1 as time has proved, worth very little, for Englishmen. certainly do not read his poems for their English. He would have been as widely read by Southrons if he had never written a line which was not pure Scots. His second epistle to Graham is far happier : "Fintry, my stay in worldly strife, Friend o' my Muse, friend o' my life. . . .' 66 It deals with the Dumfries Boroughs election, and references to the contest will be found in the manuscript. This letter, also addressed to Graham, is an interesting example of Burns's vigorously invective style. In sending it to Robert Graham he enclosed two ballads, The Five Carlines" and "The Kirk of Scotland's Alarm.” Burns has jotted down explanatory notes in the margin. Thus "Maggy" is Dumfries; "Blinking Bess," Annan ; "Whisky Jean," Kirkcudbright; "Black Joan," Sanquhar; and "Marjory," Lochmaben. The "Great Man here," referred to in the letter and assaulted with such refreshing vigour, is the Duke of Queensberry, whom Burns heartily detested for the part the Duke had played in voting (in the minority) on the Regency Bill in favour of surrendering all the powers of the Crown into the hands of the Prince of Wales without restriction. His action Burns regarded as little less than treason to the King. The election discussed in the letter was fought between Sir James Johnstone, of Westonhall, and Captain Miller, son of Burns's landlord. One of the most interesting of the series of MSS. in Sir John Graham's possession is the original manuscript of "Tam o' Shanter "-not, it is true, the first draft of the poem, which was composed during a country walk. It was written at Ellisland, the farm on the Nith, near Dumfries, which Burns took in 1788, shortly after his marriage with Jean Armour. The poem was written for Captain Grose, the antiquary, in return for the latter's promise to draw a sketch of Alloway Kirk, where Robert's father lay buried. Another treasured manuscript is that of "The Whistle." Of this ballad Burns has written : "As the authentic history of the Whistle is curious, I shall here give it-In the train of Anne of Denmark, when she came to Scotland with James the Sixth, there came over also a Danish gentleman of gigantic stature and great prowess, and a matchless champion of Bacchus. He had a little ebony whistle, which, at the commencement of the orgies, he laid on the table, and whoever was last able to blow it (everybody else being disabled by the potency of the bottle) was to carry off the whistle as a trophy of victory. ... After many overthrows on the part of the Scots, the Dane was encountered by Sir Robert Lowrie of Maxwelton, . . who, after three days and three nights' hard contest, left the Scandinavian under the table, And blew on the Whistle his requiem shrill.'' The last two manuscripts in the collection consist of a letter from the Poet to Mrs Graham, enclosing the tuneful The letter is interesting for 66 Queen Mary's Lament." its personal references: "I was born a poor dog, and however I may occasionally pick a better bone than I used to do, I know that a poor dog I must live and die. But I will indulge the flattering faith that my Poetry will considerably outlive my Poverty, and without any fustian affectation of spirit I can promise and affirm that it must be no ordinary demand of the latter shall ever make me do anything injurious to the honest fame of the former. Whatever shall be my failings, for failings are a part of human nature, may they ever be those of a generous heart and an independent mind." Here spoke the true Burns, whom it is sometimes a little difficult to recognise in the stilted and unduly effusive phraseology of some of the Graham letters. We must, however, in reading even the most effusive of his letters to Graham and others of his patrons, remember that on the one hand they were in accord with the rather exaggerated style of the day, and on the other that Robert Graham had been so true a friend to the struggling Poet that even the excessive ebullitions of gratitude on the Poet's part are intelligible. Nowadays perhaps a man in similar position would express equally sincere gratitude in less ebullient phrase. We must not draw the conclusion that Burns was insincere because his language exceeds the ordinary limits of modern letter-writing. Nothing certainly could be in better taste or more eloquently phrased than the striking dedication to Mrs Graham which accompanied his gift of his "Poems" (second edition, 1793): "It is probable, Madam, that this page may be read when the hand that now writes it is mouldering in the dust. May it, then, bear witness that I present you these volumes as a tribute of gratitude on my part, ardent and sincere as your and Mr Graham's goodness to me has been generous and noble. May every child of yours in the hour of need find such a Friend as I shall teach every child of mine that their father found in you.” If space allowed we should like to have referred at length to the later letters of Burns to Mr Graham which deal with the accusations of Jacobinism preferred against him, and which led to his being suspended from his position as an Excise officer.