thanks of the committee, of the inhabitants of Dunoon, and of Scotsmen all over the world, to Mrs. Bouverie Campbell Wyndham for her kindness in granting that site for the purpose of erecting thereon the monument to Highland Mary. (Applause.) In New Zealand, as in all other parts of the world, Burns Clubs were numerous. They were trying to carry out the Poet's idea of love of country and love of humanity. These clubs helped to bind the ties between the Mother Country and her colonies over the sea. They encouraged young people of the colonies who had never seen the Mother Country to cherish the associations of their parents, and to study the works of those who had made her great. (Applause.)

Mr. JAMES STEWART, president of the Auckland Burns Club, supported the motion.

Mr. BOUVERIE CAMPBELL WYNDHAM was sorry that his father, on account of his health, was unable to attend the meeting, but he had asked him to reply. He thanked Mr. MacCulloch and Mr. Stewart for the kind way in which they had made the proposal, and the ladies and gentlemen for the unanimous manner in which they had adopted it.. (Applause.)

Rev. DAVID MACRAE, in proposing thanks to the Executive Committee, said that every member deserved their gratitude, especially Mr. Colin Rae Brown. Those who could remember the centenary of the birth of Burns in 1859 would remember the conspicuous and efficient part taken by Mr. Brown. Though thirty-seven years had elapsed since then, and though Mr. Brown had passed the threescore and ten years, his energy and perseverance in doing honour to the memory of Burns showed no abatement. The interest which the event had excited, and the wide range from which contributions had come, indicated deep admiration and love for Burns. Wherever there were Scotsmen, in any part of the world, there was a Burns Club. If Burns died in 1796, he died to live again, and his fame was infinitely greater than it was a hundred years ago. The monument showed how his genius immortalised not only himself, but all whom he loved and about whom he sang. Whatever he touched became gold. Their countrymen and countrywomen would rejoice that the statue had been erected so near where Highland Mary was born, and tens of thousands who passed up and down the Clyde would remember that she inspired some of the noblest poetry and sweetest songs that Burns had left to his country and the world. (Applause.)

Mr. COLIN RAE BROWN returned thanks. He said they had got more than four-fifths of the 500 guineas wanted. The subscriptions had ranged from threepence to ten guineas. He asked the Commissioners of Dunoon to accept the statue. It should be guarded with a handsome railing. There would be a circular bronze relief of a representation of the far-famed parting between Burns and Highland Mary.

Provost COOPER, on behalf of the Commissioners of Dunoon, had great pleasure in accepting the custody of the handsome monument, erected not only to the memory of Burns's heroine, but to commemorate the centenary of the death of their National Bard. (Applause.)

A garden party took place in the Castle grounds. Refreshments were served in a large timber structure, and the Castle band, conducted by Sergeant Jenner, discoursed beautiful music. Songs of Burns were rendered in exquisite taste by a double quartette of ladies and gentlemen (Mr. Gideon Duncan conducting). A popular concert took place in the evening-the Castle grounds being illuminated when darkness set in.

PAISLEY.

UNVEILING OF STATUE OF BURNS.

THE Right Hon. the Earl of Rosebery, on the afternoon of Saturday, 26th September, formally unveiled the statue of Burns, which has been erected in the Fountain Gardens, Paisley. For this addition to the number of their public monuments, the inhabitants of the burgh are chiefly indebted to the promoters of the series of concerts given by the Tannahill Choir, by means of which were raised the funds necessary, amounting to about £1500. The statue is the work of Mr. Pomeroy, London, to whom the commission was entrusted as the result of an open competition, and it has a character thoroughly distinctive. It represents the Poet in cutaway coat, knee-breeches, and broad Kilmarnock bonnet, with a pencil in his right hand and a notebook in his left, thoughtfully musing as he leans in an easy attitude on the mould of the wooden plough of the period. Some difficulty was experienced in obtaining a suitable site for the statue, but at length, to the satisfaction of all concerned, it was agreed that it should be placed in the ornamental garden presented to the town by the late Mr. Thomas Coats, where it will be under the care of the Town Council, and will add materially to the attractions of the pleasure ground.

For the ceremony on the 26th the arrangements were made by the Town Council and the Burns Committee. At the main entrance to the gardens in Love Street an arch of evergreens was erected, with two subsidiary arches. Over the central arch was displayed the word "Welcome," immediately underneath being Lord Rosebery's crest, and above, an earl's

coronet.

On the opposite side was the line, "A man's a man for a' that." Venetian masts, carrying flags and bunting, were erected along the main pathway to the site of the statue, where a platform was erected, and a space railed off for the accommodation of those who were to take part in the ceremony, as well as those specially invited. The weather was somewhat unpromising at the hour appointed for the com

mencement of the ceremony, but considerable delay occurred, and, just as Lord Rosebery and the party by whom he was accompanied entered the gardens, the sun broke through the clouds, and, though one or two slight showers fell afterwards, the proceedings were completed in comparative comfort. During the period of waiting, the Ferguslie Band played

