Solway Offset the Printers, Heathhall, Dumfries. Tel. 01387 262960 Motto — “A man’s a man for a’ that” THE ROBERT BURNS WORLD FEDERATION LIMITED Company Registration No. 196895. Scottish Charity No. SCO29099 (Formerly THE BURNS FEDERATION) Instituted 1885 upon him at Erskine. HEADQUARTERS: DEAN CASTLE COUNTRY PARK, DOWER HOUSE, KILMARNOCK. KA3 1XB. TEL/FAX: 01563 572469. OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CLOSED FOR LUNCH 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. [email protected] DIRECTORS JAMES ROBERTSON, E-mail: [email protected] HUGH WILSON LOGAN (Senior Vice President), Tel: 02828 272963 WALTER WATSON (Junior Vice President), E-mail: [email protected] JAMES GIBSON (Immediate Past President), E-mail: gibson.symington@virgin ANNE GAW, Tel: 01294 217481 MURDO MORRISON, E-mail: [email protected] Dr JAMES CONNOR, E-mail: [email protected] A. MacARTHUR IRVIN, E-mail: [email protected] JAMES O’LONE, E-mail: [email protected] SHIRLEY BELL, E-mail: [email protected] PETER WESTWOOD, E-mail: [email protected] WILSON OGILVIE, Tel: 01387 264267 MOIRA DUNSMORE, E-mail: [email protected] JOHN PATERSON, Tel: 01303 256670 HONORARY PRESIDENTS Mrs. Stella Brown, Charles Murray, Lew W. Reid, George Irvine, Professor G. Ross Roy, Archie McArthur, William Williamson, Murdo Morrison, Lawrence Burness, Tom G. Paterson, Peter J. Westwood, James Hempstead, Provost of East Ayrshire, Joseph Campbell, Professor Henryk Minc, Kenneth McKellar, Alastair Gowans, Robert Cleland. OFFICIALS Chief Executive: SHIRLEY BELL, “Inveresk,” Kelton, Dumfries. DG1 4UA. Tel/Fax: 01387 770283. E-mail: [email protected] President: JIM ROBERTSON, 4 Hunter’s Close, Dunnington, York. YO1 5QH. Tel: 01904 489201. E-mail: [email protected] Senior Vice-President: H. WILSON LOGAN, 64 Ballyhampton Road, Larne, N. Ireland. BT40 2SP. Junior Vice-President: WALTER N. WATSON, “Dreva”, 75 Peartree Close, South Ockenden, Essex. RM15 6PR. Tel: 01708 857509. E-mail: [email protected] Clerical Secretary: Mrs. MARGARET CRAIG, Dean Castle Country Park, Dower House, Kilmarnock. KA3 1XB. Editor: PETER J. WESTWOOD, 1 Cairnsmore Road, Castle Douglas. DG7 1BN. Tel/Fax: 01556 504448.

E-mail: [email protected] before and during his term as Provost. mendous contribution to the Federation Honorary Legal Advisor: DAVID STEVENSON. Auditors: SMITH & WALLACE & CO. CONVENERS 200 Club: MOIRA RENNIE DUNSMORE, 59 Beechwood Court, Dunstable, Beds. LU6 1QA. Tel: 01582 705671. E-mail: [email protected] Schools Competitions: ANNE GAW, 7 Highfield Place, Girdle Toll, Irvine. KA11 1BW. Tel: 01294 217481. Scottish Literature: JOHN G. PATERSON, Newlands, 35 Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, Kent. CT20 2NQ. Memorials Committee:WILSON OGILVIE, “Lingerwood”, 2 Nelson Street, Dumfries. DG2 9AY. Marketing/Advertising: MURDO MORRISON, 110 Campbell Street, Wishaw. ML2 8HU. Tel: 01698 372638. Conference Committee: MOIRA RENNIE DUNSMORE, 59 Beechwood Court, Dunstable, Beds. LU6 1YA. Tel: 01582 705671. PAST PRESIDENTS This was the first award of its kind, and it agreed that Provost Boyd most deserving of the accolade bestowed

James Gibson, John Skilling, Joe Campbell, Bob Dalziel, Moira Rennie Dunsmore, Andrew McKee, Murdo Morrison, in recognition of his tre - Federation, Council, was awarded Life Membership of the Robert Burns World Provost James Boyd (left), East Ayrshire David C. Smith, John Morrison, Charles Kennedy, Donald Urquhart, Hutchison Sneddon, C.B.E., J.P., Anne Gaw, Enez Anderson, J. Connor, M.D.I.R.C.P. (Edin), L.R.F.P.S. (Glas)., D. Wilson Ogilvie, M.A., F.S.A.Scot., John Inglis, Illustration on back cover from left to right: May Crawley (Canada), MacIrvin (USA) and Jim T. McIlwraith, George Anderson, Mollie Rennie, S. K. Gaw. O’Lone (Australia) pictured at the Cairn after the unveiling ceremony. BURNS CHRONICLE WINTER EDITION 2002 Editor: PETER J. WESTWOOD, 1 Cairnsmore Road, Castle Douglas. DG7 1BN. Tel/Fax: 01556 504448. E-mail: [email protected] Editorial Consultant: Professor RAYMOND GRANT, University of Aberta, Edmonton, Canada. Advertising Manager: MURDO MORRISON, 110 Campbell Street, Wishaw, ML2 8HU. Tel/Fax: 01698 372638. E-mail: murdo.morrisonmmpr@btint EDITORIAL Contents Colin Hunter McQueen...... 4 A WORLD FIRST FOR BONIE JEAN The New Bardolatry...... 9 It has taken over 169 years since her death to Camera Obscura...... 16 raise a statue to Jean Armour, devoted wife of Robert Burns. Nevertheless it is most appropriate that this should have been made possible by the foresight of Who Really Did Receive the members of Mauchline Burns Club who over a few “Geddes Burns”...... 22 years planned and raised finance, which has culminated in the unveiling of a life size bronze Newark Castle...... 25 statue (Jean at the age of 23) at Mauchline Cross on Saturday 30th November, 2002. The statue see cover of this issue, was the work Robert Gilfillan...... 27 of sculptor Ruaraig Maciver of Beltane Studies, Peebles and unveiled by Lady Alexander of Service of Dedication to Mauchline. It is interesting to note that a further Victims of Terrorism...... 29 statue to Jean is to be raised in Dumfries next year, where she spent the last 38 years of her life. A full report and pictures on the Mauchline The Plaid and Tartan in unveiling appears on pages 59, 60 and 61. Robert Burns’ Poetry...... 41 An equally impressive highlight in the Burns world took place on 11th September, 2002 when a Cairn was dedicated in Dean Castle Country Park, Why Should we Idly Kilmarnock in memory of the victims of terrorism in Waste our Prime...... 47 the United States of America. See report and pictures on page 29. Burns News at the The Robert Burns World Federation Limited does not accept any Stirling Smith...... 49 responsibility for statements made or opinions expressed in the Burns Chronicle. Contributors are responsible for articles signed by them; the Editor is responsible for articles initialed or signed by him, as well Auld Lang Syne...... 54 as for those unsigned. Articles, photographs, items for review and all correspondence should be addressed and forwarded to the Editor at the above address. Articles offered should be in typescript with double World’s First Statue to spacing and on the one side of the sheet. A stamped addressed envelope should be forwarded for return of articles and photographs. Jean Armour...... 59 © THE ROBERT BURNS WORLD FEDERATION LIMITED

1 2 JAMES ROBERTSON PRESIDENT OF THE ROBERT BURNS WORLD FEDERATION

was born in Edinburgh but have lived most of my life in England. The last 33 years in the beautiful City of York. I have the honour of being a Past President of the St Andrew Society of York and also Ia Past President of Yorkshire District, but to me the greatest honour of my life was in September at Erskine Bridge Hotel when I was honoured with the Presidency of the Robert Burns World Federation. From the moment the chain of office was placed around my shoulders, I have felt the great responsibilities of being President, and very aware of the great traditions of the Federation. I will do my utmost to follow the great Presidents that have gone before me and to spread the name of the Robert Burns World Federation. I thank all members and clubs for their support as I prepare to meet the new challenges that lie ahead in the year 2002-2003. I think we have made some great steps forward over recent years but there is much work still to be done. The Burns Federation is all about people and I know that I can rely on your support throughout the coming year. Our Federation was founded on friendship and the love of Robert Burns, long may this continue. I look forward to my year in office with keen anticipation and hope to meet and make many new friends. To enable this to happen I am more than willing to travel to wherever I can be of any help.

Here’s freedom to them that wad read, Here’s freedom to them that would write. There’s nane ever fear’d that the truth should be heard, But they whom the truth would indite.

My sincere greeting to you all.

President —————————— AN HISTORIC OCCASION AT MAUCHLINE Right: Lady Etain Hagart-Alexander (whose husband Sir Claud is related to the “Bonie Lass of Ballochmyle”, Wilhelmina Alexander pictured with Bonie Jean’s great,great,great granddaughter, Lavinia Drew, prior to the unveiling of the statue to Jean Armour (see story on page 59.) Photo by John Keachie

3 Second in a Series of Interviews on the lives of well-known Burnsians COLIN HUNTER McQUEEN ——————— The friend of man, the friend of youth, The friend of age, and guide of youth, Few hearts like his - with virtue warm’d, Few heads with knowledge so inform’d.

RTIST, Cartoonist, Sculptor, Modelmaker, Painter, Author and Burnsian, born in AGlasgow in 1942 and educated at North Kelvinside School. Attended evening classes at Glasgow School or Art where he excelled at life Colin at the age of 16 (note the hair style!) drawing and sculpture. Against his parent’s wishes he left school at the age of 15 to become an apprentice patternmaker in Yoker, followed by incidentally his knowledge and work on swords a period with a Monumental Sculptor who and targes is very impressive. encouraged Colin to attend art classes on There was only one place that Colin could Saturday mornings without any loss of earnings. have met his future wife, Alison and surprise, By now his talents were being acknowledged and surprise that was in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, it comes as no surprise to find him working for where else! They were married in 1968 (Not in the Art Galleries and Museum in Kelvinside, the Art Gallery) and their equally talented son, where he was to remain for 30 years becoming a Douglas was born in 1971. He has inherited Senior Conservation Officer in the Technology some of his father’s artistic talents, including Department, retiring owing to ill health. music, he is a professional musician has his own Modelling and restoring became a major part of Group and composes and sings his own songs. Colin’s work as the Department’s main Ship Modeller resulting in the restoration of some 600 BURNS ENTHUSIAST models which included coaches. Space does not Today, to say that Colin’s first love (after allow me to name the various models for which Alison) would be Robert Burns is an understate- he was responsible, two of the most notable ment for model-making figures of the Poet and being the models of the QEII and the Royal Yacht Bonie Jean have become an obsession – an Brittania and the not so well known Strathclyde unfilled wish is to sculpt a model of Robert and now in the Glasgow Burrel collection. A major Jean together so (watch this space!). A recent work for Stirling’s Smith’s Art Gallery was a chance remark to Colin resulted in the design for model of Cambuskenneth Abbey. a small Cairn which was recently unveiled in the Colin’s work as a painter is on a par with his Burns Federation’s Memorial Rose Garden in modelling, examples being his large mural depict- Dean Castle Country Park (see page 8 of this ing Street Scenes at Glasgow’s Transport Museum, issue). not to mention a life size potrait of Robert Burns As one would expect from Colin he has and a large scene from the Battle of Bannockburn, become an authority on Robert Burns

4 Street Scene in Glasgow’s Transport Museum. Colin at work on the model of Waverley.

5 Memorabilia, in particular with porce- lain and books. His enthusiasm for the Poet can further be seen in his excellent book Rantin Rovin Robin published in 1999. I have it on good authority that like his hero the Poet he likes eggs and hates puddings! As a result of Colin’s restoration work for Irvine Burns Club he was appointed an Honorary Life Member – other Honorary Members of the Club include Charles Dickens and Thomas Carlyle. Other examples of Colin’s artistic work can be seen in the Burns Chronicle issue dated 2001 pages 57-61 and page 63. Also the front cover of the Autumn 2002 Burns Chronicle.

Above: Colin’s model of Cambuskenneth Abbey and right working out how long a piece of string is!

6 Model of the QEII (18 feet long) five years to complete.

Colin presenting Professor Ross Roy with one of his Robert Burns plaques during Ross’s visit to Dumfries.

Model of the Royal Yacht Britannia

7 President Jim Gibson and Provost of East Ayrshire James Boyd pictured at the Cairn after the unveiling. See report on page 29.

8 THE NEW BARDOLATRY Gerard Carruthers (University of Glasgow)

hat follows is a review-essay response to The Canongate Burns edited by Andrew Noble and Patrick Scott Hogg.1 As should become apparent, my criticisms of The Canongate Burns Wrevolve not around profound or subtle scholarly differences in interpretation but involve serious reservations about the basic competence of this edition in matters of handling text and logic. A “knee-jerk” reaction to the volume has occurred in some quarters, taking its cue from the claims of The Canongate Burns itself, which has sought to hail the book as a powerful monument to an unequivocally leftist Burns. Both the book itself and those uninformed, politically sentimental individuals who have supported it provide, I contend, a somewhat frightening portrait of how negligently Scotland can treat its cultural history in the early twenty first century. Besides commentary by me in a forthcoming issue of Studies in Scottish Literature, I hope that this will be my last intervention in this whole sorry episode of Burns-mangling.2 With this contribution and my final remarks in Studies in Scottish Literature I will feel confident of having put down markers useful now and for responsible Burns Studies in the future, which will probably have to deal with The Canongate Burns.

Let me categorise and exemplify a number of context of the line and its reference to “craze their areas of wholly inadequate scholarship in The banes;” though with regard to this texture of Canongate Burns. In all of these categories other meaning, “craze” should be helpfully explicated, examples in error, solecism and poor reasoning as it is not in the Canongate edition, as “to render can be found. A full red pen correction of the infirm.”) We find also in “Epistle to Davie” “hae” volume (which, I suspect, would take many glossed as “has” (p.99) when it should be months and much energy) would reveal a quite “have.” A minor point? Only if it is believed that shockingly inept and bloody spectacle. competence in minor or basic matters is irrele- 1.Glossing. One would have thought that vant. It is from important primary linguistic glossing of the Scots language in an edition of competence that large-scale accuracy and sensi- Burns should demonstrate sensitivity to that lan- tivity to text are built. One could make a long list guage. What is one to make, however, of the fol- of the glossing infelicities in the book, but the lowing examples? In “Ca’ the Yowes” (p.338) above will have to suffice here. Those listed above “Ca’ “ is given in the margin as “call” when, of exemplify a level of quite witless practice that course, it should be rendered as “drive” or does nothing to illuminate the nuances of Burns’s “herd.” Who imagines that “calling” sheep would language usage. be to any purpose? A related usage of “ca’ “ as it 2. Errors in transcription. These are not the should be glossed here pertains to the instruc- same as “typos” but represent poor scribal and tion, “ca’ the rope” in children’s skipping games proof reading evidence. It is true to say that errors (an expression still found in Ayrshire, of transcription, especially when dealing with Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire and the Lothians). texts incorporating antiquated syntax, punctua- In “The Twa Dogs” (p.6) “whyles” is glossed as tion and orthography, are almost humanly inevi- “whiles” (which is simply an alternative Scots table in large editions, but when these are as fre- form) rather than translated as “sometimes.” In quent and as obvious as in The Canongate Burns, the same poem we have the unhelpfully literal one must conclude a high degree of initial care- glossing of “sair-wark” as “sore work” (p.11) lessness and inexpert proof-reading. Two striking when “hard work” is clearly called for (the painful examples are: connotations of the work being apparent in the

9 ... if you ever discover a chearful-looking gig pick up on the second last line of “On a Scotch [my emphasis] of an old, fat Bard Gone to the West Indies”(pp.123-4) where fellow, the precise figure of Dr Slop, wheeling this is rendered as, “I’ll toast you in my hindmost about your own avenue in his gillie, last” where “last”, clearly, should be a gloss own carriage” (Canongate Burns, p.276) of “hindmost.” This bleeding of glossary into where “gig” should, in fact, read main text happens on a number of occasions in “grig” meaning here, semi-ironically, an ener- the volume, and is precisely the kind of thing that getic type. Given that the editors those with a competent knowledge of Burns will make much of this letter claiming (rightly) see immediately. The defence that it is an error in that it is “a small comic gem in the technical printing process simply does not itself”, it would be helpful if they could render stand as an excuse for allowing such textual man- the text in coherent form. gling to reach the final version. 3. Poor referencing and Faulty Information and a letter to William Chalmers where we are abounds in the volume. As well as lacking an treated to what might appear to index of contents for the lengthy discursive notes be innuendo with Burns referring to “the in the book that the supposedly close-argued heavenly Miss Burnett, daughter of nature of this material would require and an [sic - it should read ‘to’] Lord Monboddo, at index of first lines, the critical and textual appa- whose house I have had the rati of The Canongate Burns are mystifyingly honour [sic - the eighteenth century orthogra- unclear. Here are a few pointers from a vast phy here should read ‘honor’] to amount of information mangling: more than once” (p.217) when the text The list of “Archival Sources” (p.1007) baldly should read “to be more than once.” lists, for instance, “The Mitchell Library, And this error amidst a discussion of that Glasgow.” Which archives or manuscripts were which the editors claim to be Burns’s specifically consulted? The list also includes “sexual voracity bordering on erotomania” “Geddes Archive, Essex Country [sic] Record (p.217)! One really must wonder if Office, Cheltenham.” There is no “Geddes the editors are unconsciously editing their Archive” as such in this place; materials relating texts according to their own to Alexander Geddes are to be found in the psychological predilections. papers of the Petre family in Essex County Records which is in Chelmsford. We are also told It would be tedious to go through the in this list that “RH refers to Registry House entire volume and count the number of bad tran- papers, Scottish Record Office, Princes Street, scriptions, but random sampling is suggestive. Edinburgh” when the particular archives utilised Anyone interested might turn to p.243 where a in this location should again be specified. This quotation from a letter by Burns to Dugald entry in The Canongate Burns is clearly intended Stewart contains six mistakes including the total to be a key to reference in the text. But what is omission of a fairly important phrase, “an oppor- the use of this coming at the end of the volume? tunity of waiting on you to have”, representing a It should appear, or be footnoted to, the first time butchering of the text. On p.244 a quotation that any such abbreviation is to be signalled. The from Burns critic, Tom Crawford, contains five sloppiness and - one must assume - the hurried- errors. One might hazard a fair extrapolative ness, with which The Canongate Burns has been guess on the basis of these consecutive two pages constructed is very apparent in the list of “Archival as to how many textual errors might be counted Sources” alone. across the 1,100 odd pages of the edition. I find One piece of mangled information is intrigu- it hard to believe that adequately knowledgeable ing in the light of the dismissal of Professor G. and attentive proof reading could have failed to Ross Roy in the edition (I draw attention to this

