be as communications to yourself, if you chuse it, to person or persons unknown, in short certainly not to Her, as her writing that introductory epistle to me which I believe you have in your custody, and the romantic spirit that dictated it (which, I confess, I admired extremely, especially from the frame of mind in which it found me) not being previously communicated, my intercourse with a woman so circumstanced might provoke a little good-natured criticism, and is altogether unfit for the knowledge of the profane. I recollect (it may seem an affectation, but it is true) not one sentence of the contents of any of those letters, having retained no duplicates from the copies I lent you; but I am sure they contain nothing but facts and probably some little interesting, but all I did or can recollect, of that interview, to which I often recur in remembrance with pleasure and with regret! Burns said little or nothing about his Wife to me latterly, but as I believe her conduct, subsequent to their union by marriage, was exemplary towards him, so it is just to add that he always spoke of her with a high tribute of respect and esteem. He did not love her, but he was far from insensible to the indulgence and patience, "the meekness with which she bore her faculties on many occasions very trying to the tempers of most individuals of our sex. An illegitimate child of his, born after wedlock, who had lost her mother,* was, I know, adopted by Mrs Burns, and is, I believe, still an inmate of her house and no distinction shown between that and the rest of their children. This trait He told me of with much sensibility. Of those " lighter letters and inconsiderate sallies " you allude to he seemed most anxious to procure the assurance of an entire suppression. He talked to me of many` writings which would perhaps after his decease be usher'd into light, with considerable apprehension and uneasiness. I have no verses on the Bard's death but those formerly communicated to you. I am sorry Roscoe has written another poem on that subject -not that he has written another, but that the original stanzas should be suppressed. They had much fire, much excellence. liked them extremely myself. -Vale!

I

MARIA R

*From this, the inference is that Ann Park died shortly after the birth of her child.

DUMFRIES BURNS CLUB CENTENARY

CELEBRATION.

TH

HE Burns Club of Dumfries, founded on 18th January, 1820, celebrated its Centenary on Friday, 23rd January last, on the occasion of the Anniversary Dinner in memory of the Poet.

These anniversary dinners have

been in abeyance during the war, and it was a happy circumstance that their resumption in this year of Peace should have fallen in the year of the Centenary of the Club which inaugurated them, and which has, in that and other useful and signal ways, helped to keep the memory of our National Poet fresh and green in our midst. The Club dinner was eminently worthy of the occasion. Indeed, it will rank as probably the most successful Burns event that has ever taken place in the old burgh. The company was large and representative, numbering about 160, and including not a few Dumfriesians of note and other distinguished guests. The speaking throughout the evening was on a remarkably high scale of excellence. The note was given by the quite unusually fine oration with which the able and popular President (Mr R. A. Grierson, town clerk) proposed "The Immortal Memory," and it was sustained to the full in such admirable speeches as those of Lord St. Vigeans, Sir Herbert Maxwell, Bart., Sir James Crichton-Browne, Dr MacKenna, Sir J. Lorne Macleod,

Sheriff Morton, Mr Joseph Laing Waugh, and Dr Neilson, each and all of whom, as well as other speakers we may be pardoned for not individualising, were at their best. From first to last there was not a tedious or uninteresting moment, and when, well into "the wee sma' 'oors," the company at length joined in singing " Auld Lang Syne," they did so with the unanimous feeling that the evening spent had been one of rare and unqualified edification and delight. A special tribute of thanks is due to the Hon. Secretary of the Club, Mr John M'Burnie, for his able and valued services.

The President wore the famous Burns Whistle, with which he regulated the proceedings. He explained that it had been very kindly sent for use that night from Craigdarroch, through their friend Mr Irving Edgar. It was very interesting to have it, and it would add a great deal to the fascination of the evening. In addition to her kindness in lending the whistle, Mrs Smith Cuninghame of Craigdarroch had also presented a photograph of the whistle to the Club.

Mr J. W. Whitelaw said:

I have to tender our sincere thanks to Sir James CrichtonBrowne for the able manner in which he has proposed the toast of the Dumfries Burns Club. He has alluded to the formation of the Club 100 years ago, and I would venture in reply to add to what Sir James has so well said a few remarks regarding those three gentlemen who were the original Office-bearers of the Club. They were Mr John Commelin, Mr John Syme, and Mr William Grierson. Mr Commelin was a native of the Stewartry, and was proprietor of King's Grange, in the Parish of Urr. He was for a time in business as a writer in Kirkcudbright, but afterwards came to Dumfries, and ultimately became agent of the British Linen Bank here. He was

a man of excellent literary taste and a good classical scholar. Mr William Grierson was a successful draper in Dumfries, and lived in Irish Street, where his son, the late Dr Grierson, of Thornhill, was born. He seems also to have been interested in agricultural matters, as he was tenant of the farm of Boatford, near Thornhill, and on retiring from business in Dumfries he went to reside at Grovehill, which is quite near Boatford. He was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Dumfries, and seems to have taken a somewhat

prominent part in the public life of the town and district.

