these new schemes, and wishes all success to the promoters.

I ask you to agree with me that Burns Clubs should now endeavour to take concerted action in another direction.

Nothing was nearer to the Poet's heart than real philanthropy, which means practical benevolence "Lines to Colonel De

towards mankind." In his

Peyster we find this

“O, what a canty world were it

Would pain and care and sickness spare it."

And to Peter Hill he wrote

"God knows I am no Saint; I have a whole host of follies and sins to answer for; but if I could—and I believe I do it as far as I can-I would wipe all tears from all eyes.'

Were he with us to-day he would say—

"Enough of dead memorials; honour me, if you will, by catching the spirit which was my inspiration, and associate my memory, if you will, with the wiping away of tears."

This is not an entirely new field for Burnsians. We have the Cottage Homes at Mauchline, where some old people sit rent free and have a few pounds per annum in addition. Then we have, also at Mauchline, the apartments for aged women in the house in Castle Street where Burns and Jean Armour lived for a short time after their marriage, and the extension of that scheme, provided by the generosity of the late Mr. Charles R. Cowie, who purchased Dr. John M'Kenzie's house and "Auld Nanse Tinnock's," and gifted them to the Glasgow Burns Association. These schemes are admirably managed, and are splendid examples of what can be done on the lines I am now suggesting. Lastly, we have the Burns Cot in the Children's Hospital in Birmingham, a cot which owes its existence to the very active Burns

Club in that city. This is another example of how the end I am aiming at can be achieved.

My suggestion is that individual Burns Clubs should make it part of their business in future to consider how far they can help their local hospitals and homes for the aged and infirm, and that, in the larger centres, the groups of Clubs now established should make an effort to follow the lead of Birmingham. The first step is for the Conference to give its approval. Through its campaign in recent years in the cause of the Scottish Vernacular it has made itself a force in the literary life of the nation; through this fresh development, which it has the power to make a very real social service, it can demonstrate anew that the Burns Cult has long outgrown the reputation of being confined to an annual drinking of toasts, sometimes immoderately, and a singing of songs, sometimes indifferently.

DISCUSSION.

Mr. James MacIntyre (Mauchline) seconded the Resolution.

Mr. Thomas Sloan (Birmingham) said that his club long ago recognised the spirit of the Resolution, and they had given a cot to the local hospital at a cost of something like £1000. The enthusiasm displayed by the Birmingham Burnsians at the inauguration of the cot had never been surpassed on any previous occasion in the city.

Mr. Currie (Nottingham) said that his club intended to provide a cot in one of the local hospitals to be known as the Robert Burns Cot.

Dr. Joseph Hunter (Dumfries) said he was glad the President had made it clear that he did not disapprove of the erection of statues in memory of Burns. He visited the homes of the working classes every day, and twenty-five years ago he used to see in the place of honour above the family hearthstone pictures of William

Ewart Gladstone and Robert Burns. He did not think that any child could fail to be stimulated by these two wonderful faces, but, alas, a new generation had arisen, and William Ewart Gladstone was no more. But Robert Burns went on for ever, and in most homes he saw prints of the Poet in the place of honour. They must pay honour to Burns in the market-place as well as in the study, for he believed there were men and women all over the world who had their imagination stirred by looking at pictures and carved images of Robert Burns. They should, therefore, not discourage the raising of further statues, provided they were good statues. He agreed that there were many inartistic statues, and that frequently statues were put up to people whose reputations had not stood the test of time. He believed it was Wellington who said " When I publish my journal a lot of statues that have been put up will have to come down." That would never apply to Robert Burns. He would like to see a Committee on Public Taste appointed by the Federation to prevent atrocities being perpetrated by sculptors, and an effort made to encourage public interest in the erection of beautiful statues to Robert Burns all over the world. He would like if it were possible that the common people in every town should be able to point to a statue of Robert Burns and say "There he is the king amongst us all."

The President said that Dr. Hunter had not touched upon the main object of the Resolution. It was time, he thought, that the Federation took a step forward in this practical philanthropy. By approving of the Resolution they would do a lot to stimulate interest in the Poet among a great many children and aged people. The Resolution was unanimously adopted.