* The letter of December, 1792, repudiating" the damned dark insinuations of hellish groundless envy," and in the most solemn language asserting that "to the British Constitution on Revolution principles next after my God I am most devotedly attached " is of great interest. Still more so the famous letter of a later date in which at considerable length and in great detail he expounded to Robert Graham his reply to the charges of Jacobinism preferred against him. His last days were embittered by poverty, as he had predicted in his letter to Mrs Graham. But to the last Robert Graham stood his friend. Indeed, within a very few days of the end, too late it seems for Burns to know of the kindly act, Graham discharged certain of Burns's debts in the hope that his last hours would be relieved of anxiety. NOTE.-Robert Graham, the friend of Burns, was the twelfth of the Fintry branch of the family, the founder of which was Robert, son of Sir William Graham, of Kincardine, by his second wife, Mary Stuart, daughter of Robert III., King of Scotland. The heir of * This is erroneous. Burns was never suspended from office [ED.]. the first-mentioned Robert Graham was his son John, who, coming to the Cape of Good Hope as a Major in the 93rd Regiment, was in command of a battalion in the operations in January, 1806, which resulted in the capitulation of the Settlement. Colonel John Graham was subsequently appointed Commissioner in regard to both civil and military affairs in the districts of Graaff-Reinet, Uitenhage, and George. In recognition of his services the site chosen in the Zuurveld for the seat of the assistant landdrost of Uitenhage was given the name of Grahamstown by Governor Sir John Cradock. Colonel John Graham's only son, Robert, held successively the appointments of Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate of Albany, Governor's Deputy of British Kaffraria, and Collector of Customs and Member of the Executive Council of the Colony. His surviving sons are Sir John Graham; Francis G. C. Graham, Esquire, Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate of Albany; Mr Justice Graham, Judge of the Supreme Court; and Major Malcolm D. Graham, of the Cornwall Regiment, at present stationed at Bloemfontein. (From the State, Cape Colony, for January, 1910.) [COMMUNICATED.] LONDON BURNS CLUB. SCOTS GUARDS AT SUTTON HALL. In ideal weather, and amid surroundings of rural beauty and charm, a number of soldiers-for the most part members of the Scots Guards and in all about 200-including many wounded, enjoyed to an extent almost beyond expression a garden party arranged for their delectation in the grounds of Sutton Hall, the residence of Mr and Mrs F. E. Becker, on the afternoon of Saturday, 22nd July, 1916. Recently the members of the London Robert Burns Club turned their attention to the men of the Scots Guards at home, who, it seemed, were not participating so largely in the treats and numerous other good things which a thankful and appreciative public are now roviding for the gallant warriors who have rallied to the country's all, and the function on Saturday afternoon was the second of a eries of garden parties which the Club has arranged for the men irae the North. But without Mr and Mrs Becker's co-operation and kindness in placing at the disposal of the organisers the grounds of Sutton Hall, and generously acting as hosts, the good intention and benevolent purpose of the Burns Club members could not have been given effect to. The occasion was invested with a particular interest, for it took place on the day following the 120th anniversary of the death of Burns, the Poet, who "Left his land her sweetest song, and earth her saddest story." The guests were between 150 and 200 of the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Scots Guards, among whom were many who took part in the memorable retreat from Mons, and others who have returned wounded from time to time and been attached to the Reserves at home, the remainder being recruits awaiting their turn to cross the water; a party of wounded of various regiments from the Hounslow Military Hospital, and some more from the Temperance Hospital, London. The Scots Guards arrived at Heston Hounslow Station of the District Railway shortly after three o'clock, in charge of Battalion Sergt. -Major F. Wadham, and proceeded to Sutton Hall by way of Lampton-Road and the Hedges. They were all looking forward to a good time, as was shown by the unmistakable answer given by one to a lady who, hearing the tramp of the Tommies, emerged from her cottage and asked: Is there a funeral on at |