Tait, Crawford, Harvieston. Tait, Elizabeth. Died 1802. T. Died May 7, 1832, aged 67. Tannock, Nanse, Mauchline. Died December 22, 1858, aged 92. Taylor, John, Wanlockhead. Taylor, Dr. John, Paisley. Telford, Thomas, Engineer. Died September 2, 1834, aged 77. Templeton, Mrs., Mauchline (Betty Miller). Tennant, John (“Auld Glen”). Died April 28, aged 1810, aged 84. Tennant, Agnes ("Nancy"). Died June 14, 1787. Tennant, William (" Preacher Willie "). Died May, 13, 1813. Tennant David ("The manly Tar"). Died August 30, 1839. Tennant, Charles ("Wabster Charlie"). Founder of St. Rollox Works, Glasgow. Died October 1, 1838, aged 70. Tennant, Robert ("Singin' Sannock "). Died August 11, 1841. Thomson, George, Edinburgh. Died February 18, 1851, aged 94. Thomson, Mr., Farmer, Dunse. Thomson, Peggy, Kirkoswald. Thomson, Mrs. (Betty Burns). Died June 13, 1873, aged 84. Townshead, Hon. Charles, Taymouth. Turnbull, Gavin, Poet. Died in America, post 1792. Tytler, Fraser Alexander (Lord Woodhouselea). aged 66. Died January 5, 1813, Tytler, William, of Woodhouselea. Died September 12, 1792, aged 81. Tytler, James (Balloon Tytler). Died January, 1804. Urbani, Pietro, Musician, Edinburgh. U. W. Wallace, Wm., Sheriff of Ayrshire. Died November 28, 1786. Wallace, Mr., Writer, Dumfries. Walker, Josiah, Glasgow University. Walker, Thomas, Tailor, Ochiltree. Died August 28, 1831. Watt, David, Miller, Doonfoot. Died October 22, 1823, aged 68. Whigham, Edward, Provost of Sanquhar. Died October 3, 1823, aged 73. White, Mr., Rector, Dumfries Academy. Died June 1, 1825. Whitford, Sir John, Bart. Died April 8, 1803, aged 69. Whitfoord, Maria, Ballochmyle (Mrs. Cranstoun). Died January 13, 1839. Died August 23, 1813. Weir, Alex., Merchant, Paisley. Died July 29, 1819. B Williams, Helen Maria, Poetess. Died December, 1827, aged 65. Williamson, Mr., Draper, Dumfries. Williamson, Alex., of Balgray. Died July 12, 1805. Wodrow, Rev. Dr. Patrick, Tarbolton. Died April 17, 1793, aged 81. Wolstonecraft, Mary. Died September 10, 1797. Wood, Alex., Surgeon, Edinburgh. Died May 12, 1807. Woodburn, David, Factor, Craigengillan. Woods, Wm., Tragedian, Edinburgh. Died December 14, 1802. Y. Young, Rev. Stephen, Barr. Died February 19, 1819, aged 74. Young, Rev. James, Cumnock. Died August 1, 1795, aged 85. THE FAUNA AND FLORA OF BURNS.* T is rather a prosaic task I have set myself in this paper the birds, animals, and flowers mentioned in his writings-to tear his poems and songs to pieces, as it were, and present in their stead a few cases of fossils and a botanical album. But if the task is not educative in the highest sense, it will perhaps be found to be a small contribution to the curiosities of literature. Firstly, then, we will take a walk through the Poet's garden, and see the flowers that interested him most. The first thing that strikes us is the absence of such common flowers as the Buttercup and Dandelion, which are not even once mentioned in all Burns' floral imagery. We cannot expect a poet to be a scientist, able to label every flower of the field—I fear he would be no poet if he did so-but the more common ones are known to the dullest and least observant. How, then, can we explain their omission? The general explanation, of course, is that very few of our wild flowers, indeed, have common or popular names. In Ayrshire the Umbelliferae are slumped under the term 66 Grilshach" or "Boor-tree Gun." The Speedwells and all small flowers of a bluish colour are classed as "Eyebrights," and so on. Beyond Daisies, Buttercups, Groundsel, and Dandelions, the general knowledge does not extend far, save where a rural herbalist has learned to distinguish between Bog-Bean, Agrimony, Water-Cress, &c., and