HURLET AND NITSHILL BURNS CLUB AND

1910.

LITERARY SOCIETY.

SYLLABUS SESSION 1910-11.

Sept. 20. Lecture, "Fiction as an Educative Force'

Mr Jas. Ballantyne.

Oct. 4. Lecture," Wit and Humour, with reference to some of Burns's

Writings"-Ex-Bailie Martin.

18. Lecture, "Some Thoughts on Astronomy -Mr William Palmer.

Nov. 1. Lecture, "The Poet: His Constituent Parts "- -Mr Donald Stalker.

15. Lecture, "A Model Newspaper "—Mr J. Jeffrey Hunter.

29. Lecture," Mining "-Mr William Shaw.

Dec. 13. Lecture, "Science and Morals and the Brotherhood of Man "-Mr John Burness (deceased).

27. Lecture, "The Horse, His Origin and Ancient History”—Mr Robert Donachie.

1911.

Jan. 10. Lecture, Subject will be duly announced --Rev. Thos. Cook, M.A.

Feb. 14. Lecture, "A Talk on my Trip to India and Japan"-Councillor

D. M. Stevenson.

28. Musical Evening-Mr Archibald Dickson.

Mar. 14. Lecture, "Shakespeare's Comedies "-Mr George G. Omand.

Sept. 21. Musical Evening-Bailie Hogg.

Oct. 12. Lecture, "Burns and the Border "-Mr M'Callum, Pollokshaws.

28. Hallowe'en-Bailie Hogg.

Nov. 30. Musical Evening.

Dec. 21. Lecture, "The Works of Burns Clubs"-Mr J. Jeffrey Hunter,

1911.

Writer, Glasgow.

Jan. 18. Lecture, “Did Shakespeare write ‘Shakespeare'?”—Mr J. Paterson,

Clydebank.

Jan. 27. Annual Festival.

"The Immortal Memory"-Mr Bennet Miller,

M.A., Clydebank.

Feb. 22. Lecture, "The History of Scottish Literature "-Mr Raeburn, Clydebank.

Mar. 22. Lecture, "Scottish Lakes" (with Limelight Views)—Mr G. J. Miller, Procurator-Fiscal, Clydebank.

April 12. Business Night.

Meetings are held in Mr Hutcheon's Restaurant, Clydebank.

1910.

KILBOWIE JOLLY BEGGARS' BURNS CLUB.

SYLLABUS-1910-11.

Sept. 1. Annual Business Meeting.

Oct. 6. Lecture, “Robert Ferguson ”—Mr M. Hunter.

15. Harmony-Mr P. Delacourt and Party.

Nov. 3. Lecture, "A Tour Through the Highlands"-Mr A. Raeburn.

17. Harmony-Mr J. Brown and Party.

Dec. I. Lecture, "Nature's Songster, the World's Bard "-Mr J. E.

Feb. 2. Lecture, "Genius and the School -Mr John L. Kinloch, M.A.

Place of meeting, Mr T. F. Ross's Cross Restaurant, Clydebank, at 7.30 prompt.

KILMARNOCK JOLLY BEGGARS' BURNS CLUB.

1910.

SYLLABUS-1910-11.

Sep. 20. "Ruskin "-D. Lang.

Oct. 3. "Unknown Songsters "-J. Stewart.

Nov. 2. 'Burns-His Soul and Song "-A. S. M'Bride.

Dec.

1911.

7. "The unspeakable Scot "-J. P. Dickson.

5. "J. M. Barrie "-J. Smith.

Jan. 2.

"Minor Irish Poets"-A. Laird.

Feb. 6. "R. L. Stevenson "-J. Douglas.

Mar. 6. "James Thomson "-G. S. Stevenson.

Apr. 3. "Dunbar-The Pre-Reformation Burns"-Thos. Amos.

BAILLIESTON "CALEDONIAN" BURNS CLUB.

1910.

SYLLABUS—1910-11.

Sept. 6. Lecture-Rev. Alex. Andrew.

Oct. 4. "Neglected Gems in Scotland's Lyric Crown"-Mr Alex. Pollock. Nov. 1. Tattie-an'-Herrin' Supper-Members and Friends.

