ROBERT BURNS IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1549, 18 May 1885, Page 2

ROBERT BURNS IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

» It seems strange (writes a London correspondent) tbat the world should have had to wait till tbo year 1885 before so great a poet ac Burns was admitted to tho Poet's Corner, hot so it is. The ceremony of unveiling tbe bust ef tbe Poet wag performed hy Lord Rosebery in the prosenceef a largo number of Seetchmea end others who bad subscribed te Ac fund. The money was raised by a process which surely must commend itself te future memeral committees. Ne one was allowed to subscribe mere than a shilling, and as 200,000 persona, headed by the Prince of Wales, -responded to tbo appeal, it is manifest thai much more honor was done to tbe poo* than if a number of wealthy people bad contributed substantial sums, to Ac exclusion ef tbe multitude. Lord Rosebery's share ef the proceedings ecoupiod only a few minutes. Even if he had not been due at a Cabiaet he might have been oxaused from holding forth at any length, seeing that this was the third time be had uaveiled an effigy ef Burns during the last two years. Tbe Dean ef Westminster, who is proving himself a worthy successor to the lamented Arthur Stanley, excused the shortcomings of the Abbey authorities towards Barns by referring to the tardiness of tbe homage thoy paid to Chao-eer, Shakspeare, and Milton. Dean Bradley asked what eornor of the habitable globe was there to which the restless foot and active braia of Sootehmen had penetrated tbat had act echoed with the poetry ef the Ayrshire peasant 1 This is after all the greatest tribute that can bo paid to departed genius. Now that Burns has received his duo, we may begin to hope tbat room will yet be found ia the Poets Comer fer a bust ef Byron. 1 >- '-