10 because it is plain to anyone with knowledge of the “heaven-taught ploughman.” Andrew Noble Burns Studies in the twentieth century that Ross can hardly contain his excitement as he vaunts Roy is a very significant figure). The editors seem Burns’s superhero propensities as against those determined not to give Professor Roy’s excellent who sought to be his patrons: “They were faced revised second edition of the letters of Burns any with someone hyperliterate, fecundly [sic] allu- credit. Therefore they list as their preferred source sive to a degree far beyond their powers in J. De Lancey Ferguson’s first edition of this work canonical literary and biblical tradition, who but then cite G. Ross Roy’s reassigned number- could not only talk their pants off, but, it was ing to a letter (499A) that importantly corrects feared, those of their wives and daughters too” Ferguson, Letter 604, dating the letter Feb? 1792 (p.xlvi). That people felt the need to shield their as compared to Dec. 1793 (see p.950). So Roy’s female relatives from Burns is a phenomenon to edition is to be explicitly dismissed but (not so) be found where in his biography? slyly utilised anyway. Something beyond incom- 5.Dubious Attributions and Cavalier Editorial petence is quite clearly here to be imputed to the Practice. The Canongate Burns purports to include actions of the editors. hitherto unnoticed poems by Burns. As is quite More dubious information, though of a more well known by now, my own work uncovered serious kind perhaps, follows below in categories two manuscript cases where Alexander Geddes 4 & 5 that serve to complement and expand (1737-1802) was found to be the author of upon my category 3. poems Patrick Scott Hogg wished to attribute to 4. Inadequate Evidence. It is stated in Andrew Burns.3 These remain the only manuscript find- Noble’s introduction to the book that the ings with regard to Hogg’s attributions. Most Crochallan Fencibles with which Burns associat- recently, I have also uncovered “Aratus”, a radical ed was “a radical, reformist club” (p.xlii). Now, if writer publishing in his (?) pamphlet, “Voyage to true, this is significant information. But can we be the Moon Recommended to all Lovers of Real shown the (clearly new) evidence behind this Freedom” (1793) a very similar poem to one statement? Vagueness suspiciously abounds at retrieved by Hogg, “On the Year 1793”, also every level of The Canongate Burns. The volume signed “Aratus” (Lost Poems, p.78; and absent, also suggests that Burns was sexually diseased: unaccountably, from The Canongate Burns though “From as yet unpublished sources, Burns does mentioned (p.787) as though this poem was seem to have suffered the venereal self-disgust of included in the volume - a very strange state of the so infected” (p.121). Which sources, where affairs!).4 and what precisely is the evidence? I wish here to present some new information We also have wild conjecture (by a particu- with regard to the case of “The Dagger” which larly post-eighteenth century mindset): “It is, of Noble and Hogg assert to be the work of Burns course, unlikely that the poet’s paternity prob- (Canongate Burns, pp.456-8). What The Canongate lems with May Cameron went as far the Court of Burns does not include in its printing of “The Session, but the Edinburgh legal profession Dagger” is a crucial piece of text which appears in under the Dundas dynasty, would have been the publication of the poem in the Edinburgh keenly interested in the tittle-tattle regarding the Gazeteer of May 24th 1793 beside the pseud- poet’s paternity problem” (p.956). Tittle-tattle onym, “ANE O’ THE SWINE.” Here we find the indeed! Where is the evidence that those operat- byline of “Airdrie.” If Burns has written this ing under the “Dundas dynasty” were interested poem, then, he must be pretending to be writing in any such thing? Can we stick to the known, or from the Lanarkshire town. Hogg in The Lost reasonably to be conjectured, facts, please? Poems, indeed, attempts to mount such an argu- At times the introduction descends into a ment: hero-worshipping mode as crass as anything found in the old-model bardolatry that glorified ... the note [sic] to indicate “Airdrie” as [sic]

11 the bottom of The Dagger [sic], does fact that there is, indeed, a poet from Airdrie writ- not detract from the case, but adds to it. ing in Scots in the 1790s, William Yeats, or Yates. Under no circumstances would Burns William Yeats can be found in Airdrie Bards Past have seen this poem published without a and Present (1930) edited by James Knox and deliberate distraction away from issued by the Airdrie Burns club.5 William Yeats Dumfries. It was his modus operandi prior to is recorded in this book as having been born at 1793 to pretend that his Roughcraig Farm, Airdrie “about the middle of compositions were written from a “safe” the eighteenth century” (p.306). The volume address. So, this would be expected prints “the only one of his writings which has from Burns. Any high quality poem in Scots come down to us” (p.306), “Airdrie Fair” (1792). was guaranteed to be annotated as This piece, like “The Dagger”, is in the “Christ’s somewhere away from Dumfries. Having Kirk” stanza and is likewise, in general, a compe- checked for an Airdrie poet who wrote tent enough essay in the genre. Here are stanzas in the Scots vernacular there is none. In addi- 10-12 describing activity at the fair: tion this stunning poem [“The Dagger”] is the only Scots vernacular poem There packmen billies set their stands, from 1760-1800 signed from An’ tinkle ower their braw things; “Airdrie”. Stylistic testing proves the locus to They sort them out wi’ clever hands, be a clever, but predictable red Gude Jacktalegs an’ a’ things. herring. The best Scottish poet of the time Ye folk, that come to see the fair, was Burns. The poem, therefore, is I earnestly entreat you ascribed to Burns with a considerable degree Mak’ ye your bargains a’ wi’ care, of certainty but not with absolute Or faith I fear they’ll cheat you, certainty. Thus, with this one qualification, it On sic a day. can be argued, beyond reasonable doubt Robert Burns was the author of The Now here an’ there, an’ thick an’ thrang, Dagger [sic]. (Lost Poems, p.104) The muckle horse are prancing; See! see! how braw, how stout, an’ strang, They’re thro’ the fair advancing; Amidst the awful grammar and the waffle, we Their manes plait up wi’ red an’ blue, find here also dubious logic. Burns’s “safe As they gang yont the causey; address” argument is built by Hogg on the likes Wow! but they mak’ a bonny show, of evidence such as the fact that Burns’s “Stanzas Sae plump they are an’ gawsy, on Psalmody” is signed from “Duncan M’Leerie” On sic a day. at a “chapel” in Kilmarnock. One winces to read Hogg claim: “Obviously they [Burns’s reader- An’ now ye’ll hear an unco din, ship] would have thought the author was a Scot An’ roars an’ squeals fu’ monie, from Kilmarnock who was Catholic” (Lost Poems, Frae hawkers thrang that gather in p.56). More importantly, the gambit of Burns An’ press their wares upon ye. signing himself from Airdrie is “predictable” to Alack! How mony blackguard chiels Hogg in the 1990s, but easily wrong-foots the That ha’e nae gude intention, government agents of the 1790s; yet these They seldom fail, at rants an’ reels, agents, we are supposed to believe, have Burns To raise some d—ned contention under intense scrutiny. I think we have here an On sic a day. example of that simplistic attitude that sees peo- ple from the past as less intelligent than those in The editor of Airdrie Bards also tells us that the present. There is also, most importantly, the Yeats was a flesher working in the High Street of

12 Airdrie. Given the poet’s profession might there be a playfulness at work in the case of “The “No Spartan tube, no Attic shell”/Early copy Dagger” (if Yeats is also its author) given the use of the first two verses of the poem of the pseudonym, “Ane o’ the Swine”? [i.e. that work labelled by James Kinsley, “Ode I am grateful here to Dr Liam McIlvanney of (For General Washington’s the University of Aberdeen who pointed me Birthday)”], with variations and substitution towards a work he had come across in the Belfast of Hibernia for Columbia. 1 page folio. Newsletter for 5th-8th September of 1794, “An Epistle to Mr. Robert Burns” [see appendix] However, the editors of The Canongate Burns signed “Wm Yates, jun./Airdrie, 1794.” So Yeats, simply take the first two stanzas of “Ode for or Yates, a Scots poet signing himself from Washington” and replace “Columbia” with “Airdrie” (a phenomenon Patrick Hogg tells us “Hibernia.” They are not textually warranted to quite categorically does not exist) can be found in do this, though, without making it plain that they the interesting context of the Ulster press of the do not know what other “variations” are in the 1790s (which Dr McIlvanney’s forthcoming book original, inaccessible manuscript. This repre- with Tuckwell Press illuminates with regard to sents, again, quite shocking editorial practice. Burns and others in path breaking fashion). I The other thing that is acknowledged in The would be interested to know the sources that Canongate Burns, as directed by the entry in the James Knox was drawing upon (it would be good Puttock and Simpson sales catalogue, is that to know for certain, for instance, which is the “Ode for Hibernia’s Sons” is an “early copy” ver- accurate rendering of Yeats’s surname - probably sion of the poem to Washington. The later poem it is “Yates”). Airdrie Burns club, past and pres- on Washington comprises four stanzas instead of ent, might be interested to know, then, that at only two in the case of the Irish poem. Now one least two poems from a local bard contemporane- would, of course, like to see the manuscript to ous with Burns have survived. And a very reason- see what else this might tell us about the circum- able surmise would also be that a third has come stances of composition, but there is a quite star- down to us in “The Dagger”; the most credible tling logic in the facts that we do know running circumstantial historical logic would now point counter to the insistence of The Canongate Burns here to Yeats’s authorship. It is interesting to note that in this case “Burns crucially [my emphasis] that The Canongate Burns, unlike The Lost Poems, passed commentary on Irish political affairs” omits any reference to the Airdrie by-line. And yet (p.820). Actually, the most logical thing one Hogg claims that the ascription of locus “adds” to might infer on the known facts is that Burns does his case for identifying Burns as author. indeed write a poem about the situation in Presumably the editors of The Canongate Burns, Ireland, but then decides he would rather rework collectively, realise that it does no such thing. his material in the American context in which he One seemingly intriguing find in The Canongate is presumably more interested. What does this Burns relates to “Ode for Hibernia’s Sons” say about the intensity of Burns’s interest in (p.819) that shows Burns casting an eye upon Ireland? From the incomplete evidence we do injustice in Ireland. Noble and Hogg unearth this have, “Ode for Hibernia’s Sons” potentially even in a sales catalogue for the firm Puttock and amounts to a “cancelled” poem. Simpson for “May 1862.” I decided to investigate What one finds everywhere one looks in both this find. To begin with I was somewhat ham- The Lost Poems and in The Canongate Burns is a pered in locating the sales catalogue since it is too hastily assembled case. The latter book actu- actually for May 1861 and is in the “Bigmore” ally looks to me like a work not much interested catalogue in the Mitchell (The Canongate Burns in Burns, except in so far and to the exclusion of once again fails to provide this crucial reference). all else, Burns can be proved to be a “radical” (a The entry for this item (no. 159, p.24) reads: word used all too loosely and vaguely by Noble

13 and Hogg as Liam McIlvanney’s work will soon show). A great deal of nonsense has been insinu- O Rab! thou lashes fair the race ated about people who dare question the Hogg That wear the wrang side o’ their face, and Noble findings as being “right wing” them- An’ try to shine for gifts o’ grace, selves. It is entirely valid for critics and scholars O’ gloomy nature; to argue (even passionately) over the ideological Their failings thou canst brawlie trace, context in which a writer is to be seen. I confess In pointed satire. that my own political instincts are at least as left But to the hearty honest man, leaning as those of the editors of The Canongate That walks by nature’s social plan, Burns, but this does not blind me (as it has some An’ taks at times a reaming can, others - there is an essay in this for another occa- To kill the spleen, sion) to some of the worst editorial practice and Thou blythly stretches out thy han’ partial logic ever inflicted upon a supposedly An’ owns a frien’. “scholarly” volume of Burns. I have no hesitation in diagnosing that with the publication of The Thy Holy Fair an’ Ordination, Canongate Burns there is now a “new bardolatry” Auld Nick’s Address an’ Dedication, abroad, intent on press-ganging and even traduc- Are warks that merit approbation, ing history. Does Scottish culture and scholarship Frae lads an’ lasses; (relatively small communities where individuals Tho’ aiblins held in detestation are sometimes a little embarrassed about being as By sighing asses. frank as they might be) have the courage and the resourcefulness to oppose this phenomenon? Thy Tam o’ Shanter, an’ thy Whistle, The source o’ mony a drinking bustle, Thy Birth-day Sang, an’ kind Epistle Appendix To Ochiltree, An Epistle, To Mr. Robert Burns, The Ayrshire Confer mair honour on thy grissle, Poet. Than I can gie.

“Of plain good sense untutor’d in the schools”. Thou paints wi’ life the rustic scene, An’ merry feats o’ Halloween, All hail to thee, thou Ayrshire Bard! That night when fairies skip the green, The Muses pride, and chief regard, In frisky sportin’; Wha’ crowns thy brows, a just regardú An’ lads an’ lasses thrang convene, Wi’ Scottish bays; To learn their fortune. An’ unknown frien’ at length has dar’d, To sing thy praise. But when thou quits thy sportive fire, An’ tunes to graver themes thy lyre, Aft ha’e I Bardie, at my leisure, Then may the cotters night aspire Perus’d thy canty book wi’ pleasure; Our praise to gain, There Auld Apollo boasts o’ treasure For wha can read an’ not admire, In Scottish rhime; The sacred strain. An’ genius shines in equal measure, The real sublime. Scotch Ramsay’s true poetic fame, An’ Gilbertfiel’s immortal name, Aft has Auld Scotland’s hills an’ plains, May crowns o’ laurels justly claim, Resounded wi’ thy lofty strains; Their wordy pages An’ aft has Coila’s jocund swains, Shall shine on the records o’ fame, In blythsome plight, Thro’ future ages. Rejoic’d that in their clime remains Sic genius bright. When they were gane, not lang sinsyne Rab Ferguson began to shine,

14 Author o’ mony a tunefu’ line - and punctuation I have left unaltered [GC]. In sounding strains He gars auld Reekie’s glory shine 1 The Canongate Burns: The Complete Poems and Thro’ Scotia’s plains. Songs of Robert Burns (Edinburgh, 2001) edited by Andrew Noble and Patrick Scott Pope, Dryden, Thomson, Swift, and Gay, Hogg. Steele, Addison, and mony mae 2 See Studies in Scottish Literature XXXIII (2002) That now lie mould’ring in the clay, for both my forthcoming review of the book Sang a’ weel-fard, and my essay “Problems with Pseudonyms Yet ne’er cou’d better taste display in the Burns ‘Lost Poems’. “ Than Coila’s bard. 3 Patrick Scott Hogg, Robert Burns: The Lost Poems (Glasgow, 1997). Ah! time! how fleeting is thy pace, 4 See “Problems with Pseudonyms in the Burns ‘Tween life an’ death how short a space: ‘Lost Poems’ “ in Studies in Scottish Literature Tha Bardies a’ ha’e run their race, XXXIII (forthcoming: 2002). An’ fill their urns: 5 James Knox (ed.), Airdrie Bards: Past and But Scotia smiles, for in their place Present (Airdrie, 1930). She has got Burns. —————————— Now Rab, my frien’, where’er ye gang May health and strength attend you lang, That brisk an’ blithe your frien’s amang, Yet ne’er may weary, BRIAN RETIRES TO To gi’e us aye the tither sang To haud us cheary. CARLISLE Auld Scotland’s pipe lang may ye blaw - An’ shoul’d e’er fortune gi’e ye a ca’, An’ bring your Bardship here awa’ I’d be fu’ happy, To drink wi’ you a glass or twa O’ Mitchell’s* nappy.

Now rhyming Robin fare you weel, Ne’er may you want a canny biel, Nor care and sorrow even feel, I wish most fervent; An’ here remain wi’ heartfelt zeal Your frien’ and servant, Wm. Yates, jun.

Airdrie, 1794. BRIAN CROFTS founder member of Blanefield Burns Club has retired, taking up residence in * A noted ale brewer in Airdrie. Carlisle. Bill Dawson, President of Stirling, Clackmannan and West Perthshire is pictured A transcription error: the word should surely with Brian and his wife Beryll during a be “reward”; other idiosyncrasies in orthography presentation ceremony to mark his work for the Association and Burns movement in general.

15 is that it still attracts hundreds of visitors both CAMERA OBSCURA young and old each year who climb the winding By Harry Hutchison staircase to see it being operated. There are fifteen Just at the or so camera obscuras in the United Kingdom, poetry of Robert two others in Scotland being in Edinburgh and Burns is timeless Kirriemuir. Prominent locations abroad include and universal so Torre, Tavira, Cadiz, Spain, Hainichen and is the Camera Mulheim in Germany, Napier, New Zealand, San Obscura. With Francisco, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and the advent of Riverside, California in USA, Parma Italy, television, Grahamstown, South Africa and Toowoomba, computers and Queensland, Australia. CCTV it is difficult to What is a Camera Obscura? imagine just how The camera obscura is, in its simplest form, a much enjoyment lens mounted vertically in an otherwise blocked and pleasure that out window. This will project an image of the the camera obscura gave. As a boy it was easy for view outside onto an upright screen in a darkened me to walk from my home in Galloway Street to room ‘camera obscura’ is from the Latin and The Observatory (illustrated above) which is means ‘darkened chamber’ or ‘darkened room’. located on high ground on the Maxwelltown side However, this simple type of camera obscura will of the River Nith in Dumfries. Housed in The only give a fixed view. If the lens is placed Observatory is the Camera Obscura which horizontally in the roof, and an angled mirror fascinated me, I thought that it was great fun to placed above it, it is then possible to rotate the see Mrs. Black washing her front door step, Mrs. optics and look around the building in which the Shanks sweeping the pavement in front of her camera obscura is mounted. house, my auntie in Janefield hanging out her The lens is obviously the key element in this washing or just watch the buses in the type of equipment. The two important attributes Whitesands. A glimpse of Queen of the South of the lens are its diameter and its focal length. Football Club at Palmerston Park was a rare treat. The focal length is simply the distance from the Of course the weather had to be fine for a good lens to the image when it is in focus. The focal view. On a clear day the view stretches from length of the lens governs the size that the image Ayrshire to the Lakeland Hills which are over will appear on the screen - a larger lens does not eighty miles apart. necessarily produce a larger image although it I doubt very much if the Dumfries and may do so if it has a longer focal length. The Maxwelltown Astronomical Society which brightness of the image depends on the focal purchased an old windmill in 1834 and converted ratio. This is the number produced when the it into The Observatory in 1836 could have focal length is divided by the lens diameter and is foreseen that it would become a museum and a the ‘f’ number familiar to photographers. The tourist attraction in the twenty first century. The smaller this number is, the brighter the image is, camera obscura and a telescope were installed in although the focusing becomes more critical. In 1836. The Observatory ceased to function as camera obscuras when it is necessary to change such in 1872 although the telescopes were still in the focus to view things clearly at different use until taken over by the Corporation in 1934. distances it is usually done by moving the screen It is not quite clear what the real astronomical either nearer to, or further from, the lens. The purpose of camera obscura was but what is clear image produced by a simple camera obscura is always upside-down and laterally transposed (ie a

16 mirror image). When a mirror is introduced this resurfacing of the mirror are the only running transposition is corrected, but as the optics above repairs needed. are turned through 360° the image on the screen The history of the camera obscura is certainly also turns full circle. fascinating and as early as the 4th century B.C. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the ancient Chinese realised that if a small hole is when the first photographic experiments were made in the window blind of a darkened room, taking place, the camera obscura had evolved an inverted image of the scene outside the into three distinct forms. One form was a window is produced on the opposite wall of the darkened room with a lens and mirror in the roof, room. This was first described outside China by producing an image on a table within the room. the Arabian scholar, Alhazen in about 1030. Such camera obscura were a common sight at A clear description of the formation of images seaside resorts and pleasure parks. A second type by a small hole in a darkened room is contained was in the form of a portable tent. A lens and in the manuscripts of Leonardo da Vinci in the mirror at the apex of the tent produced an image fifteenth century and by the mid-sixteenth on a horizontal desk inside the tent. The third century, lenses had begun to be used to increase form was the portable box-form camera obscura the brightness and sharpness of the image. which produced an image on translucent paper. It is interesting to learn that a Mr. Peter Drew It was this type of camera obscura that eventually of Bacup and a Mr. David Sinden are enthusiasts lead to the development of the photographic in the modern era who make camera obscuras. camera when it was used by the inventors of One could produce volumes on the subject of photography, Wedgwood, Niepce, Daguerre and camera obscuras with extensive research and I Talbot. merely wish to give a short insight into this At Dumfries, the lens of the camera obscura is remarkable but simple invention. 9” in diameter and a good reason why the instrument should still be in use today is the N.B. This précis has been compiled from notes simplicity of its working - the wooden turret taken from: revolving on a cogged rail, the shutter, the plain 1. A Pocket Guide to Camera Obscuras of mirror, the focusing lens and the dished and Britain and the World Written by Mike Feist, counter weighted table top with a plaster screen Foredown Tower, Hove Borough Council, some 12ft below. These and the pulley ropes are Published by Foredown Tower, Portslade, all there is, and occasional new ropes and a East Sussex BN41 2EW. 2. The Camera Obscura (Dumfries) by A. E. Truckell. 3. BA Education.

