of Cbila — a graceful figure— is seen hovering in the sky above him, casting her mantle over. Whatever may be its faults), it will always possess interest, from the fact that the face is a faithful portrait of the poet, which was chiseled under the eye, and received the approval of his brother, Gilbert Burns. In a sketch of Burns' eight years' residence in Dumfries, published by Mr McDowell, of that city within a fewyears,, und which I found in one of the bookstores of that city, I found some interesting facts in relation to Burns, which were new to me, and which, I doubt not, will be of interest to your readers. On the 19kh of September, 1815, the b idyofßurusi was removed from tli» graro' where it was first buried, in July, 1796, to the vault of tlie present mausoleum The,' removal took place at an early hour in the ! morning, in the presence of Mr Grierson, ' the secretary of the Building Committee^ I and if some other persons, but was strictly private. On opening tha coffin, the remains, of the poet were found, to all appearance nearly entire, and exhibited the features of one who had recently sunk into the sleep of death— the lordly forehead arched and high ; tho head still j j coverad with hair ; the teeth perfectly i formed and white. The scene was so ! imposing that most of the workmen stood, with uncovered heads, and all present were 1 thrilled with inexpressible emotion as they gazed on the' form of him whose fame has become as wide as the earth itself. But the effect was. momentary, for when they proceeded to insert a case below tho Coffi'i, for the purpose of its removal, tlio. head separated from the trim It, and the whole body, with the exception of the bones, crumbled into dust. , At Bromhill Inn, Dumfrieshire,' Burns used to made frequent visits xm tho course \ of his ofUcia.l duties as exciseman. On ono j of these occa«ons ho was told thnt a youug woman named Christina KirkI partrick. who lived near by, was a delight- , tut si.iger of his songs. Burns expressed a wi«h to hear her, and was greatly j facinatedby her singing. The talents of, this humble country lass were sub' sequently turned to account by tho poet, who often subjected his songs (0 the ordeal of her fine, musical taste, for tho purpose of correcting any harsh word or bad rythra 1 , Some time after Burns' introduction to her, J Christy was married to a Mr Flint, and Burns attended as one of tho marriage guests. Soon after the retirement of the nvirried pair, a girl prosent, who could sing nearly as well as the bride, was asked to givo a specimen of her vocal powers, She smarted • Highland Mary.' Tho effect of this song wpon bhe morbid sensitiveness of Burns was pitiful to witness. Before tho singer could finish the stanza with the lines, " For dear to me as light and life Was my sweet Highland Mary " lie started to his feet, prayed the young "inger in God's name to forbear, and then, hastening to the wedding chamber, knocked, and entreated the bridegroom to let tho bride • come out of the house and quiet liis mind with a verse or two of " Ye banks and braes of bonnie Doon." This rather untimely request was complied with,

and under soothing influence of Christy Flint's music, the poet again recovered hit equanimity. Another interesting anecdote of Burns, related in this little work, gives a diff* erent and far more creditiable idea of the poet's religious nature than is commonly entertained. William Stewart waa a friend of Burns, whom he frequently visited. Stewarts plowman called one day when Burns was visiting there, and toldhis master that he had- a young child at the point of death, and asked his master to go do,wu to the cottage and offer up prayer. Burns, on request, accompanied! his friend Stewart to the house of .mourning, in which' the fitindV* and' neighbors were assembled ' Mr. Burns,*said Stewart, ' it's you that maun put up the prayer ; ye can do a thing of that kind better than me.' The poet deeply affected by the hopeless aspect of the child and the grief of the parents, con plied with the request. After the usual prelude, ' Let us pray,' said with a solemn air, he proceeded to lead the the devotions of the company, in language* that touched the hearts of all. Before he closed, every one present was in tears. The manner in which Burns prayed for the plowman's dying child, made 'a deep impression at the time, and was spoken of as something wonderful, in the district where it occured. This auecoote oif Burns was related a few years since, to the two daughters of Mrs. Begg. the poet's lister, who said that people in general were apt' to suppose tbat their uncle had no religion, ' but they had heard their mother say that, after her father's death, Robert was left in charge of the rest, and the plowman at Me«s#iel stated that, while he remained' there, Robert constantly 'took the Book' (conducted the family worship), and tha 'he never heard a minister use more sublime language than the poet employed on such occasions.'— [Glasgow Correspondence of ' Chicago Tribune.'