Annual Burns Chronicle and Club Directory

CHAIR OF SCOTTISH HISTORY.

COMPLETION OF SCHEME.

MEETING of the Committee in charge of the fund for the establishment of a Chair of Scottish History and Literature in Glasgow University, was held yesterday in the City Chambers, Glasgow. The Right Hon. the Lord Provost (Mr D. M. Stevenson) presided, and among those present were Mr A. H. Pettigrew, Professor Glaister, Mr Thomas M'Arly, ex-Provost Wilson, and Mr John S. Samuel, Hon. Secretary. Apologies for absence were intimated from Dr William Wallace, Principal Sir Donald MacAlister, and Sir William Bilsland.

COLLECTION OF FUNDS.

Mr John S. Samuel read a memorandum summarising the proceedings of the Executive Committee, and recalling the steps taken for the promotion of the movement. As the result of various efforts

As at

a sum of £4816 7s 10d was either promised or subscribed. least £20,000 was necessary, a suggestion was made in 1909 that a general appeal to the citizens should be made. Before this suggestion could materialise, however, a movement was originated for the promotion in Glasgow, in 1911, of a Scottish Historical Exhibition, the surplus from which, to the extent of £15,000, was to be devoted to the completion of the Scottish History Chair Fund. The present Scottish History Chair Committee was then formed, with Dr William Wallace as convener, to direct the movement. In the meantime the committee were enabled, through the generosity of an anonymous donor, to establish two special Lectureships for the term of three years -one in Scottish History and one in Scottish Literature-to be held by men of special distinction in some branch of their subject. A sum of £600 was accordingly paid by the donor, representing £100 to each of the lecturers. There was still £200 in hand for the final lectures to be delivered next session by two gentlemen yet to be appointed. Under the constitution of the Exhibition Association £15,000 had to be applied towards the endowment, in such manner and under such conditions as the University Court of the University of Glasgow should decide, of a Chair for the teaching of Scottish History and Literature in Glasgow University.

Mr C. E. Dick, on behalf of Mr J. T. T. Brown, Hon. Treasurer, explained that the amount collected was £4798 12s 6d, and that the

interest up till December 4th, 1911, was £205 12s ld, giving a total of £5004 4s 7d. The disbursements amounted to £14 2s 11d, which left the state of the fund at that date at £4990 1s 8d, but with the interest which had accrued since then it would probably be over £5000.

On the motion of the Chairman, it was agreed to authorise the handing over of this sum to the University.

The Chairman moved that votes of thanks be accorded to Dr Wallace and the other Office-bearers. Dr Wallace, he said, had been the fountain and origin of all this work, and deserved the very highest credit for having put it on the rails in such a way that it had reached a successful consummation. The amount of money resulting from the efforts of the Burns Federation was only about £5000, but it was his action which led to the course which Mr Pettigrew and others took, and which resulted in a further sum of £15,000 being raised, bringing the total up to £20,000, and making the Scottish History Chair an accomplished fact.

Mr A. H. Pettigrew seconded. There was no doubt, he said, that had it not been for Dr Wallace, President of the Burns Federation, the Scottish History Chair, which they might consider to be an accomplished fact, would not have existed.

Ex-Provost Wilson supported the motion, which was adopted.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

It is with sincerest regret that we announce the death of Mr W. Innes Addison, of the Matriculation Office, Glasgow University, who was for so long a valuable contributor to the Notes and Queries of the "6 'Chronicle." Mr Innes Addison was an able and accomplished man, beloved and respected by all who knew him. We sincerely sympathise with his sorrowing relations.

[EDITOR.]

REPORTED NEWLY-FOUND POEM BY THE FOET.

The following paragraph will interest collectors of Burns MS. It appeared in the Aberdeen Evening Express, 25th January, 1912 :The Members of the Aberdeen Border Counties Association

held a most enjoyable " Burns Nicht in the form of an At Home," in the Empress Cafe, Union Street, last night.

During the evening Mr Robert Dunn, President of the Association, surprised the company by reading what he stated was a hitherto unpublished and only recently discovered poem by Robert Burns. Mr Dunn said that the poem was found at the end of last year, and that the finding of it was an event of importance in the domain of literature. After a hundred years concealment, the poem had just lately come to light, and had fallen into the hands of Mr Moffatt, St. Andrews, whose grandfather had copied the verses from the original manuscript. The preface to the poem was Composed by Robert Burns, and presented to the nobleman addressed." The address pointed out that the author had been called up from the servants' hall, where he had been sent to add to the entertainment of a certain nobleman, with whom he had been previously asked to dine, while on an excursion to the Bass Rock, but instead of submitting to what he considered an insult he presented the poem to his lordship, put on his hat, turned on his heel and retired. It was, Mr Dunn continued, just such a poem as would be likely to express the indignation of offended feelings at the treatment Burns received

when sent to dine with his lordship's servants.

The poem, which

is of three verses, was read by Mr Dunn as follows:—

"My lord, I would not fill your chair,
Though ye be proudest noble's heir;
I came this night to join your feast
As equal to the best, at least.
It's true that cash wi' me is scant,
But sitles (sic) trifles that I want;
The King has never made me kneel
To stamp my manhood wi' his seal.
But what of that? The King on high,
Who took less pains wi' you than I, (sic)
Has fill'd my bosom and my mind
Wi' something better in its kind

Than your broad acres--something which
I cannot well translate to speech.

But the impulse I can know,

It's deeds, not birth, that men make low;
Your rank, my lord, is but a loan,

But mine, thank heaven, is all my own.
A peasant it's my pride to be;

Look round and round your halls and see
Who boasts a higher pedigree?

I was not fit, it seems, to dine
Wi' these fox-hunting heroes fine,
But only came to bandy jests
Among your lordship's hopeful guests.
There must be here some sad mistake,
I would not play for such a stake,
Be a buffoon for drink and meat

And a poor earl's tax-paid seat !
No! die my heart ere such a shame
Descend on Robert Burns's name."

ROBERT MURDOCH-LAWRANCE.

Cairnchina," 23 Ashley Road, Aberdeen.

[This Robert Burns, who is on such good terms with himself,

is certainly not the Poet.-Ed.]