GRAMMATICAL NOTES Over the years the plural form of camera obscura has caused some controversy with the following possibilities being put forward Camera Obscuras Camera Obscura Camerae Obscurae As in the course of conversation it seems most natural to say “Camera Obscuras” this has been generally adopted - however some teachers or scholars may disagree.

17 a sad tale of French Acadia (Nova Scotia). I was THESE I HAVE particularly struck with a passage at the beginning of the poem. LOVED Thus dwelt together in love these simple By James L. Hempstead Acadian farmers,- Dwelt in the love of God and of man. Alike were they free from Fear, that reigns Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold, with the tyrant, and envy, the vice of republics, And many goodly states and kingdoms seen. Neither locks had they to their doors, nor bars to their windows; But their dwellings were open as In those lines John Keats is, of course, day and the hearts of their owners; There the referring to the world of books. In my youth I was richest was poor, and the poorest lived in fortunate to have the benefit of a large collection abundance. of books, belonging to my father, which he had “Evangeline” is a sad tale of British injustice. built up over the years. It was kept in what was The Acadian farmers were accused of assisting the then known as the “parlour press”, i.e. a built-in French in a battle against the British, and as cupboard in the sitting room, which was lined punishment were dispersed throughout the with wood and had five shelves. It was a very Americas. Husbands were separated from wives catholic collection. Novels, for instance, ranged and children from parents. The lovers, Gabriel from Zane Grey, to Anthony Hope, Hall Caine, Lajeunesse and Evangeline Bellafontaine were Neil Munro, R. L. Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas, separated. He is carried to Louisiana and Sir Walter Scott, and Charles Dickens. Evangeline to New England. The two spend years My father was a great lover of poetry, and searching for each other. Nursing the sick in an included in the collection were the works of most epidemic in Philadelphia, she recognises him as of the major poets. This was a treasure house, the dying man in her care. Now an old woman and my first excursion into poetry’s realms of Evangeline also dies and the two are buried gold was when I read Scott’s “Lady of the Lake,” together. which was followed by “The Lay of the Last One of my favourite poets is John Keats, who, Minstrel”, “Marmion” and “The Lord of the undoubtedly, is the master of word magic. He Isles”. The last named takes in the Battle of died at the early age of twenty-five but what gems Bannockburn, and I well remember the passage he left behind. He had a gift for the right word or describing the English knight, Henry De Boune’s words for the visualising phrase, and his poem, assault on Bruce prior to the battle. “Ode to a Nightingale” is full of such examples; He burn’d before his monarch’s eye embalmed darkness, verdurous glooms, shadows To do some deed of chivalry. numberless, deep delved earth, pale and spectre-thin. The King was lightly mounted on a palfrey Another fine illustration of his gift is to be found and, as De Boune bore down upon him, he: rose in the opening lines of his “Ode to Autumn” – high in the stirrups and brought his battleaxe Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, down on the head of De Boune – Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun. First of that fatal field, how soon One of the most interesting finds in the How sudden, fell the fierce De Boune collection was a little booklet, bound in maroon A writer has described Scott’s rousing ballad suede leather. It contained The Rubaiyat of Omar tales in verse as poetry for boys rather than men. Khayyam, which translated means the quatrains Although I had left school at that stage, I was still or stanzas of Omar, tentmaker. Omar was certainly very much the boy. not a tentmaker (probably his father‘s trade), but From Scott it was a short step to the narrative a renowned Persian astronomer and poet who poetry of Longfellow, - “Hiawatha” “The died in 1123. Over one hundred of the quatrains Courtship of Miles Standish”, and “Evangeline”, were translated by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859,

18 but their publication aroused little interest. Indeed it was not until Rossetti found a Here where men say my name was made, here secondhand copy that the Rubaiyat gained world- where my work was done; wide popularity. Omar gives us his thoughts on Here where my dearest dead are laid – my love and wine, and life and death. He also warns wife – my wife and son; us of the danger of greatness, the changes of Here where time, custom, grief and toil, age, fortune, and while supporting charity to all men, memory, service, love, warns us not to be too intimate with any. There Have rooted me in British soil. Ah, how can I are so many stanzas that I would like to quote but remove? as space is limited, I will confine myself to three of my favourites- Legate, I come to you in tears – my cohort ordered home! “Ah Love! Could thou and I with Fate conspire I’ve served in Britain forty years. What should To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire, I do in Rome? Would not we shatter it to bits – and then Here is my heart, my soul, my mind – the Re-mould it nearer to the Hearts’s Desire”! only life I know. I cannot leave it all behind. Command me not But Omar reminds us that – to go. The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ Moves on; nor all they Piety nor Wit Poetically speaking, Tennyson was the child of Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Keats, and like Keats, had the gift for the Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it, evocative phrase. He was 81 when he died in And a quatrain that was surely written for lovers, 1892, and during his long life he produced a - considerable amount of verse, which include Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough, such well known poems as “The Lady of Shalott”, A Flask of Wine, A Book of Verse – and Thou “The Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Morte Beside me singing in the Wilderness – D’Arthur’. The poem, however, that has remained And Wilderness is Paradise enow. in my memory since those far off days is “Locksley Hall.” It contains those two oft quoted Also in the “parlour press” was a copy of lines – “In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly Kipling’s works, and while I enjoyed reading turns to thoughts of love”, and the more “Gunga Din”, “If”, and many of his “Barrack profound – “Knowledge comes but wisdom Room Ballads”, the little poem which left the lingers”. It was in this poem too that Tennyson most lasting impression was “The Roman took an uncanny look into the future and Centurion’s Song”. It tells the story of the Roman predicted the transport of goods by air (air mail?), Centurion who has served in Britain for forty aerial warfare, and the use of poison gas – years and has been ordered back to Rome. He doesn’t want to go and the song tells us the For I dipt into the future, far as human eye reasons why. Here are three of the eight verses – could see, Saw the Vision of the world, and all the Legate, I had the news last night – my cohort wonders that would be; ordered home Saw the heavens filled with commerce, By ship to Portus Itius and thence by road to argosies of magic sails, Boulogne. Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down I’ve marched the companies aboard, the arms with costly bales; are stowed below: Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and Now let another take my sword. Command there rain’d a ghastly dew me not to go! From the nations’ airy navies grappling in the central blue.

19 Another poem by Tennyson, which took my The glories of our blood and state youthful fancy, was “Ulysses”. It contains a Are shadows, not substantial things; passage that could have been written for present- There is no armour against Fate; day Britain – Death lays his icy hand on kings; Sceptre and Crown Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’ Must tumble down, We are not now that strength which in old And in the dust be equal made days With the poor crooked scythe and spade. Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; Wordsworth was also there. His major theme One equal temper of heroic hearts, was the influence of nature on man, and who Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will among us cannot recite the first verse of To strive to seek, to find, and not to yield. “Daffodils”? One of his major works is “The Prelude, or Growth of a Poet’s Mind”. It took him Housed in the collection was a school prize of six years to complete and he sets out his my sister’s, called A Girl’s Book of Verse, published intention and design as follows – “Several years in 1925 by Philip Allan & Co., and compiled by ago, when the Author retired to his native Mary Lyttleton. In the preface she states that she mountains, with the hope of being enabled to has tried not to think of the title, and has only construct a literary Work that might live, it was a included those poems which she likes. This reasonable thing that he should take a review of would possibly explain the inclusion of “The his own mind, and examine how far Nature and Burial of Sir John Moore”, which does not seem Education had qualified him for such to be a poem essentially for girls. employment.” The work is essentially autobiographical, and the following passage is Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, from “Childhood and School-time”. I think that As his corpse to the rampart we hurried; it is a wonderful description of indecision. Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot, O’er the grave where our hero we buried. Far better never to have heard the name Of zeal and just ambition, than to live No useless coffin enclosed his breast, Baffled and plagued by a mind that every hour Nor in sheet or in shroud we wound him; Turns recreant to her task; takes heart again, But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, Then feels immediately some hollow thought With his martial cloak around him. Hang like an interdict upon her hopes. This is my lot; for either still I find Lt. General Sir John Moore was born in Some imperfection in the chosen theme, Glasgow and was the son of Dr John Moore, to Or see of absolute accomplishment whom Robert Burns addressed his famous Much wanting, so much wanting, in myself, autobiographical letter on 2nd August, 1787. That I recoil and droop, and seek repose The poem was written by a Dublin curate, Dr. In listlessness from vain perplexity. Charles Wolfe, whose only claim to fame rests with this poem. Lord Byron called it “the most When I had saved enough money – and in perfect ode in the language”. There were many those days it was very scarce – I bought a copy of excellent poems in this anthology, but another Palgrave’s Golden Treasury of Songs and Lyrics. No that has remained with me is called “Death the book was better named, because it was a veritable Leveller”, by James Shirley (1596-1606). The golden treasury and still is! I made so many passage I am going to quote, would I am sure, discoveries in this little book that it would be have appealed to Robert Burns;

20 impossible to name them all here, but there are one or two that come to mind. “Elegy Written in That voyage of discovery, which I set out on a Country Churchyard”, by Thomas Gray, is his many years ago, has never stopped, and during most famous work and is full of wonderful verses the course of a long life, much treasure has been such as; uncovered. Such gems as “The Deserted Village”, (Oliver Goldsmith), “Drake’s Drum” (Sir Henry Let not ambition mock their useful toil, Newbolt), “Cargoes” (John Masefield), “The Their homely joys, and destiny obscure; Soldier” (Rupert Brooke), “Home Thoughts from Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile Abroad” (Robert Browning), “I Remember, I The short and simple annals of the poor. Remember” (Thomas Hood), “The Blessed Damozel” (Dante Gabriel Rossetti), “Sonnets” Robert Burns had obviously read this poem, (William Shakespeare), “The Lake Isle of as this verse heads his “Cotters Saturday Night”. Innisfree” (W. B. Yeats), and the works of a host Another verse that has found a niche in history– of anonymous poets. In a lighter vein I have enjoyed “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” and The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, “The Cremation of Sam McGee” by Robert W. And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave, Service. Awaits alike th’inevitable hour:- The paths of glory lead but to the grave. Finally, to return to that collection in the “parlour press”, there is one poet, Lord Byron, It has been recorded that, following the death whose works I have left to the last. His profligate of General Wolfe in the battle for Quebec, a father died when he was three years old and he much thumbed copy of Gray’s poems was found was brought up in Scotland by his mother. This, among his possessions, with the last line of the no doubt accounts for the lines in “Lochnagar”– above verse underlined. England! thy beauties are tame and domestic It was also in the Golden Treasury that I found To one who has roved o’er the mountains afar; Richard Lovelace, the Cavalier poet, (1618-1658) Oh for the crags that are wild and majestic! and his poem, “To Althea from Prison” – The steep frowning glories of dark Lochnagar.

Stone walls do not a prison make, His life was a short one, dying when he was Nor iron bars a cage; 36, and although a bit of rake in his private life, Minds innocent and quiet take he wrote some wonderful poetry. “Childe That for an hermitage; Harold’s Pilgrimage”, which was published in If I have freedom in my love 1812, established him as a poet. I have taken my And in my soul am free, concluding quotation, which I think is most apt, Angels alone that soar above, from “Don Juan”, his long unfinished poem, Enjoy such liberty. considered to be his finest work.

It may seem incredulous to many of my But words are things, and a small drop of ink, friends, when I tell them that I did not catch up Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces with Robert Burns until I was in my late twenties. That which makes thousands, perhaps While that was the greatest discovery of all, I am millions, think, very pleased that it happened that way, as I ‘Tis strange, the shortest letter which man gained a very valued insight to and appreciation uses of the works of other poets. I have found that so Instead of speech, may form a lasting link many Burnsians know only Burns, which is a Of ages; to what straits old Time reduces great pity, as there is a wealth of treasure waiting Frail man, when paper – even a rag like this, to be discovered in poetry’s “realms of gold”. Survives himself, his tomb, and all that’s his!

21 Wanting to clarify the matter, this writer WHO REALLY DID turned to several books on Scottish church his- tory and to photocopied excerpts from two offi- RECEIVE cial publications he received during a visit to the chancery office of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, THE “GEDDES The Hierarchy of Scotland and the Western Catholic Calendar.6 What emerges is that James Black and BURNS?” many scholars, including Maurice Lindsay, James A presentation to the Bicentenary Discussion Mackay, and the writers of the Geddes entries in Group of London, Ontario. On November 23, 2001 The Dictionary, were all mistaken. by member Rev. Frank Leslie. No basis for calling Alexander and John broth- ers could be found anywhere. One writer called as the original recipient of the them cousins, but she too failed to give any “Geddes Burns” Alexander Geddes or authority for this.7 Alexander Geddes was WJohn Geddes? Was he a bishop or a ordained a priest, in 1764, but never a bishop. priest? The article which appeared in the Burns He served in Scotland until 1779 when to the Chronicle for the year 2000 perpetuates the con- relief of his bishop, George Hay, he left the active fusion. A large section consists of an address by ministry and eventually found himself in London the current owner of the “Geddes Burns,” James where he lived out his years. Geddes’ liberal Black, to the Burns Club of Detroit, Michigan on views, free-wheeling lifestyle, and heterodoxy had what seems to be the occasion of its inauguration brought him repeatedly into conflict with Bishop on May 1, 1867. Black proceeded to confuse the Hay. Nevertheless Alexander Geddes was a bril- book’s first owner, Bishop John Geddes, with liant Scripture scholar who had even made a “the Rev. Dr. Alexander Geddes… A Catholic translation of the Bible, and a most popular man, clergyman, well known for his translation of the even among Protestants.8 Though he had many Bible… but better known by his countrymen as friends among the latter, Robert Burns was not the author of the song Lewie Gordon…” Is the one of them. It was John Geddes, not Alexander, “Bishop Geddes” of paragraph three the who was the friend of Burns. Alexander Geddes of James Black, or is he the As noted previously John Geddes could not “priest” John Geddes of paragraph one somehow have been Bishop of Dunkeld in the year 1787. now become a bishop? Confused? There would be no Bishop of Dunkeld again until So seem to be any number of Burns Scholars 1878 and the restoration of the Catholic dioces- over the years. To select a few examples, Maurice 9 1 es of Scotland, each with a presiding bishop. If Lindsay identifies John Geddes as “Roman not the bishop of a diocese, who then was he? Catholic Bishop of Dunkeld and elder brother of For an understanding of John Geddes’ place the biblical critic Bishop Alexander” – two broth- in Roman Catholic Church history in Scotland ers, both bishops, and one of them head of a 2 we must digress for a moment into the situation diocese which no longer existed! So also wrote of that people in the aftermath of 1560.10 The James A. Mackay for his introductory note to a 3 cessation of the ancient hierarchy left the Catholic letter from Burns to Geddes. However, by the population leaderless, disorganised, poorly ser- time of his lengthy Burns biography Alexander is viced spiritually, and defenceless against the no longer a bishop and John is no longer Bishop 4 waves of persecution and penal laws which saw of Dunkeld. Is this to correct an earlier mistake? the confiscation or destruction of church proper- Finally we must note that The Dictionary of ties, buildings and furnishings. The Church was National Biography had itself stated that the two effectively driven underground to fight for its very men were brothers, John being the older and the 5 existence. After a hundred and thirty-five years of bishop. this and many appeals to Rome for help, the Pope

22 finally saw fit to appoint a representative called an in Madrid on St. Andrew’s Day, and after getting “apostolic vicar” to Scotland to take charge and everything in order at the Scots College, Geddes restore order. Scotland became a “mission”, a returned to Scotland. By the end of November land or people directly under the Pope who 1781 Bishop Geddes was settled in at Edinburgh, worked through this representative. So it was that Bishop Hay having decided to reside in Aberdeen. in February 1695 Thomas Nicolson was secretly Two church leaders could hardly have been ordained for the purpose in Paris. Everything of more opposite, not in doctrine on behalf, but in this nature had to be done secretly because of the personality and approach. To be fair to Bishop persecutions. When Nicolson with great difficul- Hay, because anti Catholic sentiment was always ty got to Scotland he had to travel about and simmering below the surface of a society that carry out his mission furtively. Like all other looked like it was warming up toward Catholics, Catholic clergy he could be captured, arrested, the bishop was a cautious man very intent upon and imprisoned at any time. his Church keeping as low a profile as possible. Originally it was believed that one vicar apos- Although his people were so few in number12 tolic was adequate to the need of Scottish that they posed no threat to the government or Catholics. It only took Nicolson’s first successor, to Protestantism, it did not take much for vio- Bishop James Gordon, to realise that two vicari- lence toward Catholics and their property to ates were needed. The enormous linguistic and break out, as did happen. Around 1780 Mass still cultural differences between the Gaelic Catholics had to be celebrated in small rooms in private of the north and west and the Scots-English homes, not in churches. And Hay wanted it to be speaking ones of the south and east resulted in done quietly, which is why, for example, he Rome establishing by 1727 the Highland and would not allow the singing of hymns at Mass. Lowland Vicariates with a bishop representing By the time Bishop Geddes had returned to the Pope in each one. Scotland the more cultured and enlightened level Bishop George Hay was the fourth such vicar of Edinburgh society had so changed toward apostolic to the Lowland District. It was he to Catholics that he mixed freely and openly, well whom Burns’ friend John Geddes was named in accepted by the establishment. If his people 1779 as coadjutor bishop, that is, assistant vicar wanted hymns at Mass, why not? apostolic. Normally he would have succeeded According to George Scott-Moncrieff, Hay upon his death or retirement. This was not “More than any other individual, John Geddes to be: Geddes himself died first, in 1799, aged 63 prepared the way for the support that was given by the years. more humane and better-educated Scots of the time to John Geddes was born at Mains of Corriedoun, move for the repeal of the penal laws [against Banffshire on August 29, 1735. His youth was Catholics]; for in him they saw a man who, while his spent among crofters and farmers, giving him whole life and strength were vested in his religious something in common with Robert Burns right belief, sustained a lively interest in history and schol- there. Ordained priest at Rome the very year that arly studies, and a keen and practical appreciation of Burns was born, Geddes returned to serve the poetry and the arts; who was charming and helpful Catholics living in the Braes of Glenlivet, a “wor- equally to Catholic and Protestant; who would go to thy, learned, and pious missionary” in the words great pains to bring comfort to a condemned mur- of his current bishop, Alexander Smith.11 derer, and be a witty and always welcome guest at the Skipping ahead to the year 1779 when Geddes erudite table of Lord Monboddo.”13 was told he was to be coadjutor to George Hay, And not only Lord Monboddo. Bishop he had been serving in Valladolid, Spain where he Geddes seems to have been a persona grata every- had been sent some years earlier to rebuild the where. His friendship was universally valued. Scots College for the formation of young men to However, as a frequent guest at 13 St. John Street be ordained priests. Ordained bishop a year later it was only a matter of time before he and Robert