the other greenery around him. But there is another explanation, so far as Burns is concerned. The term "Gowan" in his day included most of the “ Compositae" and "Ranunculaceae." Thus we have in old Scots "The Ewe Gowan or Daisy;" the Horse-Gowan," which included the Dandelion, Hawk-weeds, and Tussilago; the "large white Gowan" or Ox-eye; the "Luckenor Globe-flower; the "Witches' Gowan," which I take to be the larger Celandine; and the "Yellow Gowan," which 66 Gowan This paper is the substance of a lecture delivered by Mr. M'Naught Ramblers.” included the Corn and Marsh Marigolds. It may be remembered that a discussion took place on this point in the Glasgow Herald about two years ago, which latterly descended to that lowest depth of bathos which only the cacoethes scribendi can reach. The next thing that surprises us is the shortness of the list of flowers mentioned by Burns. It is just possible that I may have missed a reference or two, but so far as my results go, I make out only nineteen flowers in the total. He devotes a whole poem, as everyone knows, to the Mountain Daisy or "Ewe Gowan," but taking frequency of mention as a measure of his floral preference, it is not the Daisy, but the Rose, that heads the list. Indeed, the "wee, modest, crimson-tipped flower" is only fourth favourite, judged by this test. The Rose or Rosebud occurs forty-three times, the Lily twenty-two times, Heather and Heather Bells seventeen times, the Daisy or Gowan twelve times. Next in order are the Primrose (7), the Cowslip (5), the Violet and the Thistle equal at four times, the Pink and the Snowdrop (2). The Ragweed, the Water-Lily, the Harebell, the Foxglove, the Poppy, Rue, Thyme, and the Blue Bell are only mentioned once, though the last appears a second time as the Hyacinth. That is the whole list. He does not go into details like Shakespeare in describing his floral favourites. They are always adjuncts, and adjuncts only, set in the background of his picture, as bits of colour to bring out in stronger relief the principal figure. examples. † "My love is like a red, red Rose "Her lips are Roses wat wi' dew." Take a few For full references see the "Burns Concordance," by T. B. Reid, M.A. Glasgow, Kerr and Richardson. "To see the Rose and Woodbine twine." "Her heaving bosom Lily white." "Her cheeks like Lilies dipt in wine." "The Lily it is pure and the Lily it is fair, And in her lovely bosom I'll place the Lily there.' "And spread her sheets o' Daisies white Out o'er the grassy lea." "The opening Gowan, wat wi' dew, Nae purer is than Nannie O." "In Gowany glens thy burnie strays." "The haunts o' Spring's the Primrose brae." "The Primrose I will pu' the firstling o' the year." "She's stately like yon youthful Ash "Ilk Cowslip cup shall kep a tear." "Oh were my love yon Violet sweet That peeps beneath the Hawthorn spray." "And Violets bathe in the weet of the morn." "Love's first Snowdrop, virgin kiss.' "I will pu' the Pink, the emblem o' my dear, For she's the pink o' womankind, and blooms without a peer." "Altho' my bed were in yon muir, Amang the Heather, in my plaidie, Yet happy, happy would I be, Had I my dear Montgomerie's Peggy." "The moorcock springs on whirrin' wings, In the beautiful song, "The Posie,” no fewer than nine flowers are mentioned, which go to make up the bouquet for his "ain dear May." It is a curious collection, from a botanical point of view, for he gathers for her the Primrose, the Hawthorn, and the Woodbine, in poetic disregard of floral chronology. Not one of his heroines, however, is of the earth, earthy, hence it is no outrage on the "unities," but an observance of the " proprieties," for each to be provided with a floral Elysium of her own. |