It was Mr John Syme, however, who had most intimate relations with the Poet. He also was connected with the Stewartry, although not, I think, a native of it. His father was a successful Writer to the

Signet, and owned the property of Barncailzie, in the parish of Kirkpatrick - Durham. John Syme at first studied law, but gave that up and joined the Army, and ultimately took up farming at Barncailzie. Subsequently that property had to be sold on account of the failure of the Ayr Bank, in which his father was involved. John Syme then came to Dumfries and took up residence at Ryedale, when he became Distributor of Stamps for the district. His office was on the ground floor of the house near the foot of Bank Streetthen known as the Wee Vennelon the first floor of which Burns occupied three or four rooms when he came to Dumfries from Ellisland. A great friendship sprang up between the two men, and Burns was very frequently at Ryedale; it was with Syme that he made his famous tour through Galloway, and Mr Syme showed many acts of kindness to the Poet during his lifetime, and to his widow and family after his death. Mr Syme seems to have had very considerable literary ability, and there was at one time a question as to whether he should be the editor of the Work and Life of Burns, published after the Poet's death for the benefit of his widow and family, and which produced quite a considerable sum. In the .end Dr Currie, of Liverpool, who was a Dumfriesshire boy, was chosen as editor, and Mr Syme was at very considerable trouble in collecting material for and in otherwise assisting Dr Currie, who was a personal friend of his own. Those three gentlemen to whom I have referred were the leaders of a coterie of Burns enthusiasts in Dumfries who, before the formation of the Club, used to meet every 25th of January and celebrate the Poet's birthday; it was that coterie who initiated the movement which resulted in the building of the Mausoleum; and at the dinner of 25th January, 1819, held in the Globe Inn, they resolved to purchase a punch bowl for use by the subscribers on similar occasions. I mention this fact as it was the

nucleus out of which the Club sprang.

66

The bowl was obtained from a well-known manufacturer of the time, Spode of Staffordshire, at a cost of £15, and was exhibited at a business meeting of the subscribers on 18th January, 1820; and at that meeting it was resolved to form the subscribers, whose names are given on the bowl, into a society to be called the Burns Club of Dumfries (applause)—and Mr Commelin was appointed President, Mr Syme Vice-president, and Mr Grierson Secretary and Treasurer of the Society. At the dinner held a week later in the King's Arms Inn, the bowl was han'selled," and it became a great feature of the annual dinner for many years. It still exists, though in a rather dilapidated condition, and I am glad to see it on the table to-night. Such was the origin of the Dumfries Burns Club, and it is well that we should have in our memories to-night the three gentlemen who acted as sponsers for us at our nativity. In addition to proposing this toast, Sir James has, with his well-known charm of phraseology, made a very valuable and interesting presentation on behalf of Sir James Dewar. This is of such importance that I think it warrants full official recognition, and as our Secretary is also to say a few words in reply, I leave him to deal with the matter. I think, Mr Secretary, I have kept within the time limit you set me, but if you will bear with me a minute longer I would also like to make a presentation to the Club, although on a much lower plane than the one I have just referred to. When Mr Syme's effects were distributed by public roup after his death, my father purchased at the sale a wooden toddy ladle, and the tradition at the time was that this ladle was frequently in use on the occasion of Burns's visits to Ryedale. Therefore it may possibly be a link with the Poet, and it undoubtedly is one with his friend, Mr John Syme, who was one of the authors of our existence. I beg that the Club will become custodiers of it, if they will condescend to accept so humble a gift. (Applause.) Long may the Dumfries Burns Club continue to flourish, to keep green the memory of the Bard, and to preserve that spirit of Scottish nationality of which he was the embodiment, and which, fused to a white heat by the fire of his immortal genius, shines through and illuminates his Works. (Loud applause.)

The Chairman, in calling upon Mr M'Burnie, referred to him as the "heart and marrow of Dumfries Burns Club." Mr M Burnie said :

Sir James Crichton-Browne has truly said that the fact of this gift (the snuff box presented to Burns by the Earl of Glencairn) being presented to us cannot remain hidden, and I am certain that our friends of the Press will see that Sir James Dewar's generosity to us is known from John o' Groats to Land's End, aye, and also