23 Burns would meet there. And so they did one tary. After about two years of complete helpless- December evening in 1786. The Kilmarnock edi- ness – priest relatives looked after his personal tion of the poems had come out on July 31st. needs – Bishop John Geddes died on February Subscriptions for a proposed Edinburgh edition 11, 1799, at Abderdeen. were now being taken. Geddes praised Burns Begging the pardon of Dr. Black and so many effusively in his January and March letters to John Burns Scholars, it is now clear to this writer that Thomson, his contact in Rome. He was person- the recipient of the “Geddes Burns” could never ally responsible for securing a number of sub- have been Alexander Geddes or any Bishop of scriptions for Burns. That he and Burns held each Dunkeld, but rather the assistant vicar apostolic other in high esteem is clear from the famous of the Lowland District in the years of the remark in a letter from Burns to Mrs. Dunlop the Scottish mission, Bishop John Geddes. following November.” … the first [meaning finest or best] Cleric character I ever saw was a Roman 1 The Burns Encyclopedia. 3d ed., London, 1980, pp. Catholic – a Popish Bishop.” 141-142. Sharing roots in rural life with Burns, Geddes 2 The Diocese of Dunkeld ceased with Bishop Robert Crichton in 1560 with the Scottish never lost his love of the outdoors. Commenting Reformation. on Geddes’ motto, “Ambula coram Deo et esto 14 3 In Complete Letters of Robert Burns, ed. By James A. perfectus,” W. J. Anderson, in his introduction Mackay, Ayr, 1987, p. 507. to “The Autobiographical Notes of Bishop John 4 See RB: A Biography of Robert Burns, London, 1992, Geddes,” has this to say: pp. 607-608. “…this reflects a most important fact. He 5 The Dictionary of National Biography, London, loved to walk long journeys saying his breviary or 1921-22, vol. 7, pp. 977, 981. planning his next sermon as he went. He did this 6 He apologizes for being unable to provide the dates and places of publication. in Spain as well as in Scotland; he talked to any- 7 Christine Johnson, Developments in the Roman one he met, peasant or wayfarer. If he passed a Catholic Church in Scotland 1789-1829, Edinburgh, great house or manse, paid a call and he was 1983, p. 30. generally welcome. He conversed with equal ease 8 See the entry, “Geddes, Alexander,” in New Catholic with a Spanish grandee or a Spanish gypsy.”15 Encyclopedia. N.Y., 1967, vol. 6, pp. 311-312. When Geddes travelled about the vicariate he 9 Dioceses are made up of all the parishes, clergy, usually went on foot, much to the dismay of religious, and laity under one bishop. The diocese Bishop Hay who feared this would destroy his normally takes its name from the town or city in which the bishop’s cathedral or principal church is health. Hay may have been right. In 1790 located. Geddes made a walking tour in which he went on 10 The history of this entire period is well described foot all the way from Glasgow to the Pentland by Peter F. Anson in his Underground Catholicism in Firth and crossed over to Kirkwall in Orkney. The Scotland 1622-1878, Montrose, 1970. return home was also on foot. It is likely that the 11 From Smith’s 1763 report to Rome on the state of rigours of this tour caused the long illness from the Lowland Vicariate. which he never recovered. After 1793 Geddes 12 6,617 for the entire vicariate of Lowland Scotland would spend his summers at the little seminary according to a report sent to Rome by Bishop Hay in 1780. school at Scalan, Banffshire of which he had once 13 George Scott-Moncrieff, The Mirror and the Cross: been rector during the early years of his priest- Scotland and the Catholic Faith, London, 1960, p. hood. The rest of the year would find him in 119. Aberdeen, it seems. No longer well enough to 14 Translated by the Revised Standard Version as “Walk travel about the Lowland Vicariate he devoted his before me and be blameless” (Genesis 17:1). time to writing. Even then a series of paralysing 15 Published in The Innes Review. Vol. 18 (1967) p. 37. strokes made it increasingly difficult to write. He could only write by dictating material to a secre-

24 OUT AND ABOUT NEWARK CASTLE By Joe Harkins

wo of the most important and influential figures in the life of Robert Burns were James Cunningham, 14th Earl of Glencairn and Captain Richard Brown. The Earl of Gencairn’s estate Tat Finlaystone, Langbank overlooks the mouth of the River Clyde in the county of Renfrewshire, where the M8 motorway ends as it makes its way towards Greenock. Captain Richard Brown moved from Irvine to a house in Bay Street, Port Glasgow in January 1788, where he lived till his death in 1833. Captain Brown became a respected citizen in his adopted town and the house he lived in was only demolished circa 1970. About 2½ miles west of Finlaystone and only 500 yards opposite Bay Street stands Newark Castle, Historic Scotland’s jewel in the south side of the Clyde Estuary. The land on which Newark Castle is built originally belonged to the Denniston family but became part of the Maxwell estate in 1402 when Elisabeth Denniston married Sir Robert Maxwell of Calderwood. At that time Newark was part of the barony of ‘Finlanstone’. In 1478 George Maxwell acquired the barony of Finlaystone from his father and by 1484 he was being styled ‘Maxwell of Newark and Finlanstone’. It was believed that George Maxwell was the first to build a castle at Newark - his ‘new wark.’ An early visitor to George Maxwell’s new house was King James IV in May 1495. The King was bent on putting down disturbances in the Western Isles and ordered the lords of the ‘westland, eastland and southland’ to rendevous with him on the Clyde, bringing with them a force of gunners. He set sail on his ship, the Flower, and headed for Mingulay Castle in Ayrgyllshire. Wearing white stockings, green breeches, a red and black coat without sleevers, a great sea coat and a russet-coloured hood lined with white lambskin, he set off for the confrontation taking with him a camp bed of scarlet cloth to make his voyage more comfortable. George Maxwell’s descendants were a powerful and influential family in Renfrewshire. The most notable, and most notorious, was Sir Patrick Maxwell who became laird in the 1580s. He transformed the old medieval castle into a magnificent Renaissance mansion, incorporating the old tower and gatehouse into his new building. Above the pedimented doorway into his new mansion he had the initials of himself and his wife carved intertwined in a loving manner, and the inscription ‘the blissingis of God be herein’. Unfortunately, although he was a pillar of the community, a friend of King James VI, a justice of the peace and the builder of a very fine house, he was also a wife-beater and a murderer and used his high connections to escape punishment. Sir Patrick enjoyed quarrelling with his neighbours and a bitter feud was had with the Montgomeries of Skelmorlie. He murdered two members of that family in one day in 1584, the laird and his eldest son. The younger son, Robert Montgomery, who had become the new laird of Skelmorlie following these two deaths, hid in one of the turrets of Newark Castle whilst searching for his sworn enemy. Sir Patrick, on discovering his whereabouts called out to him - “Robin, come doon tae me, wha has done you sae gude a turn as to mak you young laird and auld laird of Skelmorlie in ae day.” Apparently the two men ended their feud and became good friends thereafter. Sir Patrick was also implicated in the death of his own kin, Patrick Maxwell of Stanely Castle in Paisley. His poor wife Margaret took the worst of his temper. At a dinner in 1632 with the minister and other guests in attendance Lady Margaret was struck repeatedly about the head and face that she was

25 transported up the Clyde in smaller vessels into the heart of Glasgow. The new burgh in barony was called New-port Glasgow. Throughout the 18th century the new port flourished and shipbuilding became a major industry. This industry consumed vast amounts of wood and Port Glasgow became the principal Scottish port handling North American timber. The timber came to the port in the form of full-length logs which were fastened together to form rafts and stored in ponds till required. There were huge timber ponds on both sides of Newark Castle but with the growth of iron ships the timber trade declined. However, many of the stakes which enclosed the timber ponds still remain and can be seen at the shore line at low tide. When the last Maxwell laird died in 1694 the castle and what remained of the grounds were sold and passed into the hands of the Hamiltons. In 1825 the owner’s daughter married Sir Michael Shaw Stewart and Newark remained in their family until it was entrusted into State care in 1909. The castle can be entered from the roundabout at the start of the town, adjacent to the only remaining shipyard on the lower reaches of the Clyde, Fergusons Shipbuilders. The castle itself used to be enclosed by a ‘barmkin’, which was an enclosed courtyard. Entry was made to the castle through the gatehouse, which is a 3 storey structure containing the ground floor entrance with a guardroom, with the obligatory gun holes at eye level and two floors of accommodation above. A spiral staircase (now blocked off) led from the guardroom to the upper floors, which comprised a living room and an upper chamber, which contained a bed. Each of these two rooms has a fireplace and a latrine closet. The only part of the barmkin wall to have survived is the 2 storey corner tower. Originally it had gun loops on the ground level and an upper room entered directly from the battlements of the barmkin wall but it was modified in the 1590s and was used then as a dovecot. Pigeon towers like this became increasingly popular as pigeons provided an important source of fresh meat, particularly through the long winter months. Pigeon pie was especially enjoyed as was a dish called ‘pupton of pigeon’ a kind of meat loaf. The tower house is the third remaining original structure from the 15th century. It comprises a ground floor storage cellar (which now houses Historic Scotland’s shop) and a spiral staircase leads to the first floor hall, which was the original main living room of the house. The 2nd floor was the laird’s private chamber and the topmost floor is where the other members of the laird’s family slept. In the late 1590s the new Renaissance mansion we see today was built on the site of the great old hall. This houses the main public stair of the ‘scale and platt’ style as opposed to the spiral type. There are a number of service stairs throughout the building. In the east wing, at ground level, is the bakehouse, storage cellars, wine cellar and the kitchen, which leads to the servery. This leads to the main reception chamber and family dining room on the first floor. On the second floor is the long gallery and the family bedchambers which were closed off from the gallery by timber partitions. Each bedchamber had its own fireplace and a wall chamber housing a stool-closet, a recent innovation. In the 15th century toilets were draughty latrines with chutes taking the waste down to the base of the castle walls. They were called ‘garderobes’ because they were used to store clothes, the understanding being that the stench of urine kept the moths away! From the 1580s garderobes came to be replaced by stool-closets, which were emptied regularly. There was even a position in King James VI’s household of ‘Keeper of the King’s Stool’. There’s a job title you wouldn’t brag too much about! The castle now stages historical re-enactments periodically in the castle grounds. The area around the castle has now been landscaped with ample car parking and a shore side promenade walk up to the Parklea area where the stakes of the timber ponds can be seen. With Finlaystone Estate and the memory of the Earl of Glencairn only a stone’s throw away in one direction and Captain Richard Brown in the other, the memory of the Bard is never far away and one can imagine Burns visiting the castle when he paid call at Finlaystone or Greenock. ————————————

26 confined to bed for 6 months. When she had recovered Sir Patrick attacked her with a sword, confined her to her bedchamber with only water and half an oat loaf per day. When her son Alexander and his wife tried to look after her they were thrown out of the Castle. After 44 years of marriage in which she bore Sir Patrick 16 children Lady Margaret finally escaped and fled to Dumbarton where she lived in great poverty. As Glasgow grew with trade in the 17th century the burgesses tried to have a channel cut through the muddy flats of the River Clyde from Newark to the prospering city. All attempts failed. In 1688 they persuaded George Maxwell of Newark to sell them 18 acres of ground around the Castle to allow them to build a decent port, harbour and other facilities. This would allow ships to berth and the goods be

Robert Gilfillan (1798-1850) By Chris Neale “as regards vernacular poetry, (Burns’) death was really the setting of the sun; the twilight deepened very quickly; and such twinkling lights as from time to time appear only serve to disclose the darkening of the all- encompassing night.”1 T.F. Henderson’s gloomy verdict on the condition of Scottish poetry in the nineteenth century is well-known and not often challenged.2 The century which gave us Ramsay and Fergusson, and culminated in Burns, was followed by a lengthy period of mediocrity and low achievement. Not many have disagreed. But this was not the view generally held by contemporaries. The “twilight” period saw the production of – compared with the previous century – huge quantities of verse in Scots. The rise of provincial presses, popular magazines, and local newspapers provided opportunities for authors of all classes to see their work published. Gilfillan was born, the son of a master weaver, The cult of Burns – the Clubs, memorial dinners, in Dunfermline, on 7 July 1798. His full time and subscription monuments – established itself education lasted no longer than his thirteenth during those years. Writers of poetry in Scots saw year after which he moved to Leith with his themselves as successors and torchbearers. Many family where he began a seven year apprenticeship idolised Burns and believed that their work was to a cooper. After dutifully finishing his inspired by, and emulated, his. apprenticeship term he left the trade – which he Among these was Robert Gilfillan. During his loathed – and returned to Dunfermline to work relatively short life – he died aged fifty two – three in a grocer’s shop.3 editions of his Poems were issued. All sold well. The impulses which led the young Gilfillan to After his death a fourth edition was brought out his first attempts at verse composition were and his work continued to appear in anthologies homely enough. The Scottish tradition of almost until the end of the century. He is now, “guisin’”, of making the rounds of neighbours’ like most of his contemporaries, largely forgotten. houses at holiday times offering entertainment in

27 anniversaries: return for pennies and sweets, was strong in Dunfermline. On one of these excursions he “ A day that we shall ne’er forget, recited, or possibly sang, self-composed verses on As lang as we hae breath to draw; the subject of the death of Sir Ralph Abercromby. For we will drink the memory yet The story of the Scots soldier, mortally wounded Of BURNS, the bard that’s now awa’”5 at Aboukir Bay, was well received among the weavers and their wives. This kind of approval, by Gilfillan was also drawn to Freemasonry. people Gilfillan knew and with whom he mixed Partly, perhaps, this was in conscious imitation of socially, was to remain important to him his hero Burns, but also, I think as a result of his throughout his life own nature. Gilfillan was very clubbable, a joiner Unusually among writers, and perhaps – what today would be called a networker. As in unwisely, Gilfillan included a very early piece of Burns’ day Freemasonry was attracting social work in his first collection.4 In fact he calls it his aspirants as well as idealists. But Gilfillan, like “first attempt at rhyme” although this is not many of Scotland’s tradesmen and shopkeepers, strictly accurate: merchants and lairds, took his masonic duties very seriously. By 1837 he had been appointed “Again let’s hail the cheering spring Grand bard to the Grand Lodge of Free Masons That now returns, an’ a’ that; in Scotland. In 1838 he penned an anthem, to The little birds now gladly sing the tune of God save the Queen, which was sung at Their artless notes for a’ that. a benefit concert for the Freemasons’ School for For a’ that an’ a’ that Female Children: Bleak winter’s fled an’ a’ that; Nae mair we see the leafless tree, “ Hail to the Mystic Band, For verdure blooms ower a’ that.” Joined here with heart and hand, In love to all. This was written when Gilfillan was seventeen Long may their Watchword be,- and, whatever its merits, shows that he had been Freedom and Charity, studying his Burns. Fond links of Masonry, In 1821 he returned to Leith and took up a That ne’er shall fall.” position as warehouse clerk with the firm of Smith and Muir, oil and colour merchants in Possibly as important to Gilfillan as his Quality Street. While in Dunfermline he had participation in clubs and formal gatherings, was attended the meetings of a mutual improvement his enjoyment of a wide circle of friends from society and now he continued his education, Edinburgh’s literary and cultural scene. taking evening classes in mechanics, physics, and Musicians, actors, journalists and publishers chemistry at the School of Arts in Edinburgh. In formed gossipy coteries among whom his easy 1823 he became the confidential clerk to a Leith and affable companionship was welcome. Not wine merchant in which post he remained for the surprisingly, he sought the company of other next fourteen years. aspiring poets such as James Ballantine, David Happily employed and, by his own efforts, Vedder, and Alexander Campbell and many of comfortably removed from the workshop these became his lifelong friends. environment, Gilfillan’s intellectual and social He never married. When his father died in horizons began to expand. Always very sociable, 1834 Gilfillan was left as the head of a household he was attracted by the Burns clubs which were comprising his mother, his sister, and a niece. burgeoning in Central Scotland. And for some of And it was this domestic circumstance which these he wrote verses for their 25th January had, for good or ill, a defining effect on his continued on page 37 output. According to his memorialist, “It was his

28 SERVICE OF DEDICATION TO THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE historic event took place in the Rose Garden, Dean Castle Country Park, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire on 11th September, 2002, organised by the Robert Burns World Federation with support from East Ayrshire Council. The originator of the idea behind the Rose Garden and Memorial to the victims of terrorism was SHIRLEY BELL who masterminded the entire operation. Both projects being highly successful, and while bearing in mind the sadness of the occasion, the event on the continued on page 34 Organiser, Shirley Bell

Provost of East Ayrshire James Boyd paying homage after unveiling The Memorial Cairn. Seated in the front members of the Police and Fire Service who later laid wreaths in memory of colleagues in the USA.

29 Photographed below and on the following page some of the large gathering who attended the dedication service A WELCOME CUPPA in Dean Castle Country Park.

30 31 ERSKINE CONFERENCE During Conference a number of special presentations took place. Pictured on the right, Provost of East Ayrshire, James Boyd presenting a decanter to the outgoing President Jim Gibson. Immediately below, President Jim presenting a framed scroll to Past President, Mrs. Molly Rennie in recognition of her outstanding attendances over the past 50 years at Conference. Bottom right: Harry and May McGuffog receiving a framed scroll from the President in recognition of their combined work on the Conference Committee and support for the Burns movement in general.

Above: Top table photographed outside the Erskine Bridge Hotel, venue for the Annual Conference prior to the Friday night function. Below: The newly installed President Jim Robertson trying not to give away a presentation box of malt!

