and moderation, yet you pretend to "smile inwardly," and rail outwardly, without considering that the very great eagerness of the subscribers (I only expressed myself as their organ, and expressly specified that to you) about this work is the highest compliment that can be paid to the Editor, while it is yet in embrio at least. I readily enter into all your vexations, interruptions, and annoyances, but be reconciled, and consoled, and soothed, and calmed, and modulated, and harmonised-what more shall I say!--in the expectation of the meed that awaits you. As to myself, acquit me of the squeamish delicacy and egotism you allude to; I have asked you no selfish questions, and trusted to you to present me in what form you pleased or leave me out altogether as you judged fit. ... All I did was to suppress my own letters, which was all fair, and no loss to you or the public... With regard to Cadell, &c., I went yesterday to town purposely to call there, in compliance with your orders. The print by Beugo is detestable, not a shadow of resemblance ; it would disgrace the work completely, and the old one, indifferent as it is, is far preferable. Cadell and Davies agree perfectly with me that if you wish to make the Work complete the Original painting should be sent up to them (the expence would be trifling, and it might be accomplished in a very short space of time, if sent for and set about immediately) and the business put into the hands of a London Artist. If you object to this, stick to the old plate; the new one is worse a thousand times. -Adieu! Your faithful Disciple,

No. XXII.

M. R.

Kingston Hall, Wimborne, Dorset,
28th December, 1799.

My dear Doctor,-Make what use you please of me and mine. Those letters to Clarinda are rather fantastical, I believe, being written under the immediate impression when enthusiasm about "the archangel...," and all that related to him and his excentricities [sic], was most prevalent in my mind. I shall not ask for a review, to correct them, as I would otherwise have done, since you intend undertaking the office. It must indeed be base coin which your improving hand cannot amend so as at least to make it pass comment. I have dropped Clarinda's correspondence, which was quite unnecessary when our aim was once accomplished--in part at least. Other circumstances I have since been apprized of, or rather which have been hinted to me, render me unwilling to have my correspondence with her noticed further than between Syme, you, and myself. So what you let the public participate in must

be as communications to yourself, if you chuse it, to person or persons unknown, in short certainly not to Her, as her writing that introductory epistle to me which I believe you have in your custody, and the romantic spirit that dictated it (which, I confess, I admired extremely, especially from the frame of mind in which it found me) not being previously communicated, my intercourse with a woman so circumstanced might provoke a little good-natured criticism, and is altogether unfit for the knowledge of the profane. I recollect (it may seem an affectation, but it is true) not one sentence of the contents of any of those letters, having retained no duplicates from the copies I lent you; but I am sure they contain nothing but facts and probably some little interesting, but all I did or can recollect, of that interview, to which I often recur in remembrance with pleasure and with regret! Burns said little or nothing about his Wife to me latterly, but as I believe her conduct, subsequent to their union by marriage, was exemplary towards him, so it is just to add that he always spoke of her with a high tribute of respect and esteem. He did not love her, but he was far from insensible to the indulgence and patience, "the meekness with which she bore her faculties" on many occasions very trying to the tempers of most individuals of our sex. An illegitimate child of his, born after wedlock, who had lost her mother,* was, I know, adopted by Mrs Burns, and is, I believe, still an inmate of her house and no distinction shown between that and the rest of their children. This trait He told me of with much sensibility. Of those " lighter letters and inconsiderate sallies" you allude to he seemed most anxious to procure the assurance of an entire suppression. He talked to me of many writings which would perhaps after his decease be usher'd into light, with considerable apprehension and uneasiness. I have no verses on the Bard's death but those formerly communicated to you. I am sorry Roscoe has written another poem on that subject -not that he has written another, but that the original stanzas should be suppressed. They had much fire, much excellence. liked them extremely myself. . . .-Vale!

I

MARIA R

* From this, the inference is that Ann Park died shortly after the birth of her child.

DUMFRIES BURNS CLUB CENTENARY

CELEBRATION.

TH

HE Burns Club of Dumfries, founded on 18th January, 1820, celebrated its Centenary on Friday, 23rd January last, on the occasion of the Anniversary Dinner in memory of the Poet.

