148 BURNS' LETTER TO MR. ALISON. out the beauty and power of the English liturgy, which is too often marred by a monotonous compound of music and speech, with other undesirable accessories. Mr. Alison was the well known author of the essay on the "Nature and Principles of Taste," which was the subject of much learned discussion, in reviews, lectures, and debating societies. His theory is fully examined by Dr. Thomas Brown in his lectures, and while he differs from Mr. Alison, he refers to his view of the origin of beauty as having been given, "with much felicity of language and with much happy illustration of example and analysis by my very ingenious and very eloquent friend." Mr. Alison sent a copy of his book to Burns, who after having read it carefully and made some notes and strictures on it, wrote to the author from Ellisland, on the 14th February, 1791. 66 66 66 66 66 "I own, sir, that at the first glance several of your "propositions startled me as paradoxical. That the "martial clangour of a trumpet had something in it "vastly more grand, heroic, and sublime, than the twingle-twangle of a Jews harp; that the delicate flexure of a rose-twig, when the half-blown flower is "heavy with the tears of the dawn, was infinitely more “beautiful and elegant than the upright stub of a burdock; and that from something innate and independent of all associations of ideas. These I had set "down as irrefragable, orthodox truths, until perusing your book shook my faith. In short, sir, except “Euclid's Elements of Geometry, which I made a shift to "unravel by my father's fireside in the winters' evenings of "the first season I held the plough, I never read a book "which gave me such a quantum of information, and "added so much to my stock of ideas, as your Essays on "the Principles of Taste. One thing, sir, you must forgive my mentioning as an uncommon merit in the work."I mean the language. To clothe abstract philosophy "in elegance of style sounds something like a con"tradiction in terms.' But you have convinced me "that they are quite compatible. I enclose you some 66 MEETING OF BURNS AND SCOTT. 149 poetic bagatelles of my late composition. The one in print is my first essay in the way of telling a tale. "I am, Sir, &c., "R. B." It may be safely affirmed, however, that Burns never composed his poetry by analysing the primary and secondary emotions which inspired him. That would have cooled "nature's fire," and his fervent odes and lyrics would not have glowed into being metaphysically. I shall conclude these Memorials of Burns and his contemporaries, by an extract from a letter of Sir Walter Scott, describing his meeting with the Poet at the late Professor Fergusson's, and his appearance, conversation, and manners. It was published in Lockhart's life of Burns. 46 66 -66 "As for Burns, I may truly say, Virgilium vidi tantum. I was a lad of fifteen in 1786-7, when he came first "to Edinburgh, but had sense and feeling enough to be "much interested in his poetry, and would have given "the world to know him; but I had very little acquain"tance with any literary people, and less with the gentry of the west country, the two sets that he most frequented. Mr. Thomas Grierson was at that time a "clerk of my father. He knew Burns, and promised to "ask him to his lodgings to dinner, but had no oppor"tunity to keep his word, otherwise I might have seen more of this distinguished man. As it was, I saw him one day at the late venerable Professor Fergusson's. "There were several gentlemen of literary reputation among whom I remember the celebrated Mr. Dugald "Stewart. Of course, we youngsters sat silent, looked, "and listened. The only thing I remember which was "remarkable in Burns' manner was the effect produced "upon him by a print of Bunbury's, representing a 'soldier lying dead in the snow, his dog sitting in "misery on one side, on the other his widow, with a "child in her arms. These lines were written be"neath : -66 150 66 PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF BURNS. "Cold on Canadian hills or Minden's plain, Burns seemed much affected by the print, or, rather, 'the ideas which it suggested to his mind. He asked "whose the lines were, and it chanced that nobody but "myself remembered that they occur in a half-forgotten "pcem of Langhorne's, called by the unpromising title "of The Justice of Peace.' I whispered my information to a friend present, who mentioned it to Burns, "who rewarded me with a look and a word, which, "though of mere civility, I then received, and still recollect with very great pleasure." 66 "His person was strong and robust, his manners "rustic, not clownish; a sort of dignified plainness and simplicity which received part of its effect, perhaps, "from one's knowledge of his extraordinary talents. "His features are represented in Mr. Nasmyth's picture, "but to me it conveys the idea that they are diminished "as if seen in perspective. I think his countenance "was more massive than it looks in any of the portraits. "I would have taken the poet, had I not known what "he was, for a very sagacious country farmer of the old "Scotch school, i.e. none of your modern agriculturists, who keep labourers for their drudgery, but the douce gudeman, who held his own plough. There was a strong expression of sense and shrewdness in all his "lineaments; the eye alone, I think, indicated the "poetical character and temperament. It was large "and of a dark cast, which glowed (I say literally "glowed) when he spoke with feeling or interest. I 66 66 never saw such another eye in a human head, though I "have seen the most distinguished men of my time. His "conversation expressed perfect self confidence, with"out the slightest presumption. Among the men who 66 MANNERS OF BURNS IN SOCIETY. 151 were the most learned of their time and country, he expressed himself with perfect firmness, but without “the least intrusive forwardness; and when he differed in "opinion, he did not hesitate to express it firmly, yet at "the same time with modesty. I do not remember "any part of his conversation distinctly enough to be quoted, nor did I ever see him again except in the 'street, where he did not recognise me, as I could not expect he should. He was much caressed in Edin"burgh, but (considering what literary emoluments have been since his day) the efforts made for his "relief were extremely trifling.' 66 66 66 66 "I remember on this occasion I mention, I thought "Burns' acquaintance with English poetry was rather "limited, and also, that having, twenty times the abilities "of Allan Ramsay and Fergusson, he talked of them "with too much humility, as his models; there was, "doubtless, national predilection in his estimate." "This is all I can tell you about Burns. I have only "to add, that his dress corresponded with his manner. "He was like a farmer dressed in his best to dine with "the Laird. I do not speak in malam partem when I "say, I never saw a man in company with his superiors "in station and information, more perfectly free from "either the reality or the affectation of embarrassment. 'I was told, but did not observe it, that his address to "females was extremely deferential, and always with a turn either to the pathetic or humorous, which en"gaged their attention particularly. I have heard the "late Duchess of Gordon remark this. I do not know 'anything I can add to these recollections of forty "years since." 66 66 Appendix. 0* NOTE I.-Liverpool, p 126. N my next visit to Liverpool after twenty years of absence, the change seemed like that which surprised Rip Van Winkle on awaking from his twenty years' slumber in the Sleepy Hollow. From a flourishing seaport of moderate size it had become a great commercial city, with a railway and docks of vast extent thronged with shipping. Salt water baths from which at high water numerous swimmers used to plunge into the Mersey, had given place to a large landing stage. for passengers by steam and sailing vessels. The dreaded schoolmaster was only remembered for his cruel tyranny, the site of his forsaken: school and its large playground being covered with streets. Everton, a rural village, resorted to on holidays, and famous for a popular Lancashire confection called "Toffy," was a parish of Liverpool. The city then extended far beyond Rodney Street, towards Edgehill. I was hospitably entertained for a day or two by Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone at their marine residence, they being among the few remaining friends of my father and mother's family. At each succeeding visit to Liverpool it has appeared to spread rapidly like London, which has trebled its population since I saw it illuminated in the summer of 1813, on the arrival of the news of Wellington's victory at the great and decisive battle of Vittoria. It now vies with the metropolis in the number and |