32 ERSKINE CONFERENCE During Conference a number of special presentations took place. Pictured on the right, Provost of East Ayrshire, James Boyd presenting a decanter to the outgoing President Jim Gibson. Immediately below, President Jim presenting a framed scroll to Past President, Mrs. Molly Rennie in recognition of her outstanding attendances over the past 50 years at Conference. Bottom right: Harry and May McGuffog receiving a framed scroll from the President in recognition of their combined work on the Conference Committee and support for the Burns movement in general.

33 Above: Rev. David Cameron and Colin Hunter McQueen.

Left: Violinist Wallace Galbraith. “Inset” Singer Laura Forsyth.

11th September, 2002 will go down in the annals of the Robert Burns World Federation as one of the most memorable and successful events. The large crowd on a beautiful sunny day were welcomed to the Park by the Provost of East Ayrshire, James Boyd, followed by the Federation President James Gibson. Readings were read by Jim O’lone (Australia), May Crawley (Canada) and Mac Irvin (USA). The Memorial designed by member Colin Hunter McQueen was unveiled by Provost James Boyd with a dedication prayer by the Rev. David Cameron. An illuminated framed scroll was presented to Mac Irvin by President James Gibson who on his return to the USA would make arrangements to have the scroll presented to the President of the United States. The names of all those who subscribed to the Rose Garden appeared on the parchment. Entertainment during the afternoon was provided by Laura Forsyth (Ardrossan Academy), Wallace Galbraith (Violin) and Pipe Band selections from Auchinleck Academy, St. Joseph’s Academy and Cumnock Academy. Students from Grange Academy, St. Joseph’s Academy, James Hamilton Academy and Kilmarnock Academy acted as Flag Bearers. Photographs of the event appear on the following pages:- 29, 30, 31, 34, 35 and back cover of this issue. Video of the occasion available from Federation Office. Price £20 (UK), £25 (Overseas).

34 Above: Councillor John Forteath, Dumfries & Galloway Council followed by Bob Ovens, Deputy Chief Constable of Dumfries & Galloway, Angelo Errigo, Deputy Firemaster Dumfries & Galloway Fire Brigade and David Miller, Deputy Firemaster Strathclyde Fire Brigade. Right: Provost of Dumfries Ken Cameron laying a wreath at the Cairn. Below: The Cairn covered with the “Stars and Stripes” of America prior to the unveiling.

35 Top: President Dorothy Cree and 27 Members of Alloway Burns Club assembled/departed from the poet’s birthplace for the Annual Educational Visit in September 2002. Centre: Ayrshire Association of Burns Club, Annual General Meeting in October 2002 held at the Masonic Temple Lodge, Tarbolton. Left immediate Past President Douglas McKenzie, with Alloway Burns Club President Dorothy Cree and the AABC incoming President Joe Kennedy. Bottom: On 20th July, 2002 Alloway Burns Club Members celebrated the 201st Anniversary of the first recorded Burns Supper which was held in Burns’s Birthplace in the summer of 1801. Club President Dorothy Cree is shown with the three Alloway Burns Club’s Honorary Presidents. Left to right Dr. Tom Morrall, Mrs. Betty Stoddart and Miss Jean Bryan.

36 continued from page 28 encomiums he has received are deeply felt and gratefully appreciated.”8 The reception of his practice to read to his mother and sister his songs second edition was equally gratifying as was the as he wrote them; and he was entirely guided by celebratory public dinner got up by “the admirers their judgement regarding them. He used to say of his native genius.”9 that the first idea of fame which he ever His songs, set either to traditional tunes or, entertained was when his sister and a young lady, occasionally, to original melodies by contemporary a cousin of his own, wept on hearing him read his composers, began to appear in popular pathetic ‘Fare thee well, for I must leave thee!’”6 collections. During this period, as well as In 1837 he took up an appointment as Police contributing verse, he acted as “Leith Rate Collector in Leith and, in this respectable, correspondent” for the Scotsman at the same responsible post, he remained for the rest of his time as he was providing theatre notices to the life. No doubt because of his family responsibilities Edinburgh Chronicle. A third, expanded, edition but also, I think, out of choice, he never attempted of his poems was published in 1839, the last to to earn a living from his pen. On a public be issued in his lifetime. He continued to occasion he declared that, “although early contribute poems to periodicals although, in a imbued with the love of minstrelsy, he had made household that had become afflicted by illness, it poetry a pastime, not a profession, - a wand to was possible that he had less time available to play with, not a crutch to lean upon – and that he him for writing. He remained very much in would rather forego the fame of the poet, than do demand socially and continued to be active in anything to lower the character of the man.”7 Burns, masonic, and literary circles. In 1850 he In fact he had relatively easy success and originated a subscription for the restoration of wrote, and was published, throughout his adult the Robert Fergusson memorial in Canongate life. With the encouragement of his social circle churchyard. he despatched poems to various periodicals and But the death of his mother, in 1844, and of provincial newspapers. His work appeared in his sister, in 1849, affected Gilfillan deeply. His both the Edinburgh Journal and Blackwood’s, own health failed him at the comparatively early and in newspapers in Edinburgh, Dundee, Alloa age of fifty two and he died of a stroke on 4th and Dunfermline. Further afield, Dublin December 1850. At least one writer attributed his University magazine and the Scottish Christian early death to drink: “his society (was) courted Herald received his offerings and his “Exile’s on convivial occasions to an extent far beyond Song” became immediately popular wherever the what the dictates of prudence would justify. The Scottish diaspora had gathered in sufficient mistaken, or it may be selfish, hospitalities of numbers. those who call themselves friends and admirers In 1831 Gilfillan issued his first collection – have too often been the medium of destruction with the customary show of diffidence. “Had my to the poet.”10 education been better than it is, this little work Gilfillan was buried in South Leith churchyard would probably have presented fewer inelegancies and an impressive memorial stone was obtained of language, and fewer violations of grammar, by public subscription. A number of poetic than it now exhibits.” It was received rather well tributes was composed – some of them, perhaps, and, encouraged, he brought out an expanded a little overblown: edition in 1835 – this time dispensing with any modest foreword. “The favourable notices of the “O MOURN, Scotland, mourn, for thy sweet poet press, and the flattering approval of the public gane, generally, have induced the author to refrain from Thy children, far distant, shall swell the sad strain; writing any thing like an apologetic preface; and By hearth and by homestead, in cottage and ha’, he therefore begs simply to say, that the high Are lorn hearts deploring poor Robin awa’.”11

37 mannerisms and deportment which made his The writer of this piece also edited the final townsfolk smile. Gilfillan composed a mock edition of Gilfillan’s poems.12 epitaph: So, Robert Gilfillan died in mid century. Popular as a man and as a writer of verse which “Here lies Transy wi’ neither staff nor hat continued to be read throughout the period of When Satan comes to take him, he’ll cry – what, Victoria’s reign. Today he is read, I would guess, what, what!”15 not at all. Was his work any good? The first thing to be In his poem, The Tax-Gatherer, Gilfillan considered is that we are dealing with a period pointed his finger at Leith’s Poor’s Rates where public taste might be said to be in decline. Collector: The editors of Whistle-binkie , Blackwood’s Magazine, and, later, the Scottish Minstrelsy were “I’ve kent a man pardon’d when just at the gallows, educating their public to appreciate the genteel, I’ve kent a chiel honest whose trade was the law! the sentimental, the pawky, and to eschew I’ve even kent fortune’s smile fa’ on gude fallows, anything that might be considered coarse or But I ne’er kent exceptions wi’ Peter M’Graw!” indecorous. A kind of parlour poetry was what was required, nicely calculated not to offend or He wrote too few of these sort of pieces – sly affront – or even perhaps to stir – refined but accurate observations of small town life and sensibilities. And Gilfillan provided plenty of characters. These were directly from Gilfillan’s that. He wrote countless dreary love songs about own experience and the difference shows. But shepherds called Jock and lassies called Jeanie or the preference of his mother, his sister, his Peggie. Interestingly he also wrote in a more editors, and, no doubt, his ladylike cousins was elevated style, and in English, verses in adoration for anodyne tales of shepherds and their loves – of persons called “Julia” or “Madeline.” He wrote with a dash of rosebuds and lilies. Perhaps even banal verses about the anguish of young women Gilfillan felt just a little worn down by these whose sailor sweethearts were “ower the deep.” conventions: This was what his mother and his sister admired so, for Gilfillan, this was poetry: “The earth an’ the sea they’ve ransackit For similes to set aff their charms, “When Peggie walks at morning ray, An’ no a wee flower but’s attackit The wee birds round her beauty thrang; By poets, like bumbees in swarms16 And, when she smiles, the infant day Awakes a’ nature into sang.”13 But, in the end, Gilfillan was a writer of his own place and time. And the opinion of his time Sentimentality was at the heart of Gilfillan’s was that he would do very well. He was weakness as a poet. Verses originating in his own encouraged by James Hogg – though Hogg was experience or genuine feeling were rare. He generous to many younger writers – and took his wrote, instead, affected love lyrics – when the place alongside the Ettrick Shepherd as “that poet himself seems to have led a life devoid of chiel down in Leith”in Blackwood’s Magazine’s romantic or sexual interest. He expressed regret Noctes Ambrosianae. “Exquisite” and “surpassing for distant and lost youth – in poems written beauty” were terms which Gilfillan became when he was still a young man. His admiration of accustomed to see in reviews and notices of his landscape and nature was expressed in utterly verse. conventional terms: It is interesting that, although Gilfillan would have cited Burns as his greatest influence, his “’Tis the first rose of summer that opes to my view, own work shows far more similarities to the poets With its bright crimson bosom all bathed in the dew;” of his own day. He did, of course, directly imitate

38 Burns in many of his songs: One of Gilfillan’s most popular pieces, which can still be found in songbooks and anthologies “I courted Maggie mony a day, today, was his “Exile’s song”: To tell how long, I’d weary, O; But ne’er a word wad Maggie say – “Oh! Why left I my hame, She wadna be my deary, O.” Why did I cross the deep? Oh! Why left I the land But, in his preface to the first edition of his Where my forefathers sleep?” poems, he mentions Robert Tannahill and Hector Macneill as co-masters of Scottish song. In “The This was written by a man who had never Poets of Scotland” Gilfillan lists the contemporary lived more than fifteen miles from the place of his poets which he regarded as the leading birth. Pathetically, on one of the handful of practitioners of his own day: continental trips which Gilfillan made during his last decade, he was so stricken with homesickness “Come ilka band o’ mirth an’ glee on the Hamburg packet that he refused to That sing our native minstrelsie, disembark and remained on the ship as it Auld Scotland yet boasts twa or three returned to Leith! That whistle o’er the lave o’t” Technically, however, Gilfillan was often rythmic and fluent. A lot of his output consisted Many of these belonged to his own Edinburgh of songs. A self-taught flautist, his musicality circle and, like his, their reputation lasted only as enabled him to produce work which was generally long as the stranglehold which Victorian sure-footed. Sometimes he wrote effective sentimentality exerted over Scottish literary taste. parodies, notably on the occasion of the lifting of Gilfillan’s contribution to literature, like that of the duty on whisky in 1823: many of his contemporaries, may have been to help maintain Scots as a popular medium of “Scots wha hae the duties paid; poetic expression. About half of his output was Scots wham whisky’s aft made glad in Scots while, to be honest, nothing that he Welcome for the duty’s fled, wrote in English has very much merit at all. Some And it shall be free!” of Gilfillan’s Scots was archaic but most seems contemporary. At his rare best he manages to use But his facility could let him down: the language with humour and energy:

“Oh, Dumferline toun is a bonnie, bonnie toun “Wi’ feasting at night, and wi’ drinking at morn, An’ wha says that it isna bonnie? Wi’ here tak’ a kaulker, an’ there tak’ a horn, For gin we had again braw kings o’ our ain I’ve gatten baith doited, an’ donner’t, an’ blin’- It would lift up its head yet wi’ ony.”14 For I’ve aye been fou sin’ the year cam’ in!”17

Although Gilfillan’s verse was usually T. F. Henderson’s pessimistic assessment of sentimental to a fatal degree, and his own the condition of Scots poetry after Burns was, as development and the sensibility of Whistle-binkie we now know, premature. The long decline in were converging paths, there are occasional Scottish poetry was not terminal. And Scots glimpses of an ability to write in a different and survived to be used and developed by the greater more interesting way. When Gilfillan was a boy in and more vigorous talents which came after. Dunfermline he worked for a short time for a Mr But, for the memory of Gilfillan, himself, there Kirk of Transy. Kirk had a tobacconist’s shop in was to be no revival. In 1900 a “Grand Concert the Kirkgate and was a local eccentric with Lecture” was advertised to be held in St Margaret’s

39 Hall, Dunfermline in aid of a fund for a Centenary fisher, and miner poets seem to abound. Unlike Memorial to be erected for Gilfillan in his native Gilfillan many of them remained tied to the town. In the event ticket sales were so workshop or the factory throughout their lives. 4 Gilfillan, Robert Original Songs Edinburgh, 1831. disappointing that a much curtailed performance 5 “Again the day” Written for Leith Burns’ Club, was given, not in the main auditorium but in a 1827. smaller annexe. The Memorial project was 6 William Anderson in Gilfillan, Robert Poems and abandoned. Songs Fourth edition Edinburgh, 1851. 7 Ibid. 8 Gilfillan, Robert Songs Second edition Notes and references Edinburgh, 1835. 1 Henderson, T.F. Scottish vernacular literature: a 9 Inscription on presentation goblet. succinct history. London,1898 p 458 10 Biographical sketch in Whistle-binkie new edition 2 In recent years there have been suggestions that a Glasgow, 1878. more vibrant Scots literature existed in local 11 “Lament for Robert Gilfillan” by James Ballantine. publications and newspapers. Genteel national 12 Gilfillan, Robert Poems and Songs Fourth edition anthologies and Edinburgh periodicals do not Edinburgh, 1851. form the whole picture. See for instance William 13 “Awake, my harp, thy saftest lay.” Donaldson Popular literature in Victorian Scotland 14 “Dumferline toun” Aberdeen, 1986 and Tom Leonard Radical Renfrew 15 Stewart, William Reminiscences of Dunfermline Edinburgh, 1990. Second edition Edinburgh, 1889 p112. 3 Gilfillan’s humble social origins and his 16 “The Poets, what fools they’re to deave us” rudimentary education were not so exceptional 17 “!’ve aye been fou sin’ the year cam’ in.” among Scotland’s writers at this time. Weaver, ———————————— on their pocket. There is a basic assumption that MY YEAR AS PRESIDENT the President is paid or reimbursed for the ecoming President of the Robert Burns expense incurred in the execution of their duties. World Federation was a great honour for This is not so as the President pays all the costs Bme and the fulfilment of an ambition sown of travel etc., out of their own pocket except some twenty years ago. It was a remarkable year where expenses are given which in my case was and one full of great experiences. about 5% of my engagements. Round trips of I travelled far and wide, met many wonderful 100 and 200+ miles are expensive items and people and had many wonderful opportunities when added to the many others it soon mounts outwith the normal day to day routine. I fulfilled up and becomes a very heavy burden. I was also approximately 140 engagements ranging from surprised on two occasions when invited as a Burns Suppers, formal dinners, club visits, school principal guest with a speaking responsibility to visits, meetings, commemorative occasions, the be asked to pay for my meal at the end of the Greenock Bicentenary programme and the new function. Ayrshire Burns Festival. My year was a great pleasure and a wonderful At many of these I had the opportunity to privilege and I have no regrets whatsoever, only speak about the history and work of the Burns wonderful memories. However, I would ask that Federation and answer many questions on that for future Presidents, clubs do consider travelling subject. It surprised me somewhat at some of the expenses to help defray the enormous expense of conflicting ideas held about the Federation. The their year in office. year itself was a unique experience and very The responsibilities are great and increasing costly both in time and money. Every President each year. It would be sad if the size of the new goes through the same process and quietly candidates’ wallets dictated as to whether or not assumes and accepts all that comes with the they could take on the Presidency of the chain but with the demand for the President’s Federation. attendance increasing there is also a large demand J. Gibson

40 eliminated the Picts. Later, they migrated back to “The Plaid and Ireland to become the Scots-Irish. The “Celtic cousin” connection is important in understanding Tartan the plaid/tartan tradition. “Plaid” (originally pronounced “played”) was in Robert Burns’ Gaelic for “blanket” and referred to the “Irish mantle” type cape and to the woman’s rectangular Poetry” arasaid. Today it refers to the actual pattern of by Priscilla J. Kucikˇ stripes at right angles. “Tartan” comes from the French or Spanish here is a school of thought that says it is words for “coloured woollen material”. Today it unfair to judge a person by his or her describes a plaid that has a specific connection to clothes. An opposing school of thought a clan, region or person. A plaid is not necessarily T 1 says that clothes are an expression of the person’s a tartan. personality and it is fair to take the message at “Kilt” originally meant an apron or wrap- face value. Hamlet felt exceptional in that his around skirt-type garment. Thus we hear of outward mourning clothes indeed reflected his ancient Egyptian and Viking “kilts”. Today it inner sorrow. means a plaid or tartan pleated, skirt-like garment unique to the Scots. It was originally considered Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not ‘seems’. a “male” garment, probably because it began as a ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak… military uniform. That plus the short hemline That can denote me truly; these indeed seem… meant that for the first few centuries, people saw But I have that within which passeth show… the kilt only on men. The “kilt skirt” was made Hamlet, I, ii, 76-85 less threatening by having the closure on the opposite side, making it a “female” garment. This It is safe to say that anyone who wears the may seem quaint to us in the twenty-first century, tartan or kilt falls into the second category. In but “men in kilts” were seen as the manliest of addition to clan, regional and oganisational men, as we will see in the next paragraph. tartans, Burnsians around the world pay homage From the eleventh to the sixteenth century, to the bard by wearing the “Burns Check” and Scottish men wore “the saffron shirt”,2 which the recently created “Burns Heritage Tartan”. may or may not have been yellow, and it was Robert Burns was as nationalistic regarding known as “the Irish fashion”. When wars in Scotland as any person today and mentions the Ireland made linen difficult to obtain, they started tartan, plaid, kilt, etc. several times in his poetry. wearing domestic wool. In the “rough and But the “tartan mania” and clan associations of tough” manly tradition, men went barefoot and today were not formalised in his time. He missed barelegged, even in winter, and were proud of it by about thirty years. So what is the context in their “ruddy shanks” nickname. They were which he uses these terms? Had he lived longer, known as fierce warriors and a temptation to the would he have embraced the tradition? women in foreign countries. A sketchy and over-simplified history of the In the seventeenth century, the male garment tradition is as follows. The Scots came from was the great kilt or “breacan feile”, a six-foot Ireland. The old name for Ireland was Scotia long rectangle of cloth (or perhaps “the whole (which is why places with names like Nova Scotia nine yards”). The material was spread on the are Irish). The old name for Scotland was ground over a belt and pleated. The man lay Caledonia. The Celts migrated to Scotia down on it and curled up, tightening the belt. thousands of years ago from Asia, most likely The bottom part was called the kilt and the top, India (which is a Caucasian racial group). From which could be worn in different ways, the plaid. Scotia, they went to Caledonia and [theoretically] The advantages of the great kilt were three-fold.

