The Real Robert Burns Part 16

Carlyle's last statement is correct. He admits the great essential truth that Burns was a subtle philosopher. What a pity that such a man as Carlyle should have thought it necessary to say that Burns 'never studied philosophy.' The statement is incorrect, but, if it had been correct, why make it? and why call his mental strength 'untutored,' and his 'keen sense of the highest philosophy' 'uncultivated'?

Did any other philosopher of the time of Burns in the universities reveal a more profound philosophy of human life, and make so many applications of it, as Robert Burns revealed in the quotations in this chapter, and in the chapters on Democracy, Brotherhood, and Love?

Burns was a philosopher, an independent thinker, whose thought is more highly appreciated now than it was in the time of Carlyle.

In a letter to Mrs Graham, 1791, he wrote: 'I was born a poor dog; and however I may occasionally pick a better bone than I used to do, I know I must live and die poor. But I will indulge the flattering faith that my poetry will considerably outlive my poverty; and without any fustian affectation of spirit, I can promise and affirm that it must be no ordinary craving of the latter that shall ever make me do anything injurious to the honest fame of the former. Whatever may be my failings--for failings are a part of human nature--may they ever be those of a generous heart and an independent mind.'

Speaking of the moral character of Burns, Carlyle is wise and just. He says: 'We are far from regarding him as guilty before the world, as guiltier than the average; nay, from doubting that he is less guilty than one of ten thousand tried at a tribunal far more rigid than that where the Plebiscite of common civic reputations are p.r.o.nounced, he has seemed to us less worthy of blame than of pity and wonder. But the world is habitually unjust in its judgments of such men; unjust on many grounds, of which this one may be stated as the substance; it decides, like a court of law, by dead statutes; and not positively, but negatively, less on what is done right than on what is or is not done wrong.... What Burns did under his circ.u.mstances, and what he forbore to do, alike fill us with astonishment at the natural strength and worth of his character.'

Burns was naturally a student gifted with a great mind. His splendid mind was trained to act logically by his remarkable father, and quickened and illuminated by his great teacher John Murdoch. He was a great philosopher, not merely because he read Locke's 'Essay on the Human Understanding' when a boy, but because during his short life he read with joyous interest many books of a philosophical character, and what is of infinitely greater importance, he interpreted all he read with an independent mind, and related all truth as he understood it to human life. He could discuss even the principles of Spinoza, and 'venture into the daring path Spinoza trod.' Yet, as he told Dr Candlish, of Edinburgh, he merely 'ventured in'

to test Spinoza's philosophy, which he soon found to be inadequate to the true development of the human soul, and therefore he 'was glad to grasp revealed religion.' Not merely as a great poetic genius, but as a profound philosophic teacher of religion, democracy, and brotherhood--the most essentially vital elements related to the highest development of the souls of men and women--will the real Robert Burns become known as he is more justly and more deeply studied.

CHAPTER IX.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BURNS.

BORN 1759--DIED 1796.

_6 Years Old._

At six years of age he was sent to a school in a little home near Alloway Mill for a few months. Then the school was closed, and William Burns, his father, and a few neighbours engaged a remarkably fine teacher named John Murdoch to teach their children.

_7 Years Old._

When Burns was seven years old his father moved to Mount Oliphant farm, about two miles from Alloway. Robert continued to attend Murdoch's school.

_8 Years Old._

He continued to attend Murdoch's school.

_9 Years Old._

Murdoch, his beloved teacher, left Alloway. He had not only been the teacher of Burns, but had lent the boy books, among them being _The Life of Hannibal_. Burns said this book 'was the earliest I recollect taking any pleasure in.' Murdoch presented him with an English grammar and a book translated from the French, named _The School for Love_. His imagination during this period was kindled by many legends, ghost stories, tales, and songs told and sung by an old lady, Betty Davidson, who lived in the family home.

_10 Years Old._

Read and studied with his father, discussing freely the merits of the books read.

_11 Years Old._

He studied, and continued to study with enthusiasm, English grammar, and had become an unusually excellent scholar for his age in English. His father regularly taught his family after Murdoch left Alloway. A deep and lasting impression was made on Robert's mind during this year by a _Collection of Letters_, written by the leading authors of Queen Anne's reign.