These anniversary dinners have

been in abeyance during the war, and it was a happy circumstance that their resumption in this year of Peace should have fallen in the year of the Centenary of the Club which inaugurated them, and which has, in that and other useful and signal ways, helped to keep the memory of our National Poet fresh and green in our midst. The Club dinner was eminently worthy of the occasion. Indeed, it will rank as probably the most successful Burns event that has ever taken place in the old burgh. The company was large and representative, numbering about 160, and including not a few Dumfriesians of note and other distinguished guests. The speaking throughout the evening was on a remarkably high scale of excellence. The note was given by the quite unusually fine oration with which the able and popular President (Mr R. A. Grierson, town clerk) proposed "The Immortal Memory," and it was sustained to the full in such admirable speeches as those of Lord St. Vigeans, Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., Sir James Crichton-Browne, Dr MacKenna, Sir J. Lorne Macleod,

Sheriff Morton, Mr Joseph Laing Waugh, and Dr Neilson, each and all of whom, as well as other speakers we may be pardoned for not individualising, were at their best. From first to last there was not a tedious or uninteresting moment, and when, well into the wee sma' 'oors," the company at length joined in singing "Auld Lang Syne," they did so with the unanimous feeling that the evening spent had been one of rare and unqualified edification and delight. A special tribute of thanks is due to the Hon. Secretary of the Club, Mr John M Burnie, for his able and valued services.

The President wore the famous Burns Whistle, with which he regulated the proceedings. He explained that it had been very kindly sent for use that night from Craigdarroch, through their friend Mr Irving Edgar. It was very interesting to have it, and it would add a great deal to the fascination of the evening. In addition to her kindness in lending the whistle, Mrs Smith Cuninghame of Craigdarroch had also presented a photograph of the whistle to the Club.

Mr J. W. Whitelaw said :

I have to tender our sincere thanks to Sir James CrichtonBrowne for the able manner in which he has proposed the toast of the Dumfries Burns Club. He has alluded to the formation of the Club 100 years ago, and I would venture in reply to add to what Sir James has so well said a few remarks regarding those three gentlemen who were the original Office-bearers of the Club. They were Mr John Commelin, Mr John Syme, and Mr William Grierson. Mr Commelin was a native of the Stewartry, and was proprietor of King's Grange, in the Parish of Urr. He was for a time in business as a writer in Kirkcudbright, but afterwards came to Dumfries, and ultimately became agent of the British Linen Bank here. He was

a man of excellent literary taste and a good classical scholar. Mr William Grierson was a successful draper in Dumfries, and lived in Irish Street, where his son, the late Dr Grierson, of Thornhill, was born. He seems also to have been interested in agricultural matters, as he was tenant of the farm of Boatford, near Thornhill, and on retiring from business in Dumfries he went to reside at Grovehill, which is quite near Boatford. He was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Dumfries, and seems to have taken a somewhat

It was

prominent part in the public life of the town and district.
Mr John Syme, however, who had most intimate relations with the
Poet. He also was connected with the Stewartry, although not,
I think, a native of it. His father was a successful Writer to the

Signet, and owned the property of Barncailzie, in the parish of Kirkpatrick - Durham. John Syme at first studied law, but gave that up and joined the Army, and ultimately took up farming at Barncailzie. Subsequently that property had to be sold on account of the failure of the Ayr Bank, in which his father was involved. John Syme then came to Dumfries and took up residence at Ryedale, when he became Distributor of Stamps for the district. His office was on the ground floor of the house near the foot of Bank Streetthen known as the Wee Vennelon the first floor of which Burns occupied three or four rooms when he came to Dumfries from Ellisland. A great friendship sprang up between the two men, and Burns was very frequently at Ryedale; it was with Syme that he made his famous tour through Galloway, and Mr Syme showed many acts of kindness to the Poet during his lifetime, and to his widow and family after his death. Mr Syme seems to have had very considerable literary ability, and there was at one time a question as to whether he should be the editor of the Work and Life of Burns, published after the Poet's death for the benefit of his widow and family, and which produced quite a considerable sum. In the end Dr Currie, of Liverpool, who was a Dumfriesshire boy, was chosen as editor, and Mr Syme was at very considerable trouble in collecting material for and in otherwise assisting Dr Currie, who was a personal friend of his own. Those three gentlemen to whom I have referred were the leaders of a coterie of Burns enthusiasts in Dumfries who, before the formation of the Club, used to meet every 25th of January and celebrate the Poet's birthday; it was that coterie who initiated the movement which resulted in the building of the Mausoleum; and at the dinner of 25th January, 1819, held in the Globe Inn, they resolved to purchase a punch bowl for use by the subscribers on similar occasions. I mention this fact as it was the