Dec. 6. “Life and Works of Janet Hamilton, the Monkland Poetess”—Mr William Birrell.

1911.

Jan. 3. Anniversary Dinner.

Feb. 7.

"Bonnie Prince Charlie "-Mr James M'Ilwraith.

Mar. 7. "Fiction as an Educative Force "-Mr James Ballantyne.

Apr. 4. General Meeting and Social.

Club meets first Tuesday in each month in the Free Gardeners' Hall at

8 p.m.

NOTES AND QUERIES.

THE ARMOUR FAMILY.

A few years ago I was informed that the Armour's buried in St. Peter's Churchyard and Cemetery, Aberdeen, are of the same stock as Burns's wife. Having had occasion to search the burial records of the place, which start from 13th April, 1769, I made it a point to transcribe any entries relating to that surname. The search was made to the end of 1909.

1794-May 11. -Munca Armour, aged 1 year, daughter of William, souldier. 1830-July 28.-William Armour, aged 70, carpet weaver, Gilcomstone. 1875-September 11.-Ann Buyers or Armour, wife of James Armour, shoemaker, Hadden Street, Woodside, aged 75.

1880-July 6.-James Armour, late shoemaker, 94 Hadden Street, Woodside, aged 76.

1889-October 19.-Margaret Armour, spinster (from Incurable Hospital, Aberdeen), aged 52.

A headstone is inscribed: 1881-Erected in loving memory of father and mother; also their daughter Margaret, who died 16th October, 1889, aged 52 years. Armour. A sister of Margaret mentioned, viz., Isabella Aiken Armour, wife of Alexander Meff, baker, Woodside, died 5th April, 1899, aged 56 years, and is buried in another part of the Cemetery.

ROBERT MURDOCH-LAWRANCE.

AN ENGLISH READING OF BURNS.

Perhaps a

"Giftic" is a new name for Providence--Scottish, of course. capital "P" would have assisted the Sassenach, who wrote the following, to grasp the meaning of the line. We simplify it for his benefit-"O! wad some Power gie us the giftie.”—EDITOR.

A GERMAN STAFF OFFICER IN INDIA: being impressions of the Travels of an Officer of the German General Staff through the Peninsular. By Count Hans von Koenigsmarck, Major in the Dragoons of Bredow and Captain on the General Staff of the German Army. With thirty-two full-page illustrations from original photographs. Royal 8vo.

When the giftie gies the gift, as apparently he is frequently in the habit of doing nowadays, to other people, and especially those of another nationality— to show us how we appear to them-it is as a rule by no means flattering to our self-conceit, and the giftie has been so profuse in his gifts lately that some who are territorially, at any rate—of ourselves have outgifted the giftie, at any rate as far as India and Egypt are concerned. So much has this been the case that the average Englishman has almost begun to doubt the infallibility and uprightness of his own nation. Against this the voice of the Englishman, however well he knows his subject, avails but little. But when a foreigner, and a foreigner of a nation whose criticisms on our policy are seldom inclined to leniency, comes on the scene it is a different matter.

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The following entry occurs in our Matriculation Album for 1767 :— Jacobus M'Lehose filius natu secundus quondam Gulielmi Mercatoris Glasquensis." Is this the husband of "Clarinda"? If we knew for certain the Christian name and designation of the father of Clarinda's husband the evidence would be tolerably complete.

W. INNES Addison,

The University, Glasgow.

I have had an opportunity of comparing the signature of James M'Lehose in our Matriculation Album of 1767 with two signatures of Clarinda's husband in the records of the Faculty of Procurators, and all three are undoubtedly the hand writing of the same person. In other words, our alumnus of 1767 was

the husband of Clarinda.

W. INNES ADDISON,

The University, Glasgow.

A CONTEMPORARY CRITIC OF BURNS.

In the Evening Times of August 10th extracts appeared from Heron's Journey Through the Western Counties of Scotland (Perth, 1793), giving his very extraordinary views of the religious and moral state of Glasgow at that time. Heron extended his journeys to what is now called "The Land of Burns." That was in 1792, four years before the death of Burns. Ile afterwards wrote a "Life of the Poet," which I have not had the good fortune to pick up," and I have seen the statement made that it is the worst biography in existence an almost incredible assertion in the face of dozens upon dozens

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