Anthropological Study of some Portraits of Shake- speare and of Burns-Arthur Keith, M.D., F.RS. Cowper and Burns-H. Makinson 36 48 Colonial Tributes to Burns--A. C. While 56 Robert Burns to Robert Bridges-Joseph Lee : ... PREFACE. THE lively interest manifested by the Clubs in the publication of the Chronicle is very gratifying and encouraging to all concerned in its production. That interest found emphatic expression when we proposed to suspend the issue for the present year owing to the distractions occasioned by the deadly conflict between civilisation and barbarism in progress on the Continent of Europe. We all feel that it is no time for rejoicing on any pretext whatever; nevertheless it is to be hoped that the Clubs will hold their business meetings as usual on the 25th, with minds attuned to a due sense of the momentous crisis through which the Empire is presently passing. The Editor begs to tender his thanks to all who have so kindly assisted him in compiling the present volume. BENRIC, KILMAURS, 1st January, 1915, D. M'NAUGHT. ROBERT BURNS. AN ADDRESS BY JEPPE AAKJÄR* (Translated by TONNY DAA). A I have the pleasure to enclose the two promised articles for the Chronicle-Mr Aakjär's Address, and my own paper on "Burns as a Song-mender." The former is far more vivid and eloquent in Danish than I could make it in the translation. number of very illustrative words were quite inapt for translation, but I hope you may like the Danish poet's personal estimation of Burns, and the Scotland of Burns. Mr Aakjär is now considered the greatest Danish lyrist alive, though his books very seldom are translated-only a few into German and Swedish; but in his native country, and especially in Jutland, he is loved by the people, and he and his farm Jenle" are known to everybody. The poet's first biographer is right when describing him as a genuine Danish Bard. I enclose a very good photo of Mr Aakjär that I have recently received from him, and suppose your readers should like to see the portrait of the man who has made the Scottish Bard known in our country. Mr Aakjär asked me the other day if it were possible that a Dane could be a member of one of the Burns Clubs. If so, perhaps he would propose for admission in one of them when he-next year, perhaps will make a tour to Scotland. I do not know if it is possible. IF F the sea dividing Denmark and Scotland were not so broad, there certainly would be far more intercourse between the two countries, and especially between Jutlanders and Scotsmen; for there is no small likeness between the Lowland scenery and that of the most salient parts of Jutland, and the Scotch and the Jutland peasants have, both outwardly and inwardly, traits of character * Pronounced "Awcare." distinctly mutual--even the conciseness and the emphasis of language is the same, as well as the natural gaiety that springs from the minds of both peoples. Add to this the large number of Jutland words still found in the Scotch vernacular. But the three days' voyage across a sea that very often is foggy and stormy has confined the acquaintance of the two peoples to inconstant and occasional visits. Twice we have had a Scotch influence in our literature; once by Blicher, who translated "Ossian" and the famous last song of E. Bindstouw, "It was at Lammas time, and Mary had to leave." But still deeper and mightier we meet the Scotch influence in Thomas Kingo,* whose character is akin to John Knox. He was born at Slangerup,† but his father, a weaver, immigrated from Scotland. Kingo's hymn-book-next to the Bible no book was dearer to our people. Do you not possess a copy, moist with the tears of your forefathers? I remember the old peasant women who, in Sunday peace, were sitting at the window in the sunshine rocking that book on their knees, while they in monotone hummed its sorrowful verses. That book was published during the humiliating thraldom of our peasants (1689). In its crude and rugged poetry there were genuine pictures of the poor peasant life : No more I will drudge in your thraldom and strife; The pains you have given no more I will bear, I fling them away, oh, each sorrow and care; I tear off the fetters that painfully gall Ch, Vanity all! Oh, Vanity all!" What peasant of that age could say these words without a heaving breast! For was it not his very own fetters from which poetry here promised him deliverance, though not till death! * Thomas Kingo, Danish Hymn-writer (1634-1703). His hymns are full of fire and inspiration.-{T. D.] A village some 20 miles from Copenhagen.-[T. D.] |