Fro Ove Own Ko worth, Jan, 28, Scotland "The 25" ix the great ional festival, St. Andrew's day taking a. secondary place, And during the last few days the num ber of Burns celebrations hax never been exceeded.
We look upon him as our ree jive patriot. and our nation-is just as well for ux however, that it wax not the fact that Burns was a Scotsman that made him a great poet. He hi higher claims than those fame among the immortals. and ix fortunate, indeed, the technique of Burns is Scottish, that the objects and experiences' which he transformed Us: intense imaginative power and ie alchemy into great works of art are those immediately intel-Rigible to a Scottish pleasant. But the fact remains that Burns is greater than Scotland; he ix more than the National Bard, and no narrow national spirit, however 1o\ Juble, grateful, or commendable, can fever keep him to itself.
Thix point should not be strained, however, for Burns ix abo. Jeverything else a Seat of the Scots. Perhaps his greatest drum at there will be a variety of opi probable the verdict will favour of that masterpiece "The Jolly Beggars." Scotland's debt to Burns has been stressed here rather than Burns's debt. ive land gave to Burns one incomparable gif that was the vernacular tengu poetic medium of the very highest /Scotsman's real appreciation of Burns is his neglect of the medium through which Burns spoke. Hapily, however, the Scottish vernal color is not being. altogether despisxits profound importance both as regards the popularity of Burns the intensification of our national consciousness, for which the chiot credit is due to his writings, But that" great achievement necessar= ily permanent in its effects? Must we not admit that the old Scottish vernacular ix not now the ordinary speech of the great mass of our people, and that it is giving way nder the pressure at enormously powerful hostile influences? If it ceases to he a living speech, how Tenge will Burn's distin ye influence and how long: shall we pre-the soul saved to ux?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.