41 First, one size fit all; the kilt a boy received when relevant. he was in his teens could be worn all his life. Four events led to this trend. First, around Second, it doubled as a cloak in rainy weather. 1810 (about two decades after Burns’ death), Sir Third, it served as a blanket when sleeping Walter Scott writes his popular historical outside in the heather. But there were several romances, piques public interest in the Highland disadvantages. It was a pain to put on and take Scots, especially in the simpler “good old days”. off and when coming in from the rain, there was Second, his friend, King George IV of Britain, no way to remove the soggy top. who is already fanatically pro-Scottish, makes a When the little kilt, the “philabeg” appeared, historic visit to Scotland, “stage managed” by it was an instant success. The pleats were sewn “dear Walter”, and requires everyone, on short in, it was easy to don and remove, and it took less notice, to wear Highland dress. Third, Queen material. The fact that it now came in sizes did Victoria falls in love with Scotland, starts building not bother people. It was modern and convenient. Balmoral Castle in 1848. R. R. McIan’s The At this point, the kilt still could not be hemmed. Costume of the Clans is dedicated to her. Fourth, It was one piece of material with the natural the two Sobieski brothers, appear, claiming to be edges of the cloth. For this reason, some period and accepted as, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s long prints have men with almost an “empire” waist lost grandsons. These loveable frauds publish kilt.3 two books, Tales of the Century: Sketches of the The popularity of the little kilt was encouraged Romance of History 1746-1846 in 1847 and the by two factors – urbanisation and industrialisation. wonderful pseudo-tartan source, Vestiarium As people move from rural to urban employment, Scoticum5, giving the ancient setts of the tartan. working for wages is common and money is no The kindest way to describe it is that what they longer scarce but time is. It’s easier to buy than lacked in historical fact, they made up with make clothes. And the younger generation does creative imagination. The tartan mania was on not buy clothes suitable for sleeping outside in and the mass marketing began. the heather! As factories and machine jobs We know from Robert Burns’ poems that increase, loose clothes can be a real danger. One weavers were quite attractive to the ladies (“To the tradition states that an English Quaker factory Weavers Gin You Go”, having good social skills and owner designed the small kilt for the safety of his strong, muscular bodies from working the loom. workers. Whatever the origin, the kilt was here to They were also good marriage prospects, earning stay and increase in popularity. a good living. Weavers were canny Since the woman’s plaid, tartan, arasaid, etc. businesspersons, quite literate for the time, and is not mentioned in Robert Burns’ poetry, I am immediately collected setts of different tartans. not including that extensive history at this time. They took what was given to them at face value. Early sources, especially Roman, describe They even had a mathematical forumulat6 to Highland clothing as having “diverse colours“ or regulate pricing:- “striped”. While there are striped fisherwomen ( x + 1) x costumes, one writer4 suggests that Latin had no - word at that time for “checkered” (checkers and 2 chess not in their culture yet) and what they saw where “x” is the number of colours in a tartan and were vertical strips and horizontal stripes that is, the result is the number of shades, for wherever a plaid. the lines cross, a new shade is formed. But somewhere along the way, the kilt and Marketing soon eliminated the “common” tartan evolved from the “ruddy shanked” rural person. “Ruddy shanks” gave way to socks, costume to the mass marketing, heavy investment shoes, flashes, and sgian dubhs (a utility knife that excluded the poor. Because Robert Burns become a decorative accessory). Day wear and “suffered the supreme curse of making three evening wear clothes require two of almost guineas do the work of five”, the cost of a kilt is everything. It becomes a major expense.

42 Had Robert Burns lived longer, would he have And steal me from Maria’s prying eye. worn the kilt? It would have been expensive but Blest Highland bonnet! Once my proudest dress, Burns was known to dress “above his station” Now prouder still, Maria’s templess press!… and spend money on good clothes. He was a The crafty Colonel leaves the tartan’d lines Campbell on his mother’s side of the family and For other wars, where he a hero shines: the earliest tartans were Campbell. The tartan started as a Highland custom. Burns was a He even gives the kilt an earlier history, Lowlander but he came from a Highland family. tongue-in-cheek, in “On the Late Captain Grose’s My feeling is that he would have enthusiastically Peregrination Thro Scotland” with embraced the tradition as yet one more expression The cut of Adam’s philibeg of his nationalism. But back to reality – not the reality of our last For the second point, the lassies are full of two centuries overview but the meaning those pride when their man respects the old ways – terms had in late eighteenth-century Scotland – what they meant when Robert Burns wrote them. THE JOLLY BEGGARS – A CANTATA He uses the words plaid (plaiden, plaidie), A Highland lad my love was born, kilt, trews, philabeg(s) and tartan in a progressive The lalland laws he held in scorn three-part philosophy. First, these items reflect But he still was faithfu to his clan, Scotland’s past glory – a time when men were My gallant, braw John Highlandman. strong and martial. (Burns gives these attributes to non-human women twice – the allegorical With his philibeg an’ tartan plaid, figure of Scotland in “The Author’s Earnest Cry and An’ guid claymore down by his side, Prayer” and to Nature in “The Vision”. ) Second, The ladies’ hearts he did trepan, these attributes make them appealing to women. My gallant, braw John Highlandman. Third, these attributes provide comfort and safety for the women, in the way a woollen plaid Their hope is that the son will be like the encircles the loved one with warmth. father In the first sense, the very mention of traditional Highland dress stirs the blood and BONNIE DUNDEE brings a sense of power. May Heaven protect my bonie Scots laddie, And send him safe hame to his babie and me… THE BATTLE OF SHERRAMUIR7 Thy smiles are sae like my blythe sodger laddie, ‘But had ye seen the philibegs Thou’s ay the dearer and dearer to me!… And skyrin tartan trews, man; When in the teeth they daur’d our Whigs, An’ I’ll cleed thee in the tartan sae fine, And Covenant trueblues, man! And make thee a man like thy daddie dear.’ In lines extended lang and large, When baig’nets o’erpower’d the targe, However, the plaid may also lead to a fatal And thousands hasten’d to the charge, attraction, when the lover heartlessly leaves her Wi Highland wrath and frae the sheath with child and abandons her. In “Robin Shure in Drew blades o’ death, till, out o’ breath. Hairst”, it all began when she “gaed up to Dunse, They fled like frightened dows, man!’ to warp a wab o plaiden”. In “To the Weavers Gin You Go”, the young starts on the path to heartbreak In “From Esopus to Maria”, he writes: when her “mither sent me to the town to warp a plaiden wab”. Evidently, the weaver who weaves While sans-culottes8 stoop up at the mountain the plaid is a poor substitute for the man who high, actually wears it.

43 In the third part, the plaid (ie) seems to be the I’d shelter thee, I’d shelter thee romantic equivalent of today’s wine and candle- Or did Misfortune’s bitter storms light” or “a loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and Around thee blaw, around thee blaw, thou…” It enfolds the two lovers in one garment, Thy bield should be my bosom, providing comfort, shelter, warmth, and a quasi- To share it a’, to share it a’. commitment. But in general, the plaid is a prelude to love, MONTGOMERIE’S PEGGY an instrument for lust, which may lead to a happy Altho’ my bed were in yon muir, (marriage) or unhappy (illegitimate birth) Amang the heather, n my plaidie. conclusion. In “Theniel Menzies’ Bonie Mary”, Yet happy, happy I would be, Charlie Grigor “tint [lost] his plaidie, Kissing Had I my dear Montgomerie’s Peggy. Theniel’s bonie Mary” and “gat the spring to pay”. It comes as no surprise that Robert Burns When o’er the hill beat surly storms, wore a version of the plaidie and several statues And winter nights were dark and rainy, around the world show him wearing it.9 Although I’d seek some dell, and in my arms it is a practical garment against the “cauld blast”, I’d shelter dear Montgomerie’s Peggy. it can also be draped dramatically if one wants to pose fashionably. Robert Burns surely wore it to Were I a Baron proud and high, advantage to accomplish in real life the goals he And horse and servants waiting ready, mentioned in his poetry. Then a’ ‘twad gie o’ joy to me The sharin’t with Montgromerie’s Peggy. 1 Although today the plaid/tartan is considered unique as Scottish national costume, the pattern appears in many cultures. See Elizabeth Wayland Barber’s The Mummies of CA’ THE YOWES TO THE KNOWES Ürümchi (NY, London: W. W. Norton and Company, (first version) 1999), which shows perfectly preserved plaid cloth of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed mummies of China. The ‘If ye’ll but stand to what ye’ve said, Carthaginian deity Tanit wears checkered-bordered I’se gang wi’ thee, my shepherd lad. garments on a 4th century B.C.E. funerary urn pictured in And ye may row me in your plaid, Desmond Stuart’s and the Editors of the Newsweek Book Section, The Alhambra (NY: Newsweek, 1974), pp. 34-45. And I sall be your dearie.’ 2 An example of this is in R. R. McIan’s The Clans of the Scottish Highlands: The Costumes of the Clans (NY: Crescent The plaiden-trist may also have the element of Books, 1986), p. 51 (Ferguson). stealth and adventure. 3 4 J. Charles Thompson, So You’re Going to Wear the Kilt (Arlington, VA: Heraldic Art, 1982), p. 17. MY NANIE, O 5 The text (minus pictures) can be found in Donald C. The westlin wind blaws loud an’ shill; Stewart and J. Charles Thompson, Scotland’s Forged The night’s baith mirk and rainy, O; —————————— But I’ll get my plaid an’ out I’ll steal, An’ owre the hill to Nanie, O. DUMFRIES LADIES OUR monthly meetings have been well attended with However, it’s comfort is not limited to the usual Burns readings much appreciated by mem- romance. In one of the nicest thank you notes bers. The Annual Tam O’Shanter Competition in the ever written, Robert Burns sent this poem to Globe Inn, Dumfries was very successful and well Jessie Lewars, his caretaker at the end of his life. attended, the winner this year was Angus Middleton, Secretary West Kilbride Burns Club. President of the S.S.C.B.A., John Lauder presented prizes to the win- O, WERT THOU IN THE CAULD BLAST ners. During the past year the ladies attended many O, wert thou in the cauld blast Burns events not only in the UK but overseas. Atlanta On yonder lea, on yonder lea, (USA), Greenock, Bradford, Erskine as well as other My plaidie to the angry airt, federation and local events. E. Haining

44 Tartans (Edinburgh: Paul Harris, 1980). More background 8 The French revolutionaries were called “sans-culottes.” It is available in Hugh Trevor-Roper’s essay in The Invention does not mean men “without pants” but “without of Tradition, edited by Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger culottes”, the short, tights knee-length breeches worn by (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983), pp. the aristocrats. The freedom fighters worse loose, ankle- 15-42. length pants to distinguish them from their oppressors 6 Donald C. Stewart, The Setts of the Scottish Tartans and to show their disdain for upper-class fashion. In this (London: Shepheard-Walwyn, 1974), p. 20. poem, Burns uses the term to refer to Kilted Highlanders. 7 All quotes are from The Official Bicentenary Edition of The 9 Edward Goodwillie, The World’s Memorials of Robert Burns Complete Works of Robert Burns, edited and introduced by (Detroit, Michigan: Waverley Publishing Company, 1911). James A. Mackay (Ayrshire: Alloway Publishing, 1986).

From: The World’s Memorials of Robert Burns, collected and described by Edward Goodwillie (Detroit, Michigan: Waverley Publishing Company, 1911), plate betwee pp. 36-37. ————————————

Professor Ross Roy pictured with Shirley Bell and Peter Westwood in Dumfries, visited by Roy after receiving his Degree in Edinburgh.

HONORARY DEGREE OF DOCTOR honour to present for the Honorary Degree of OF LETTERS Doctor of Letters, Professor George Ross Roy. Although laureation addresses usually open PROFESSOR biographically, I shall depart from normal practice and begin with an anecdote. Forty years ago, a GEORGE ROSS ROY Canadian academic thought of creating an LAUREATION ADDRESS - academic journal devoted to Scottish Literature. FRIDAY 12 JULY 2002 In those days, Scottish authors were almost always taught under the umbrella of English LAUREATOR - Literature. In search of encouragement for so PROFESSOR RONNIE JACK, radical a proposal, he therefore sought counsel DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH from two Scottish colleagues. ‘Won’t last five LITERATURE years’ said one cheerfully. ‘If that!’ said the other. Professor Roy, the Canadian in question, ignored Mr. Vice-Chancellor, in the name and by the their advice. Studies in Scottish Literature was first authority of the Senatus Academicus, I have the

45 published in Texas in 1963 and is about to Among his many articles and monographs across celebrate its fortieth birthday. To-day it is sited in a wide range of times, languages and topics, I the University of South Carolina, where Professor shall confine myself to his work on Burns. In this Roy is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of context, as editor of the second Clarendon English and Comparative Literature. His wife edition of Burns’s letters, and author of many Lucie is now an invaluable associate editor but he studies on the bard, a distinguished colleague, has himself been senior editor throughout that has justly called him the ‘doyen of North entire period. The part played by the journal in American Burns scholars.’ encouraging Scottish Literature at all educational ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged’ that levels cannot be overestimated. Those who call Presbyterian truths alliterate in threes. In adding Professor Roy the father of the discipline are not patron to professor and publisher, however, I am indulging in eulogistic, merely echoing an not mechanically obeying the method but noting accepted truth. another important contribution. Professor Roy In this context, it is, perhaps, appropriate to echo has donated his extensive book collection to the the alliterative method of the Scottish preaching Library in Columbia; he funds (in his tradition. I therefore move from publisher to grandfather’s memory) the W. Ormiston Roy professor. Ross Roy’s academic career began with Visiting Research Fellowship and has hosted an MA from the University of Montreal in 1951. many international conferences in South Subsequently he gained the Maîtrise from the Carolina. The thousands of scholars who travel to University of Strasbourg and doctorates from the South Carolina under these various auspices are Universities of Paris and Montreal. His early also powerfully reminded of the generous and teaching career included spells at Quebec, convivial side to a true Southern welcome. Montreal, Alabama and Texas Technological Mr. Vice Chancellor, I invite you to confer on College. In 1965 he came to the University of George Ross Roy the Honorary Degree of Doctor South Carolina, holding a full professorship there of Letters. until his retirement.

MacMillan and Associates Burns Society The Seventeenth Anniversary Construction Trade Contractors Society Friday 24th January, 2003 The Savoy Hotel, London Charity on behalf of: St. Bart’s Childrens Cancer Research Sponsors to the Benevolent Fund • Lighthouse Club • Robert Burns World Federation Why not join in the fun… An Evening of Entertainment, Poetry & Songs plus Distinguished Guest Speakers. Music supplied by a selection of Bands including… The Pipes and Drums of the London Scottish Regiment and Guards Band. Other events not to be missed St. Andrew’s Ball and the Burn’s Smokers Night held at the Caledonian Club, London For further information contact: 07909 687 618 • 01778 440344

46 And canonize as Martyrs; WHY SHOULD WE The guillotine on Peers shall wait; And Knights shall hang in garters. IDLY Those Despots long have trode us down, And Judges are their engines: WASTE OUR PRIME Such wretched minions of a Crown Demand the people’s vengeance! he inclusion of this song in the recently To-day ‘tis theirs. To-morrow we published Canongate Burns surprised Shall don the Cap of Libertie! TNORRIE PATON; the more so, on learning The Canongate Burns, 2001. that the editors had traced the origins of the song to an English radical poet. The Canongate text has been taken from In the Burns Chronicle for the year 2000, I Henley & Henderson’s 1896 edition (or James raised the issue of the poem/song, ‘Why should Barke’s Collins, 1955 – they are identical) despite we idly waste our prime’, in the form of a letter the fact that Henley & Henderson’s texts have addressed to the editor. Although no direct been roundly condemned by the Canongate response came of this, the publication of The editors, whilst Chambers, the only claim to Canongate Burns in November 2001, brought the authorisation of the poem, is blatantly rejected piece to the fore once more. The editors, Andrew – How strange! Noble and Patrick S. Hogg, provided sufficient Where did Chambers receive the MS authority proof that Burns was not the author of these for ‘Why should we idly waste our prime’ if not radical verses, though, on the grounds that the from Cunningham’s 1834 volumes? He stated song was “improved by Burns”, they were that it was: “an unpubished poem given by Mr. prepared to admit it into the canon. Cunningham.” Given where? Did he mean that The research by the Canongate editors in Cunningham had passed the MS to him? It is tracing the lyrics to an anonymous southern poet unlikely that one editor would willingly hand must be applauded; however, a verdict of over a MS, especially such a unique one, to a rival attributing the piece to Burns, in any shape or – this line of thought can surely be discounted. form, simply cannot be justified. The song was Did Cunningham have the piece published in first published by Robert Chambers in his some magazine of the time? The answer here People’s Edition of 1838 though Dr Noble and would also appear to be in the negative. The Mr Hogg follow James Mackay in citing Allan source would have come to light, and, in any Cunningham’s 1834 edition as the alleged Burns case, if Cunningham had obtained possession of source. A comparison of the text given by a Burns holograph MS, there is hardly any Chambers, with that of The Canongate Burns, question that he would have included it in his shows numerous interesting variations in revised edition, published by George Virtue, wording, the use of capital letters, and general London, 1839. As far as Robert Chambers was punctuation. The second stanza (of three), is concerned he realised his error, and in his hereby given as an example: subsequent volumes of 1851 and 1856, the song was omitted – without comment! Proud bishops next we will translate, The matter would almost certainly have ended Among priest-crafted martyrs; there since no other estimable edition of Burns The guillotine on peers shall wait, issued the piece, until, in 1876, William Scott And knights shall hang in garters; Douglas included it in his, though he cast Those despots long have trod us down, considerable doubt over Burns’s composition of And judges are their engines – these verses. Despite his reputation as, “the lynx- Such wretched minions of a crown eyed Mr Douglas”, he admitted to overlooking Demand the people’s vengeance. the song when listing the pieces first produced People’s Edition, 1838 by Cunningham in 1834. He should really have drawn the conclusion that it simply wasn’t there Proud Priests and Bishops we’ll translate – he should also have taken stock of Chambers’s

47 reaction in dropping the song from his 1851 and available evidence does not support their claim in 1856 editions. restoring ‘Why should we idly waste our prime’ Scott Douglas titled the piece, ‘Fragment of a to the canon. The history of this particular piece Revolution Song’, and varied the text from that does not point to any involvement whatever by given by Chambers, presumably on his own Burns. It was published by Chambers, who cited initiative, there being no extant manuscript to Cunningham as his authority; Cunningham, it direct the changes – a fact confirmed by his own would appear, made no reference to it at all; comment: Chambers, in turn, dropped it; then, almost forty The present editor has little doubt that this years later, Scott Douglas rather irresponsibly production, and also The Tree of Liberty, if really revived it, and in doing so, denied it the creativity taken from Burns’ MS., have been merely of Burns’s muse. transcribed by him from the pages of some wild It may be argued that, ‘The Tree of Liberty’ has Magazine of the period. a more acceptable right to a place in Burns’s As it so happens, ‘The Tree of Liberty’ was also works than its companion piece; yet, here again, published for the first time by Robert Chambers questions must be raised. Thomas Crawford, in in 1838, and he continued to print it in his later his excellent book, Burns: A Study of the Poems and volumes. Chambers had obtained permission Songs, (1960), has given a soundly balanced from a Mr. James Duncan of Mosesfield to print judgement on the subject. He is swayed to accept it from a MS. In Duncan’s possession. Whether Burns’s authorship of the poem, but caution, and or not this was a holograph manuscript has long even doubt, seem barely concealed. ‘The Tree of been the subject of debate among Burns scholars. Liberty’ certainly cannot be regarded, without Duncan was a prominent bookseller and question, as genuine Burns; there are too many publisher in Glasgow, as his father was before ambiguous factors in its composition to allow it him, with premises in the Saltmarket and an unopposed entry into an edition of his works, Trongate. He took up residence at New Mosesfield unless categorised, or annotated, as one of the House in 1838, and died shortly afterward. dubious pieces. In conclusion I would respectfully suggest to the editors of The Canongate Burns that, the

———————————— illness and the downturn in the markets for their WORD PICTURES OF specialist products led to his present situation. He took up calligraphy as a hobby and has never BURNS looked back and he incorporated this newly found talent with the works of Burns. Creating interesting images involving Burns has been an inspired way of ON THE WEB showing the Bard to the world and his wife Margaret giant international firm using the current decided with Iain that perhaps the first destination for euphemism of “down sizing” meant a downturn copies of these images should be on the Web to appeal A in the personal life of Burns enthusiast IAIN to ex patriate Scots and his “word pictures” can be McCLAFFERTY. Not only did the job go but even admired on the Web at www.h2mprints.co.uk. These before that time Iain had been suffering from a pictures are different and well worthy of a visit to the continuing long term medical condition which had site. Pen and ink and dedication have taken total resulted in him being unable to work. The M.E. priority over an easy option of computer generated diagnosis was a hard one to accept but Iain faces the artistry – like the Bard himself – Ian has spent many future and his prospects with great determination to long hours creating drawings which are unusual and make the best of what has come his way and involve interesting. From a situation that was looking very dire himself in something he loves doing. Iain and Margaret are fighting back against the odds He holds no ill will towards Motorola his former that would be too daunting for many others in a similar employees because he feels as if he was treated by them setting. These admirers of the Bard are optimistic about very fairly and recognised that the combination of his the future that they are now creating.

