of the Association to the many ladies and gentlemen who kindly gave their services in connection with the lectures and musical entertainments. We are particularly pleased that the St. Andrew's night concert was such a great success; this being our first attempt at a concert on so large a scale, the expenses have been heavier than they will be, we hope, on future occasions. As an entertainment we are sure it was greatly appreciated. Your Council were fortunate in being able to secure the services of the famous Glasgow Select Choir, the Strathspey King (Mr J. Scott Skinner) and pipers and dancer of H. M. Scots Guards. The Burns Anniversary dinner was again an enjoyable function, when about 80 members and friends sat down, under the chairmanship of the President (Mr W. R. Hamilton). The toast of the "Immortal Memory' was proposed by the Rev. Charles Sneddon, and his speech was both interest. ing and able. His Worship the Mayor and the Sheriff of Nottingham honoured the gathering with their company, and responded to toasts; the musical programme was much appreciated. The Whist Drive and Dance on New Year's night was a record in point of numbers. SYLLABUS. 1907. June 13. Annual Outing to Ollerton. Oct. 8. Social Evening. 22. Lantern Lecture, "Scottish Scenery "-A. T. Metcalfe, Esq., 1908. 28. Scottish Concert-Glasgow Select Choir, J. Scott Skinner, and Pipers and Dancer of H. M. Scots Guards. 3. Lantern Lecture, "Lincolnshire and Isle of Man "-Thos. Wright, Esq. 17. Whist Drive. 17. Lantern Lecture, "Perth to Inverness-Dr Millar. Viewing the year as a whole, it has been a most satisfactory one, and the Council, in thanking the members for their support, confidently appeal for an even greater measure of their active interest during the forthcoming session. PROGRAMME OF ORDINARY FORTNIGHTLY MEETINGS. WINTER SESSION, 1908-1909. 1908. Oct. 13. Social Evening. 27. Lantern Lecture by Dr Millar-" Picturesque Edinburgh." Nov. 10. Whist Drive. NOTES AND QUERIES. FORTHCOMING FAC-SIMILE OF THE ORIGINAL KILMARNOCK EDITION (1786). There will be issued early in 1909 a fac-simile of the original Kilmarnock Edition (1786), from the press of Messrs Brown & Coy., Kilmarnock, the lineal business successors of the late James M'Kie, of Burns publishing fame. The imprint will be from photogravure blocks of each page, and the paper, ink, and wrappers will be exact reproductions of the original in every respect. The paper (hand-made) has been specially manufactured, and bears the same water-mark as the original; the covers, also, will be as near as possible the same colour. The volume will, therefore, be a unique one, and is likely to rise in value, the impression being limited. The price to subscribers is half-aguinea, and early ordering is advisable to prevent disappointment. We may add that the preparation of the volume is being carefully supervised by the editor of the Chronicle, and that it is to be published under the auspices of the Burns Federation. AN ELLISLAND RELIC. We have to record the discovery of a document which, while throwing no further light upon the Poet's thoughts and actions, yet fills in some interesting details regarding those dark days of his life when he left the farm of Ellisland. The document in question was found by the writer amongst the papers of the Edinburgh Burns Club—a body whose earliest known records date from 25th January, 1848, when, as the minutes of the Club state, "a few citizens of Edinburgh, finding that in the Metropolis there was no annual commemoration of the birth of Scotland's immortal Bard, formed themselves into a Burns Club, and dined that day on sheephead and haggis in the Old Exchange Coffeehouse." This was not, however, the first occasion on which the Poet's metropolitan admirers met to pledge his memory; for in a letter to Mr George Thomson, written on 1st February, 1819, Sir Walter Scott accepted an invitation to a Burns dinner on the 22nd of that month. It may be recalled that in the early sixties the Edinburgh Burns Club collected and transferred to the Trustees of the Burns Monument many valuable relics of the Poet. The prime mover in this matter was the late Mr James Ballantine, for many years secretary of the Club, and the author of "The Gaberlunzie's Wallet," "The Miller of Deanhaugh," and those popular lyrics," Ilka Blade o' Grass" and "Castles in the Air," and to whom was due the credit of getting the interior of the monument opened up and converted into a relic room. Amongst those who contributed relics was Mr A. Dobie, of Lancaster l'lace, London, who sent the original tack of the farm of Ellisland and two other papers-one, as he stated, apparently