arrangements of the airs of a number of Burns's songs, and the Tannahill Choir sang a couple of part songs which were included in the formal programme. On Lord Rosebery making his appearance, about half-past two o'clock, he was greeted with a cordial round of cheers. Bailie Wilson, in the absence of ex-Provost Cochran, from whom a letter of apology was read, took the chair, and among those on the platform were Sir Wm. Dunn, Bart., M.P.; Sir Thomas Glen Coats, Bart., and Lady Glen Coats; Mrs. Arthur, Barshaw; Mr. C. B. Renshaw, M.P.; Mr. M. H. Shaw-Stewart, M.P.; Mr. Stewart Clark, of Kilnside; Mr. James Finlayson, of Merchiston; Sheriff Cowan, Paisley; Mr. William Wallace, Glasgow; Mr. James E. Christie, Mr. F. W. Pomeroy, sculptor; Mr. and Mrs. Black, London; Mr. and Mrs. George Coats, Mrs. Fulton, Provost Mackenzie, ex-Provost Clark, Mr. James Clark, advocate; Bailies Fisher, Goudie, Smith, Souden, and Mathieson; Treasurer Paton, Councillors Allison, Donald, Robertson, M'Farlane, J. Galbraith, Brown, and Bell; Rev. Dr. Henderson, Rev. Hugh Black, Rev. James Young, Rev. Gavin J. Tait, Rev. John M'Coll, Rev. George Park, Rev. Alexander M‘Millan, Messrs. James Caldwell, John Millar, James Wallace (Braehead), J. Macmaster, John M. M'Callum, Peter Eadie, John Fullerton, G. R. Hislop, W. W. Kelso, Alexander Murdoch, George Dick, James Jack, J. E. Campbell, William Muir Macken, James Young, George H. Coats, Dr. Richmond, ex-Provost Brown, Renfrew, etc.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, began by expressing regret at the unavoidable absence of their esteemed friend, ex-Provost Cochran. He (the chairman) had been asked by the Committee of Management to preside at this ceremony of unveiling the statue erected in their good town to the memory of their great National Bard, Robert Burns; and he could assure them that, while deeply regretting the weakness of health which prevented ex-Provost Cochran from being present, he esteemed very highly the honour which the committee had conferred upon him. Lord Rosebery, who had met and known their old and much-respected friend in other spheres, would, he was sure, join them in regret at his absence on his occasion. Ex-Provost Cochran had taken a very deep interest in the movement for the erection of this statue, and would have told in a way peculiarly his own the story of how this statue was sung into existence. (Cheers.) In 1883 a number of gentlemen, musical and otherwise, met and formed themselves into a committee for the purpose of organising a scheme for the erection of a statue to the Bard. Prior to this, a movement for the erection of a memorial to Robert Tannahill had just been

carried to a successful issue. When the movement for the erection of a Burns memorial was set on foot, the choir, which had done such yeoman service for the Tannahill statue, came forward, under the leadership of Mr. J. Roy Fraser, and agreed to sing up a Burns statue as well. (Cheers.) A junction of the Tannahill memorial organisation and the new Burns memorial organisation was effected, and a joint committee, ten in number, appointed to undertake the management of the affairs. The first concert took place in 1884 at Craigencore, but from that time (by the kind permission of the late William Fulton of Glenfield) the concerts took place till last year at his beautiful estate on Gleniffer Braes. In 1893 a number of local gentlemen were called in as additional members of committee to assist in the work, and the labours of this committee, thus reinforced, have resulted in securing for this desired memorial a work of art that will stand as a monument to the genius of our National Bard, to the artistic ability of the sculptor, and as a proof of the patriotism of the Tannahill Choir and its enthusiastic leader. (Cheers.) They were proud to think of their town as a great and rising centre of commerce, speeding on to greater and greater development. But he trusted the day might never come when their hearts would cease to go out in deep love and admiration of all that was good and noble and lofty in literature and in art, and to those deepsouled and large-hearted men and women who had shown us what is the truly great and God-like, the good, the beautiful, and the true. (Cheers.) He concluded by introducing Lord Rosebery as a burgess and fellowcitizen of Paisley, and calling upon him to perform the ceremony.

Lord ROSEBERY, who was received with loud cheers, then said-It is not easy for me to speak about Burns, for I have spoken about him so recently and so fully. But I am glad to come here to-day to unveil yet another statue in his honour-a statue significant in at least two respects. In the first place, it is produced fitly enough by melody, as I understand, for this effigy is the outcome of popular music which, while it has at the moment charmed the heart of thousands, has left a permanent embodiment here. This figure, then, is, in fact, "petrified music." No apter memorial could have been found of the sweet singer of Scotland. (Cheers.) In the second place, we citizens of Paisley always remember that a great master of phrases once bade the world, in words so familiar that you might almost adopt them as your motto, keep its eye on Paisley. (Laughter and cheers.) When Paisley, then, takes action of this kind, it may be assumed that her purpose is notable and well considered. And so it is. After a century of deliberation, during ninety years at least of which Paisley has had one, and sometimes more, Burns Clubs annually expatiating upon the Poet, and during the whole of which she has been, I doubt not, anxiously watching for an opportunity, Taisley has determined to erect a statue to Burns, and, looking round at the many that already exist, has determined that hers should be unique. And, when we consider the means taken to provide the money, this statue may be so described. Moreover, the opportunity has come. Nine years ago, for reasons which I will presently touch upon, there might even have been a more suitable moment; but this year, when we commemorate Burns's death, this year, too, which Burns looked forward to as the test of his