48 Here Stewarts once in glory reign’d, BURNS NEWS AT And laws for Scotland’s weal ordain’d; But now unroofed their palace stands, THE STIRLING Their sceptre falled to other hands; Fallen indeed, and to the earth, SMITH Whence grovelling reptiles take their birth; The injured Stewart line is gone. new acquisition is on show at the Stirling A race outlandish fills their throne; Smith Art Gallery and Museum – two of An idiot race, to honour lost – Athe artist’s original plasters for the Burns Who knows them best, despise them most. Monument, which sits a short distance away in Dumbarton Road, Stirling. They are a sharp commentary on the state of The Stirling Burns Monument is one of the both the Castle and the town of Stirling at that better public sculptures in a town which was time. The first two of the Lines have been cut in once accused of being possessed with ‘statuema- slate as part of the cobblestone mosaic made by nia’. It was commissioned by Provost Bayne and artist Maggy Howarth for the entrance to the unveiled with great ceremony in September Smith, and co-incidentally, the mosaic was 1914. It is composed of a figure on a tall granite installed on 12 March 2002 – the day of the plinth, with bronze plaques around the plinth, announcement of Stirling’s new status as a City. showing Burns and scenes from his poetry. The purchase, restoration, and display of the Stirling has always held Burns in high regard, two plasters (the Poet and his Muse, and The since his visit in 1787 when he composed the Cottar’s Saturday Night) was a lengthy process. famous Stirling Lines, scratched on the glass of It was important for the Stirling Smith to acquire Wingate’s Inn (now the Golden Lion Hotel): them, for their display gives the public the oppor- tunity to study the artist’s originals at close quar- ters. Although countries like France have valued artists’ plasters and curated them with great care, they have not been given the respect they deserve in Scottish museums. The fine plasters produced by the same artist in 1911 for the Wallace Monument at Elderslie for example, are missing, and it is fortunate that they survived long enough for the panels to be produced in fibreglass for the monument in 1969. The artist was Albert Hemstock Hodge (1876- 1918), a sculptor of great talent. He trained at the Glasgow School of Art, where he won a gold, a silver and four bronze medals. He also took first prize in the UK architectural design examina- tion. He completed training as an architect in the office of William Leiper. In 1901, he was com- missioned to create the winged figure ‘Light’ for one of the Glasgow International Exhibition pavilions. He sculpted the figures on the Anderston Savings Bank, 1899-1900, the Caledonian Chambers of the Caledonian Railway Company 1901-1903, on Welbeck Abbey, the town halls of Cardiff, Glamorgan, Hull and Deptford, the Clyde Navigational Trust (1908), three cherubs on Glasgow Cathedral, on Pettigrew and Stephens building, the coat of arms on the National

49 Savings Bank, St Vincent Street, figures on the Grammar School, Mr Christopher Bell, a singing Mail office in Union Street, on Manchester House teacher and Master of the English School in Baker in Sauchiehall Street (all Glasgow), on Clydebank Street, and Lieutenant Forrester from the Castle Council Chambers, and a series representing arts garrison. They had dinner and spent the night in and crafts in the Grosvenor Ballroom. He was the drink and song. For generations thereafter, Burns major sculptor for the Manitoba Legislative was commemorated in Stirling on that night. Building in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. There is a permanent display on Burns’ visit to Other works include the figure of Queen Stirling and his Stirling Lines in the Smith, as well Victoria for the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow. He as the new cobblestones and bas reliefs. The also won a competition for a national monument Stirling Smith is on the same side of Dumbarton to Captain Scott and his party. Road as the Burns Monument, and has the first Albert Hodge exhibited regularly at the RGI free parking spaces in that road. Open Tuesday- and RA, and designed the Soane Medallions for Saturday 10.30-5, Sundays 2-5. Shop, café. RIBA. Admission free. Two of the plasters from the Stirling monu- Elspeth King ment survived with the artist’s family, and years of bad storage had taken their toll. The museum would not have made the purchase without securing in advance the talents of Colin Hunter McQueen to restore and stabilise the works, and bring them into an exhibitable condition. This was done with skill and dedication. Further work on framing was completed by Smith volunteer Bob Taggart and the two panels now have pride of place in the Smith’s lecture theatre, to the enjoyment of many, and not least to the members of the Stirling Literary Society who meet there. The purchase and restoration of the two bas reliefs was funded by the Friends of the Smith, with a grant from the National Fund for Acquisitions, administered with government funds by the National Museums of Scotland. Although 25 January is widely celebrated throughout Stirlingshire, there are places where August 27 is still recognised as Burns Supper night. That was the night spent by Burns in the company of Dr David Doig, Rector of the Stirling

———————————— Mr. Michael Wigley. The Address to the Lasses was by LYON AND DISTRICT Mr. Peter Stap and the reply by Mme. Christiane Orgeret. The haggis was addressed in fine style by Mr. BURNS CLUB James Fairbairn. The AGM was held on April 5th in Salle 9, 33 Rue The club founded and affiliated to the Federation in Bossuet. The main decisions were that all serving 1994 returned to the Institut Vatel in the city for their personnel of the executive will remain the same. Annual Dinner. The Vatel is a teaching school for the Membership fees were rounded up to the nearest Euro catering industry. The meal was up to the usual high value. A family membership goes from 90FF. to 15 standard the meal cooked as much as possible to our Euros, an individual from 60FF. to 10 Euros and a own specification to favour authenticity. The Immortal student/retired membership from 30FF. to 5 Euros. Memory was given on the theme “Burns The Actor” by Mary Wigley (President)

50 THE “AE FOND KISS COLLECTION” designed, crafted and produced exclusively by Margaret A. King, B.Sc., F.G.A., D.G.A.

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51 contacted 237 Eldridge Street, Number 24, New York,, New York 10002 (212) 533-8842. BOOK REVIEWS Published by – Caledonia Road Publishing, Small Press Distribution. [email protected] ROBERT BURNS Selected Poems & AN EXPERIENCE OF Songs By Thomas Keith DROWNING HERE are many interesting little stories HE works of Scotland’s Bard are as behind the fifty-two poems in Dumfries dynamic today as they were during his artist/poet JOHN CLARK’S new book ‘An lifetime - in addition to his most familiar T T Experience of Drowning’. None more so than the poems and songs such as To A Mouse, Auld Lang story behind the title poem. On a warm summer’s Syne, and A Red, Red Rose, poetry lovers are day as a small child, whilst playing with an rediscovering Love and Liberty, The Kirk’s Alarm, assortment of wee pals he slipped into a deep Tam O’Shanter, The Holy Fair, Address to the Deil, pool at high tide, near the quay-end at Glencaple, Ode For General Washington’s Birthday, The Slave’s a village near Dumfries. The group had been Lament, Halloween and many others. With a right trying unsuccessfully to bale out the pool with margin glossary on each page giving both literal jeely-jars. and contextual meanings for the Scots words, this The memory of sinking down into the tepid volume has been specifically designed to be waters is graphically described in the poem. “user-friendly” for those who are new to Burns’ Oddly enough he remembers it not as a writing as well as for Burns enthusiasts and frightening experience, apart from being scholars. This selection of over 110 poems and unceremoniously hauled out of the water as he songs covers the entire range of Burns’ interests was about to go under for a third time. including love songs and nature poems, political Years later a fishing boat, which he had and personal epistles, prayers and religious painted as an artist several times during its satires, Scottish ballads, English parodies, poetic working life, came to grief when it slipped its tributes to local characters and landscapes, moorings during a storm and sunk at Glencaple Jacobite, romantic, comic and bawdy songs, and Quay. There were no funds available to raise the some of Burns’ sharpest autobiographical boat from the harbour and from being a rather declarations. Also included are Burns’ prefaces to attractive oddity; it deteriorated into a mud- the Kilmarnock (1786) and Edinburgh (1787) covered wreck. Some years passed and although editions of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, his it was weighed down by mud, a freak tide famous autobiographical letter to Dr. Moore, miraculously raised it from the riverbed ‘washed William Burnes’ A Manual of Religious Belief, and gently laid it to rest’, oddly enough outside excerpts from Sir Walters Scott’s letter to J. G. the front of Conheath Cottages where the artist’s Lockhart describing the occasion on which he father John Macdonald Clark was born and very met Burns, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s centennial near the spot where his offspring almost drowned. essay on Burns, a bibliography, a discography, an The remains of the boat still sit outside the ruins index of titles and first lines and a brief chronology of Conheath Cottages to this day. of Burns’ life. When it was first washed up it cut quite a While Tom’s book is mainly directed at the striking image on the shoreline of the River Nith. North American Reader it nevertheless a welcome So much so that John Clark painted a rather nice addition to any Burns Library. Tom can be

52 watercolour of the boat which has subsequently through the reeds and clouded light been made into Ltd Edition prints. Not mch is into the arms of Mother Night left of the old boat now but a rather intriguing I felt no fear, no desire to fight, memory of a ‘shared experience’ inspiring the such was my experience of drowning. artist/poet to write the poem ‘An Experience of Then slowly, so slowly, I began to climb, Drowning’. reluctantly upward, Well-known local celebrities and Burnsians to muffled sounds have critically acclaimed the book. Their of the world I had left behind. comments are shown on a rather attractive I knew in my heart, it was not my time. subscription leaflet available now from Dumfries Such was my experience of drowning. & Galloway Libraries, the Midsteeple and the artist’s own Gallery in Dumfrier or simply by Then I was grabbed, by clothes, by hair, sending a s.a.e. to J. Clark at 28 Birchwood dragged on to the shore, it was so unfair Avenue, Dumfries. DG1 3DY asking for details. to clash with the sun, the smack of air The poem is shown below. and the curses of my cousins. For although I was in their care ‘When I look at you now, cockle boat they knew not of the place I see in you a Lazarus where I had felt no fear. resurrected from Glencaple Quay. As I look at you now, Cockle Boat, Where, weighed down by mud of countless tides I can still feel the anger of that petulant child. you sat submerged, marinating in silt The bitter after-taste of salt water resigned to Mother Nature’s Breakers Yard. mixed with denial is still with me. No summer sun here to bleach your bones. Though I’ve walked that shore upon which you Then by quirk of fate rest a freak tide tore you from your grave, a thousand times, Gathered you like driftwood I’ve never found the pool and in the slow salty rinse of the Solway that almost claimed me for its own. washed and gently laid you down to dry Such was my experience of drowning.’ on a nest of twigs and flotsam. ———————————— Proving that even to inanimate objects miracles can happen.

In this re-brith, your great escape. BURNS CHRONICLE I recognise in you a part of me who as a child, slipped into a deep pool 1892-1900 near this very spot, COPIES of the first nine issues of the Burns and in a brief moment Chronicle have become almost impossible to almost shared your fate. acquire by the many enthusiasts who are anxious Down, down, to complete their collection. The Burns Federation as I fell on this weightless flight would be willing to have these copies re-printed providing the response to purchase same would I had no fear, no desire to fight. make the task viable. Before any price could be Such was my experience of drowning. fixed for the nine issues we would like to know On my second descent into watery gloom how many collectors would in fact be interested enticed by this peaceful twilight tomb in purchasing. Please contact the editor (in I was drawn to the warmth of Mother Womb, writing) at the following address - 1 Cairnsmore such was my experience of drowning. Road, Castle Douglas. DG7 1BN. At the time of writing I have had TWELVE replies! Down, down,

53 54 1. Should auld acquaintance be forgot An never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!

Bygone times shared CHORUS: For auld lang syne, my jo, With friends For auld lang syne, We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet For auld lang syne.

You will pay for your 2. And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp! Own drink And surely I’ll be mine! And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

CHORUS

3. We twa hae run about the braes, Pulled; wild daisies And pou’d the gowans fine; Footstep But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fitt, Since Sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Paddled 4. We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burns, Noon Frae morning sun till dine; Broad But seas between us briad hae roar’d Sin auld lang syne.

CHORUS

5. And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! And gie’s a hand o’ thine! Hearty good-will drink And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught, For auld lang syne,

CHORUS

55 Apropos, is not the Scots phrase, “Auld lang syne,” exceedingly expressive. — There is an old song and tune which has often thrilled thro’ my soul. — You know I am an enthusiast in old Scots songs… Light be the turf on the breast of the heaven-inspired Poet who composed this glorious Fragment! There is more of the fire of native genius in it, than in half a dozen of modern English Bacchanalians. — (from Burns to Mrs. Dunlop, 7 December, 1788) Thus Burns first described his version of a Scots classic, a song that had evolved over a period of many decades, even centuries, before him. The eminent Burns scholar James Dick (1903, pp. 435-6) reported that the idea of the lyrics had been expressed in an anonymous sixteenth-century ballad “Auld Kyndnes foryett” and was printed in James Watson’s Choice Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems both Ancient and Modern (1711, III) as follows:

Should old acquaintance be forgot, And never thought upon, The flames of love extinguished, And freely past and gone?

Is thy kind heart now grown so cold In that loving breast of thine, That thou canst never once reflect On old-long-syne?

Dick refers to “Jamieson’s Dictionary” for the meaning of syne: “To a native of this country it is very expressive, and conveys a soothing idea to the mind, as recalling the memory of joys that are past.” The melody for which Burns penned his famous lyrics is also traditional and as Dick (p. 437) pointed out: “was associated with every song or ballad of Auld lang syne, including that of Burns up to the year 1799…” This air can be found in these collections of Scots tunes:

1 Sinkler’s MS. (1710) 2 Orpheus Caledonius (1725, No. 31) 3 Ramsay’s Musick (c. 1726) 4 Watts’s Musical Miscellany (1730, IV, 46) 5 The Caledonian Pocket Companion (1751, III, 21) 6 The Scots Musical Museum (1787, I, No. 25 — with words by Ramsay)

The tune is basically the same in all six, and invariably entitled “Auld lang syne.” The same melody appeared in Playford’s Original Scotch Tunes in 1700 wherein it was dubbed “For old long [S]ine my jo.” Burns’s first draft, mailed to Mrs. Dunlop, began with the words of the Watson (1711) version:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never thought upon?

A revised second draft went to editor James Johnson who published “Auld lang syne” in the fifth volume of The Scots Musical Museum in 1796, faithfully (as usual) carrying out Burns’s wishes for the match of tune and words. The signature “Z” found on the bottom of the page indicates Burns’s reshaping of this “old song” with his own corrections and additions. WHAT then, is this tune that everyone sings on New Year’s Eve? Let us imagine:

56 Edinburgh — 1799. Three years after Burns‘s death. As the early morning sun rose magisterially in the sky, George Thomson, editor of A Select Collection of Original Scotish [sic] Airs for the Voice, wearily seated himself at his desk. Today he had to make the final decisions on the contents of Volume II; he looked down upon Johnson’s Museum and aimed to produce a more prestigious publication… Before him lay piles of sheets. First and foremost, there were the Burns lyrics plus many letters from the late lamented Bard containing instructions for the music for these songs. A shorter stack of paper consisted of lyrics by such luminaries as Ramsay, Crawford, Pindar, Mrs. Cockburn, Hamilton of Bangour, Hector MacNeill, Tobias Smollet, and Shenstone; also the poetical efforts of lesser lights: a Paul Whitehead, one William Falconer, Charles Lord Binning, “A Lady” etc. with their Jockies and Jennies, nymphs and swains, shepherds, warblers and “oozy beaches”. There was also a considerable heap of completed musical arrangements, including those from Haydn.

As it stands today, Thomson’s Volume II is no small achievement although, given his considerable limitations, is it any wonder that the puzzle pieces did not always fit? Burns had agreed to participate in this venture with “honest enthusiasm” since it represented another opportunity to preserve his beloved Scots songs. Thomson did include more than one hundred Burns songs in his Select Collection, many with accompaniments by distinguished composers such as Haydn, Weber, and Beethoven. It is evident, however, that Burns and Thomson had some serious disagreements, especially in regard to the poet’s use of Scottish vernacular. Thomson not only preferred English verses, but went so far as to alter many of the marvelous songs that Burns sent to him, matching them to tunes of his own choice. Here are but fifteen examples of this meddlesome editor’s work:

BURNS’S LYRICS (first lines) MIS-MATCHED TUNES O wat ye wha’s in yon town...... Fy gar rub her o’er wi strae In simmer when the hay was mawn...... John, come kiss me now (“Country Lassie”) An O, for ane-and-twenty, Tam...... Up in the morning early My heart is a breaking, dear Tittie...... The muckin o’ Geordie’s byre (“Tam Glen”) Should auld acquaintance be forgot...... The Miller’s Wedding Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled...... Lewie Gordon Farewell, thou fair day; thou green earth; and ye skies...... My lodging is on the cold ground (“The Song of Death”) The gloomy night is gath’ring fast...... Druimionn dubh (“The Bonny Banks of Ayr”) O my Luve’s like a red, red rose...... Wishaw’s favourite Thou hast left me ever, Jamie...... The Lammy Now Spring has clad the grove in green...... Auld Lang Syne Come, let me take thee to my breast...... Ally Croaker Now westlin winds, and slaught’ring guns...... Ally Croaker (“Song, Composed in August”) Clarinda, mistress of my soul...... melody composed by Stephen Clarke Now in her green mantle blythe Nature arrays...... Coolin (an Irish tune)

What happened to “Auld lang syne” is now clear. Burn’s intentions simply got tossed around in the editorial shuffle: the original tune was pasted onto “Now Spring has clad the grove in green” and Thomson added further confusion by renaming it “The hopeless lover.” Burns’s lyrics were united with a popular tune of that day known as “The Miller’s Wedding” – a shotgun marriage if we may say so!