the MS. of "The Cottar's Saturday Night," and the other an award in regard to repairs on the farm. These documents, he explained, had come into his hands some years previously as executor of Mr Archibald Hastie, M.P. for Paisley, who, it may be remembered, bequeathed Burns's punch-bowl to the British Museum, from which some years afterwards the Club unsuccessfully tried to get it transferred to the Burns Museum. The lease of Ellisland, and probably the MS. of "The Cottar's Saturday Night," were duly placed in the Monument Museum; but for some reason not disclosed by the papers, the award was left in the charter chest of the Club. Perhaps amidst the wealth of material collected by the Club, it may have been deemed an unimportant memento; but at the present time, when every fresh scrap of information regarding the Poet or his contemporaries is welcomed, it may fairly be considered of some historical value. It is in the following terms :- Elisland, 19th Janr. 1792.-We, Joseph Henning, in Merkland, and Patrick Barr, in M'Cubbinstown, Barleymen, at the desire of Mr John Morrin of Laggan, we went this day and viewed the Houses upon Elisland lately possessed by Mr Robert Burns, and find that the byre and stable will take ten shillings for thatch and workmanship, the Barn thirteen shillings for thatch and workmanship, the dwelling-house for Glass six shillings, for sclate and workmanship five shillings. This we give as our opinion to put the Houses in a tenantable condition. 66 It The valuation presents several features of interest, and, in particular, brings to mind the bitter quarrel between Burns and the Laird of Laggan. will be noted that the value of the dilapidations is small compared with the extent of the buildings, but these were comparatively new, having only been erected for four years. By the lease, Mr Miller, the proprietor, bound himself to pay to the Poet £300 for the construction of suitable buildings, consisting of dwelling-house, barn, byre, stable, and sheds. Into this work Burns entered with a will which made his early days at Ellisland amongst the happiest of his life, and it is related that on laying the foundation he took off his hat and invoked a blessing on his future home. In 1791, Mr Morrin, whose lands adjoined those of Ellisland, purchased the farm, which was described as the "forty shilling or three merk land of old extent of Ellisland." Burns, glad to get rid of what he considered a bad bargain--"a ruinous affair "—became a party to the transaction by relinquishing his lease; and the document now discovered is the record of what is still known in the district as "the sichtin' o' the houses" by two neighbouring farmers-one acting for Burns, and the other for the incoming tenant. The settlement of the matter did not proceed smoothly between the Poet and the new proprietor. The dispute, as is not uncommon even nowadays, originated with regard to the value of the manure left on the farm, and the state of the offices and fences. As to the latter, Burns urged that, as a quid pro quo, there should be taken into account the fact that during his tenancy he had reclaimed what was practically a piece of waste ground. But the laird stuck to the letter of the lease, and insisted upon Burns leaving everything in proper order before quitting the place. The Poet felt aggrieved at this strict stipulation, and on the day of the removal several incidents occurred which tried his temper and displeased his pride. So he resolved upon a rich revenge. When inspired by the Muse, it was one of his quaint conceits to write his lines with a diamond upon the window panes, and of these compositions the glass at Ellisland doubtless had an ample share. Accordingly, in the evening--for, be it noted, the deed was done in the darkhe sent Adam Armour from Dumfries, with orders to break every pane on which there remained any of his writings. This commission was faithfully executed. All the panes were smashed; and although, as will be seen from the award, the laird received the modest sum of six shillings as the value of the damage, he lost many priceless relics of the Poet. Here, then, is the last touch to the unpleasant venture of the Poet's unfortunate experience in farming-an experience which fairly ruined him financially, and completely dispelled his fond hopes of leading an idyllic life as a farmer-poet. But though Ellisland proved a bad speculation for the Bard, it must ever remain classic ground, for it was there he sang his sweetest, and by its banks and braes wrote those matchless compositions which made him the " High Chief of Scottish Song." R. DUNCAN, Secy., Edinburgh Burns Club. |