_12 Years Old._

Worked on the farm, and read with his father at night. Wrote many letters to imaginary correspondents.

_13 Years Old._

He was sent for a few weeks to a school in Dalrymple to learn penmans.h.i.+p.

John Murdoch was appointed teacher in the High School at Ayr. He became again a visitor to the Burns' home, in which he was a most welcome guest.

He presented Pope's works to Robert. During this year Burns continued an imaginary correspondence with many people, and began to form a style moulded by the Letters of the great prose-writers of Queen Anne's time.

_14 Years Old._

Boarded with Murdoch in Ayr for a few weeks, to devote himself to a deeper study of English. Studied French a little, and gave a little attention to Latin. The best influence of his brief period with Murdoch was the kindling of his vision with higher ideals of life, his relations.h.i.+p to his fellow-men, and his duty to G.o.d.

_15 Years Old._

Began to take his place as an independent thinker with men, and surprised them by his wide knowledge and his unusual powers of expression and impression. Took his share in reaping the grain on the farm, and fell in love with his harvest mate, Nellie Kirkpatrick, who bound and shocked, or stooked, what he reaped. She was a good-looking girl of fourteen, who sang well. Burns said her love made him a poet. He composed his first poem, 'Handsome Nell,' as a tribute to her. His love for her undoubtedly kindled him at the centre of his power, as a true love that is respectfully treated by parents always does for a youth during the adolescent period.

_16 Years Old._

He laboured hard on the farm, but was worried by his father's poverty, by the poorness of the soil of Mount Oliphant farm, and especially by the harsh and over-bearing manner in which his father was treated by the landlord's agent. Hard labour and possibly insufficient nourishment for a youth growing rapidly, coupled with his humiliation at the conduct of the agent, and his sorrowful sympathy, affected his health. He became depressed and moody, and suffered from headaches and palpitation of the heart. He had become acquainted with a few respectable women in Ayr, one of whom lent him the _Spectator_ and Pope's _Homer_. These he read and digested with a growing interest, and used with rapidly developing power.

_17 Years Old._

Was sent to the school of Hugh Rodger at Kirkoswald to learn mathematics, especially mensuration and surveying. He enjoyed the work and made rapid progress. He formed a friends.h.i.+p with William Niven, who went to the same school; and in order to develop his powers as an independent thinker and a public speaker, he and Willie organised a debating society of two, which met in formal debate once a week. This developed his intellectual powers more than the study of mathematics. His school-days in Kirkoswald came to a sudden ending when he met Peggy Thomson, who lived next to the school.

His second adolescent love came unexpectedly, and with great force. He says Peggy Thomson's charms 'Overset his trigonometry, and set him off at a tangent from his studies.' He tried to study, but at the end of the week gave it all up and went home.

His schoolmaster learned about the debates between him and Willie Niven, and determined to put an end to such waste of time from the study of mathematics. He charged Niven one day with the crime of debating, and demanded the subject for the next debate. Willie told him the subject for to-morrow was, 'Resolved that a great general is of more use to the world than a good merchant.' 'Nonsense,' thundered the teacher; 'everybody ought to know that a general is of far more importance to the world than a merchant.' Burns promptly said to the teacher, 'You take the general's side, and I will take the merchant's side, and let us see.'

Burns spoke with such wide information, such fine reasoning and such splendid eloquence, that he soon had the boys cheering him wildly. This annoyed the master, and he became so angry that he dismissed the school for the day.

Even at the early age of seventeen he had few rivals as a public speaker and debater. He took lessons in a dancing-school at Tarbolton, when he returned from Kirkoswald, to improve his social manners. During this year he read Thomson's works, Shenstone's works, a _Select Collection of English Songs_, Allan Ramsay's works, Hervey's _Meditations_, and some of Shakespeare's plays.

_18 Years Old._

The family moved to Lochlea farm, about four miles from Mauchline. Up to this time he had been an awkward and bashful youth. He began now to be more at ease with the opposite s.e.x after he had been introduced to them.

He had no real lover, however, between 17 and 21.

_19 Years Old._