57 Whether the ultimate offspring, today’s New Year’s bacchanal version, may be considered 1) a grand success, 2) a total failure, or perhaps 3) neither here-nor-there, is now left for the reader to think on. There are some songs in The Scots Musical Museum which reflect a “wholly arbitrary Sassenach” [Saxon] influence on traditional Scottish tunes. They were notated using English-style chromaticism, especially of the leading tone, and with reliance on major and minor key signatures instead of the many modal varieties of tunes collected by Burns (see The Robert Burns Song Book, Volume I, p. 3). “Auld lang syne” was presented in The Scots Musical Museum (1796, V, No. 413) in D major (with two sharps) although the tune is actually in a simple pentatonic scale. Our arrangement is transposed to a more singable range in G with no sharp in the signature. Ester Hovey REFERENCES – Dick, James C., ed. The Songs of Robert Burns. London, 1903. Reprinted by Folklore Associates, Hatboro, Pennsylvania, 1962. Johnson, James, ed. The Scots Musical Museum. 6 vols. Edinburgh, 1787-1803. Roy, G. Ross, ed. The Letters of Robert Burns, 2nd ed., 2 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1985. Thomson, George, ed. A Select Collection of Original Scotish Airs. 5 vols. Edinburgh, 1793-1816. NOTE: This presentation of “Auld lang syne” will appear in the third volume of The Robert Burns Song Book, researched and arranged by Serge Hovey. Volumes I and II are published by Mel Bay Publications in the U.S.A. and distributed by Kevin Mayhew, Ltd. In the U.K. ———————————— Former president, Arthur Lucas, spoke of MARCHBANK Jim’s origins as a Shetlander who at one time served as a councillor and Baillie with Lerwick BURNS CLUB Town Council. He was Labour’s unanimous choice as parliamentary candidate to stand HONOURS ITS BARD against the late Liberal Party leader Jo Grimond but declined. Jim came to Balerno in 1971, ember of Marchbank Burns Club, moving to Lovedale where he still resides. their partners and guests, gathered in He joined the club in 1979 and became MBalerno’s community hall on Friday, President in 1985, an office he held for four years. August 23, to honour their talented Bard, Jim The book of Jim’s orations was presented to Tait. him by the club’s current President, Jim West. It is 20 years since JAMES W. TAIT was Mr. West said the National Bard would have appointed the club’s first Bard and, since then, enthusiastically endorsed the celebration of Jim’s he has delighted his fellow cronies at the annual orations which he described as “local, couthie Supper with his excellent orations. In appreciation and heart-felt poetry and prose of a calibre way of his immense contribution to the success of the beyond our wee club.” Marchbank Burns Club (Frae A’ The Airts’) a Thanking those who had contributed to the cheese and wine evening was organised to mark evening, Mr. West expressed his particular thanks the publication of a book containing all of his to Hugh Watt, who was responsible for orations. printing the beautifully bound and professionally Jim’s wife, Phyllis, and his sons, Robert Keith produced book, and to Mr. Stark, who was ably and Ian, were present along with other guests, assisted by his wife, Joan. including several from the Balerno Burns Club The formal part of the evening ended with the (“Let it Blaw”) of which Jim is Honorary Bard’s wife, Phyllis being presented with flowers. President. The members and guests were Each individual member of the club received a welcomed by the Marchbank club’s Vice- copy of the book. President, Bill Stark.

58 WORLD’S FIRST FOR MAUCHLINE AS STATUE OF JEAN ARMOUR IS UNVEILED THE world’s first statue to Jean Armour was unveiled on 30th November, 2002 in its new home at Mauchline Cross. In the company of a living descendant, top Burns aficionados, politicians, and local dignitaries the bronze figure of the Mauchline belle was revealed by Lady Hagart-Alexander of Ballochmyle. The event comes as Mauchline Burns Club, who worked tirelessly to ensure a fitting memorial to Jean Armour in the village, celebrate an historic year. The active club have battled hard to re-invigorate Burns tourism in the area and have successfully revived the traditional Holy Fair. NOW IN THE GLORY OF ACHIEVING A WORLD’S FIRST, THE CLUB REJOICE IN THE NEWS OF HOSTING THE MAIN EVENT FOR NEXT YEAR’S ‘BURNS AND A’ THAT’ FESTIVAL. Andrew Cooper, Secretary of Mauchline Burns Club, enthused: “It was a wonderful event. In the days leading up to the unveiling you could have scraped the entire committee off the ceiling, they were on such a high. “The event itself could not have been better. Mauchline Cross was crowded with local people and there was a strong support from people who could really make a big difference to the tourism industry in the town and when the statue was unveiled you could have heard a pin drop. “The committee have worked so hard and on the day all our chests were swollen with pride. The statue is beautiful and is only fitting to have placed here in Mauchline where she was born and met Robert Burns. We are all very proud of this and the committee deserve praise for all their hard work.” The opening speech at the event was given by Club President Andrew Bell. Master of Ceremonies was local member Councillor Eric Jackson, who was instrumental in saving the Burns House Museum from closure earlier in the year. Followed by Provost James Boyd of East Ayrshire. Canon John Flannery and Reverend Alan Telfer gave the dedication of the statue and Ian Lyell, Honorary President of MBC, provided an insight into the life and time of the Mauchline belle. Jim Robertson, President of the Robert Burns World Federation, gave the vote of thanks. MSP Cathy Jamieson, who attended the event, said… “I was delighted to have been asked by the Mauchline Burns Club to attend the unveiling of this statue. The life and work of Robert Burns is a matter of great pride to the people of Ayrshire and Scotland as a whole. “Mauchline Burns Club do a fantastic job in bringing the work of Robert Burns to life for local people and I congratulate them for their efforts in securing this new monument to Burns’ legacy.” Mauchline Burns Cub would like to extend their thanks to everyone involved in the project including East Ayrshire Council, Shire Housing, SCORE Environmental and Robison and Davidson. Amanda Smith (Cumnock Chronicle)

59 Photos by John Keachie • Captions on following page.

60 Pictured on the previous page: Top-officials and members of Mauchline Burns Club. Below - from left to right, Federation President Jim Robertson, Provost of East Ayrshire James Boyd, Cathy Jamieson, M.S.P., George Foukes, MP, Eric Jackson (Master of Ceremonies), Andrew Cooper (Secretary Mauchline Burns Club) and Sir Claud Hagart-Alexander. Above: Mauchline Club President Andy Bell addressing a large crowd at the opening ceremony. Behind Andy a few of the invited guests and friends. Photos by John Keachie. ———————————— PAISLEY WREATH LAYING CEREMONY On the 25th July, on the 206th anniversary of the funeral of Robert Burns, the annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony, organised by the Renfrewshire Association of Burns Clubs, took place this year. The Ceremony occurred in the Fountain Gardens in Paisley under the statue of Burns by the renowned sculptor F. W. Pomeroy.

Over 70 people turned up for the Ceremony, which took place, thankfully, this year in dry, mild weather. Among the luminaries attending were Provost of Paisley John MacDowall, President of the Robert Burns World Federation Limited Jim Gibson, Chief Executive of the Federation Shirley Bell, Honorary President of the Federation Peter Westwood and Anne Fawbert, President of Greenock Burns Club, the Mother Club. Representatives were in attendance from Lanarkshire Association of Burns Clubs, Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs, Gourock Burns Club, Erskine Trusty Frieres Burns Club, the Alamo Burns Club, Paisley and Gourock Jolly Beggars Burns Club, Glasgow as well as a contingent from Greenock Burns Club.

61 BURNS SPRING WATER FOR YOUR WHISKY IN the last issue of the Chronicle we Mauchline, giving a unique marketing reported on a number of products, which tool. This should assist in global one could connect to the fame of Robert recognition of the product, especially Burns – “Burns Heritage Tartan” and since he is responsible for writing the “Burns Cottage Chardonnay” and yet world’s anthem, Auld Lang Syne. one more – “Burnswell Spring Water”, Imagine, for example, the Canadians and featuring on the label a bust of the poet Americans at their Burns Supper drink a and Poosie Nancies in Mauchline. toast, using “Scotch Whisky’ and Spring ANDREW and DAVID COOPER built Water from Mauchline. adjoining houses in the centre of Mauchline, while doing this; they lifted a manhole cover and discovered an artesian well rising into a brick vaulted chamber. Enquiries provided the information that the existing structure had been built in 1902 by Ayr County Council and that it provided water to the village of Mauchline for 10 years and was then abandoned when the new mains water pipeline was laid to serve Mauchline. Although the new well was used to supply drinking water for the village of Mauchline, it had been used hundreds of years previously, pre-dating the time the Cisterian Monks formed a Monastery in Mauchline (the Abbot’s Tower still remains) in the twelfth century. The history of Mauchline dates back to 681 AD. The water from the spring has been tested by Food Scan of Paisley and by our local Environmental Health Department both of whom passed it as potable. One official stated that the water was ‘so good it could be bottled straight from the well.’ The well produces 30 million litres of water per annum from it’s 100mm bore hole and Consultant’s opinion, subject to a full survey, is that a larger bore hole could produce any quantity of water required. Planning has already been granted for extraction and they also own full mineral rights. This water is unique in that the source is in Mauchline, hometown of Robert Burns. He farmed at Mossgiel then moved to Mauchline where he married Jean Armour and set up home in Castle Street, which is now a museum. Burns penned most of his greatest works in

62 POET’S GREAT, GREAT, GREAT GRANDSON VISITS ALLOWAY

RICHARD GOWRING, the great, great, great grandson of Robert Burns pictured with Dr Tom Morrall (Hon. President of Alloway Burns Club) and his wife Margaret who attended the Third Anniversary Dinner of the Three Primary Schools Robert Burns Club held in the Brig O’Doon House Hotel. Alloway Primary School, Ayr Grammar Primary School and Doonfoot Primary School form a geographic triangle around the Cottage, the Birthplace of Robert Burns. These Robert Burns Clubs all founded and Federated in 1996 where honoured indeed when Group Captain Richard Gowring accepted their invitation to become their Patron and Honorary President. The Presidents of these three Primary Schools Robert Burns Clubs with their Honorary President laid wreaths on the 25th January 2002 at Burns Statue in Ayr. ———————————— BENDIGO & DISTRICT CALEDONIAN SOCIETY INC.

Pictured with their Federation Membership Certificates front row - left to right – Helen Stephenson, Max Morse, Janette Millar, Jim Millar, Helen Morse, Jessie Woollard, piper Walter Stables, Back row:- Jeannice Henderson, Isabel Stables, Bert Cullen, Donald Walker

63 OBITUARIES RHODE ISLAND BURNS NIGHT MATTHEW PENMAN KIDD SPONSORED by the Burns Anniversary Committee of Rhode Island, the 39th Annual BORN in Aberdeen in 1907, later his par- Robert Burns Supper Dance was held on February ents moved to Slamannan then to Glasgow where 2, 2002, at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet Ballroom, they commenced business in 1933 making con- Cranston, Rhode Island. Some 424 guests from fections (Sweets), eventually moving to Airdrie, throughout the New England area and the British the firm closing in 1972. A loyal member of Isles gathered to honor Scotland’s National poet. Airdrie Burns Club serving as secretary, treasurer, Chairman John MacLean welcomed the and elected President in 1970, later he was guests and extended greetings to all. A minute of appointed an Honorary Vice-President. Matthew silence was observed in honor of the victims of died on 25th April 2002 in his 95th year. A fam- the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack. Loyal ily man who included the life and works of toasts to President Bush, Queen Elizabeth, Robert Burns as a favourite pastime. As a token of Robert Burns and the Grace before Supper were his regard for the Poet, Matthew’s family recently delivered by Joyce Dell, Richmond Cargill, Ken presented a cheque to the Robert Burns World MacGregor and Betty MacLean, respectively. The Federation. “Address to the Haggis” and the “Immortal Memory” were delivered by Edward Gaughan. “An honest man here lies at rest, John MacLean, Jr. piped in the Haggis. Dance As e’er God with his image blest: music was provided by Scottish champion accor- The friend of man, the friend of truth, dionist Stuart Ross McKeown, who also accom- The friend of age, and guide of youth: panied vocalist Jean McGregor. The three enter- Few hearts like his – with virtue warm’d, tainers from Dunbartonshire, Scotland, gave fine Few heads with knowledge so inform’d: performances on their first visit to the United If there’s another world, he lives in bliss; States. If there is none, he made the best of this.” Under the direction of Pipe Major Robert Scent, The Mystic Highland Pipe Band gave a ———————————— splendid performance and received a standing GORDON M. MACKLAY ovation. At the close of the evening the guests formed a circle, joined hands and sang Burns’ IT is with much sadness that we report the pass- most popular and best-known poem, “Auld Lang ing of Gordon, an Honorary President of the Syne.” The Rhode Island Burns Supper Dance is Federation. In 1939 he was a founder member of one of the largest and most colourful Scottish the Scottish Society and Burns Club of Australia, social events in New England. based in Sydney. In 1986 Gordon presented Thomas J. Boyle, Publicity Chairman £5000 to the Federation at a time when the funds of the Federation were in the need of an uplift. An enthusiastic and loyal supporter of all things THE EDITOR REGRETS THAT Scottish, he will be sadly missed by his Club and OWING TO RESTRICTIONS his many Burnsian friends. His last attendance at Conference was in Edinburgh in 1987. ON PAGING A NUMBER OF ITEMS HAVE BEEN HELD “O, could I give thee India’s wealth, As I this trifle send! OVER UNTIL THE NEXT Because the Joy in both would be ISSUE. To share them with a friend!”

64 Motto — “A man’s a man for a’ that” THE ROBERT BURNS WORLD FEDERATION LIMITED Company Registration No. 196895. Scottish Charity No. SCO29099 (Formerly THE BURNS FEDERATION) Instituted 1885 upon him at Erskine. HEADQUARTERS: DEAN CASTLE COUNTRY PARK, DOWER HOUSE, KILMARNOCK. KA3 1XB. TEL/FAX: 01563 572469. OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CLOSED FOR LUNCH 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. [email protected] DIRECTORS JAMES ROBERTSON, E-mail: [email protected] HUGH WILSON LOGAN (Senior Vice President), Tel: 02828 272963 WALTER WATSON (Junior Vice President), E-mail: [email protected] JAMES GIBSON (Immediate Past President), E-mail: gibson.symington@virgin ANNE GAW, Tel: 01294 217481 MURDO MORRISON, E-mail: [email protected] Dr JAMES CONNOR, E-mail: [email protected] A. MacARTHUR IRVIN, E-mail: [email protected] JAMES O’LONE, E-mail: [email protected] SHIRLEY BELL, E-mail: [email protected] PETER WESTWOOD, E-mail: [email protected] WILSON OGILVIE, Tel: 01387 264267 MOIRA DUNSMORE, E-mail: [email protected] JOHN PATERSON, Tel: 01303 256670 HONORARY PRESIDENTS Mrs. Stella Brown, Charles Murray, Lew W. Reid, George Irvine, Professor G. Ross Roy, Archie McArthur, William Williamson, Murdo Morrison, Lawrence Burness, Tom G. Paterson, Peter J. Westwood, James Hempstead, Provost of East Ayrshire, Joseph Campbell, Professor Henryk Minc, Kenneth McKellar, Alastair Gowans, Robert Cleland. OFFICIALS Chief Executive: SHIRLEY BELL, “Inveresk,” Kelton, Dumfries. DG1 4UA. Tel/Fax: 01387 770283. E-mail: [email protected] President: JIM ROBERTSON, 4 Hunter’s Close, Dunnington, York. YO1 5QH. Tel: 01904 489201. E-mail: [email protected] Senior Vice-President: H. WILSON LOGAN, 64 Ballyhampton Road, Larne, N. Ireland. BT40 2SP. Junior Vice-President: WALTER N. WATSON, “Dreva”, 75 Peartree Close, South Ockenden, Essex. RM15 6PR. Tel: 01708 857509. E-mail: [email protected] Clerical Secretary: Mrs. MARGARET CRAIG, Dean Castle Country Park, Dower House, Kilmarnock. KA3 1XB. Editor: PETER J. WESTWOOD, 1 Cairnsmore Road, Castle Douglas. DG7 1BN. Tel/Fax: 01556 504448.

E-mail: [email protected] before and during his term as Provost. mendous contribution to the Federation Honorary Legal Advisor: DAVID STEVENSON. Auditors: SMITH & WALLACE & CO. CONVENERS 200 Club: MOIRA RENNIE DUNSMORE, 59 Beechwood Court, Dunstable, Beds. LU6 1QA. Tel: 01582 705671. E-mail: [email protected] Schools Competitions: ANNE GAW, 7 Highfield Place, Girdle Toll, Irvine. KA11 1BW. Tel: 01294 217481. Scottish Literature: JOHN G. PATERSON, Newlands, 35 Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, Kent. CT20 2NQ. Memorials Committee:WILSON OGILVIE, “Lingerwood”, 2 Nelson Street, Dumfries. DG2 9AY. Marketing/Advertising: MURDO MORRISON, 110 Campbell Street, Wishaw. ML2 8HU. Tel: 01698 372638. Conference Committee: MOIRA RENNIE DUNSMORE, 59 Beechwood Court, Dunstable, Beds. LU6 1YA. Tel: 01582 705671. PAST PRESIDENTS This was the first award of its kind, and it agreed that Provost Boyd most deserving of the accolade bestowed

James Gibson, John Skilling, Joe Campbell, Bob Dalziel, Moira Rennie Dunsmore, Andrew McKee, Murdo Morrison, in recognition of his tre - Federation, Council, was awarded Life Membership of the Robert Burns World Provost James Boyd (left), East Ayrshire David C. Smith, John Morrison, Charles Kennedy, Donald Urquhart, Hutchison Sneddon, C.B.E., J.P., Anne Gaw, Enez Anderson, J. Connor, M.D.I.R.C.P. (Edin), L.R.F.P.S. (Glas)., D. Wilson Ogilvie, M.A., F.S.A.Scot., John Inglis, Illustration on back cover from left to right: May Crawley (Canada), MacIrvin (USA) and Jim T. McIlwraith, George Anderson, Mollie Rennie, S. K. Gaw. O’Lone (Australia) pictured at the Cairn after the unveiling ceremony. Solway Offset the Printers, Heathhall, Dumfries. Tel. 01387 262960