ROBERT BURNS - A LASTING MEMORY:

Prior to his untimely death on July 21, 1796, Scotland's most celebrated poet, severely ill and in extreme financial distress, encouraged his wife, Jean Armour, not to be afraid of the future, predicting that "I'll be more respected a hundred years after I am dead than I am at present".

Before a century had passed, Robert Burns' prophetic words were certainly confirmed on January 25, 1859, the 100th anniversary of his birth. Scots in his native land and all around the world participated in special events to honour the memory of this gifted and sympathetic man whose understanding of the passions and frailties of his fellow men and women was so profound. In Montreal, a commemorative banquet was held at the City Concert Hall, then located at Bonsecours Market. The Hon. John Rose, Past President of the St. Andrew's Society of Montreal chaired the event and expressed the view that because Robert Burns' poetry "appeals so strongly to the sympathies and feelings of our hearts" the poet's memory would be "embedded in all our hearts" and "....in those of our descendants in another hundred years".

In this 21st century, the Hon. John Rose's sentiments remain unequivocally true and are substantiated by the thousands of Burns Suppers which have continued to be celebrated around the world ever since the first impromptu one took place in 1801. On January 25th of that year, a number of Argyll Militia soldiers, accompanied by their band playing appropriate airs, marched out from the town of Ayr to Burns' birthplace in Alloway to celebrate the anniversary of the poet's birth, the well known cottage being an alehouse at that time. On January 25th of the following year, the first organized Burns Supper also took place in Alloway and haggis, which is a traditional part of any Burns Supper, was served as part of the meal.

The Society during the 19th and 20th century was indirectly involved in two events relating to Robert Burns. The first one was the purchase of the famous Burns' Bible in 1840 predominately by members of the St. Andrew's Society, who also arranged for its transportation to the Burns Monument Museum at Alloway. In 1985, during the Society's Sesquicentennial Year, the Bible again crossed the Atlantic and was on display at the Society's Exhibition at the McCord Museum until 1986 when it was returned, by the writer, to the Burns Monument Museum on October 20th, the 200th anniversary of the death of Burns' beloved Highland Mary. The second event was in 1929 when, after being approached by Mr. William McBroom of the Ayrshire Association, the Society became unofficially involved in the raising of the necessary funds for the erection of the Burns monument at what was then known as Dominion Square. Despite the stock market crash of that year and the ensuing depression, the appeal was successful, as is evidenced by the existence of the statue, a replica of the Scottish one at Ayr, on the site now known as Dorchester Square. Of the total subscribers, 85% were members of the St. Andrew's Society of Montreal, their contributions amounting to 95% of the total sum raised.

In recent years, the Society has been involved in two ceremonies at the monument, both commemorating the anniversary of the poet's death. One on July 21st, 1985 during the Society's Sesquicentennial Year and the other on July 21st, 1996 in memory of the 200th anniversary of Burns' death.

Mary Johnston Cox, Historian

This year's Burns Nicht event will be held on Friday, January 23, 2004. For further information please contact the Society's office at (514) 842-2030.

THE HONOURABLE HAGGIS

Since the Society's inception in 1835, the "Immortal" Haggis has held a place of honour at all of its St. Andrew's Day celebrations involving Dinners, Banquets and Balls and, in later years, also at the Burns Suppers. This well-known tribute to Scotland's favourite dish was written by Robert Burns and appears to have been first-published in the Scots Magazine in 1787:

TO A HAGGIS

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need.
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin', rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums:
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethanket' hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! See him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread:
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o ' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But if ye wish her gratefu' pray'r,

Gie her a Haggis

GLOSSARY:

Fair Fa': Plump, Buxom
Aboon: Above, Superior to
Wordy: Worthy
Hurdies: Buttocks
Painch/Thairm: Tripe
Dight: To wipe clean
Slight: To demolish / dismantle sleekly
Onie: Any
Horn: Horn Spoon
Weel-swall'd: Well swollen
Kytes: Stomachs
Belyve: By and by
Maist: Most
Rive : To burst
Owre: Over
Staw: To disgust
Spew: Pour out contents
Sconner: Disgust
Sic: Such
Nieve: Hand/Fist
Walie: Large
Whissle: Whistle
Sned: To lop off
Taps o' Thrissle: Thistle tops
Skinking: Thin liquid
Jaups: Splashing/Slopping
Luggies: Wooden dish with handles