Aloway Kirk, or, Tam o' Shanter (1817)/A Sketch of Burns's Life
A
SKETCH
OF
Burns's Life, &c.
ROBERT BURNS, the Author of Tam o' Shanter, was born on the 25th January, 1759, on the Banks of Doon, about 2 miles from Ayr. The house he was born in is still kept in good repair, and possessed by Miller Goldie, for these 20 years past. The obliging landlord has on the walls of the house painted in bright letters, "Burns's Cottage. Robert Burns the Ayrshire Poet, was born under this roof, on the 25th January, 1759. In one of the largest Rooms, there stands a drawing of the poet on canvas. Many of the Travellers who visit Ayr, walks out to the cottage and the ruins of Alloway Kirk the scene of action with Tam o' Shanter and the Witches. The Kirk stands without a roof in the midst of the Burying ground. The walls of the Kirk were repaired a few years ago, by some of the heritors, with a view to keep up the name of the place. The old bridge on which Tam's Mare lost her tail, is still standing, although condemned by the road Trustees, not for age, but for the rising ground, on both sides of the river, and another magnificient bridge is built, about a gun shot from it. The friends of Burns who meet annually in the cottage, to celebrate his birth day, subscribed a sum adequate to the value put on it, as old material, were it taken down; the auld brig of Doon now stands as a monument to the poet's memory.
In Burns's infant days he owed much to an old woman, who resided in his father's family, remarkable for her ignorance, credulity and superstition, she had, he supposed, the largest collection in the country, of tales and songs, concerning devils, ghosts, fairies, brownies, witches, warlocks, spunkies, kelpies, elf-candles, dead-lights, wraths, apparitions, cantrips, giants, enchanted towers, dragons, and other trumpery. He no doubt believed them, and would sit trembling when he heard these tales at night, until his manly spirit rose above them, which cultivated the latent seeds of poetry; but had so strong on effect on his imagination, that to the end of his career, in his nocturnal rambles, he sometimes kept a sharp lookout in suspicious places; and though nobody could be more sceptical than he was in such matters, yet, he said, it often took an effort of philosophy to shake off these idol terrors.
Burns, in the 17th year of his age, to give his manners a brush, went to a country dancing school. His father, well knew the duty of a parent, had an unaccountable antipathy against these meetings, and his going was what, to his last moment, he had to repent, in opposition to his wishes. His father was subject to strong passions; from that instance of disobedience in Robert, his father took a dislike to him, which is believed to be one cause of his dissipation, which marked his succeeding years. It is too true, dancing schools have been the ruin of thousands! Not a village but there is a hop-master. Parents should strain every nerve to prevent these Hop-meetings, in ale houses. It is well known they are not in the path of virtue.
The first circumstance which induced our youthful poet to warble his "wild, artless notes," is very interesting, on account of the elegant simplicity which distinguishes the following description of his harvest partner. "She was a bonnie, sweet, sonsie lass." He says, "she altogether, unwittingly to herself, initiated me in that delicious passion, which, in spite of acid disappointment, gin-horse prudence, and luke warm philosophy, I hold to be the first of human joys, our dearest blessing here below. Indeed, I did not know myself why I liked so much to loiter behind with her, when returning in the evening from our labours; why the tones of her voice made my heart-strings thrill, like a Æolian harp; and particularly, why my pulse beat such a furious ratan, when I looked and fingered over her little hand, to pick out the cruel nettle stings and thistles.
"Thus," says he, "with me began love & poetry; which at times have been my only, and till within the last twelve months, my highest enjoyment.
In the course of the poet's life he was received at the tables of the gentlemen of Nithsdale, with welcome, with kindness, and even with respect. Their social parties too often seduced him from the duties he owed to his family.
But to return to his native spot, the cottage and Alloway Kirk, for the curiosity of travellers, we shall give a short description of the town of Ayr, where Burns fell in with his first friends, whom he held dear till his death.
We come next to the town of Ayr, the county town, and a presbytery seat, is a royal burgh of great antiquity, erected about 1180, containing about 8000 inhabitants. It is situated upon a point of land, between the influx of the rivers of Ayr and Doon, near its junction with the Atlantic Ocean; the buildings on the banks of the river Ayr, are united by two bridges, which joins with the parishes of Newton and St. Evox, the first contains 1724, and the last 2070 inhabitants. This town formerly could not boast of many advantages in point of appearance. A very great addition has been made to the town, within this twenty years. In the main street fine buildings erected, the streets made straighter, and very much improved by the Magistrates, in 1813, both in paving and lighting. Formerly one person was employed in cleaning the streets, now there are two. More improvement has been made the last two years, in the streets and lanes, than for the last twenty.
A very great addition is now building, called Wellington square, and when finished, will be an ornament to the town.
Before the Reformation there were in this town monasteries of Dominicans and Franciscans ; the former founded in 1230, and the latter in 1472. The church of St. John the Baptist stood near the sea; its tower still remains. This venerable structure was converted into an armoury by Oliver Cromwell, who built a citadel round it, enclosing 12 acres of ground; in front of this ground, an academy is built, and the number of students attending this seminary amounts to near 600. There are two other academies in the county, one in Kilmarnock, under the direction of the Magistrates, and one in Irvine, erected there by the Earl of Eglinton, whose pubic spirit will be long remembered. But the one at Ayr exceeds them, both in point of learning, for men of the first rate abilities are employed as teachers, which raised this seminary to great renoun; many of the students are from all quarters of the world. It was instituted by subscription, and the subscribers erected into one Body, political and corporate, by Royal charter, in 1798. The managers and directors in terms of the Charter, are persons or bodies corporate or politic, who may have subscribed the sum of £50 or upwards. Seven members from the town council of Ayr, annually chosen. The Sheriff Depute of the county for the time being. The nearest heir male of the deceased John Fergusson of Doonholm, Esq. Five contributors representing the minor subscribers.
The number of teachers are six, besides their assistants. French, Italian and German, taught by a learned gentleman from France.
A flourishing banking company has existed in Ayr for many years. Ayr has a considerable harbour; but navigation is much impeded by a bar, which is occasionally thrown across the mouth of the river, particularly by N. W. winds; a new act of parliament is obtained to improve it; the depth of the water, even at spring tides, seldom exceeds 12 feet. About 6000 tonnage and 500 seamen are employed in the coal and grain trade. This parish claims also the honour of being the birthplace of Joannes Erigena and Chevalier Ramsay. The royalty contains about 5000 acres, yielding a rental of about £10,000 sterling.
Ministers—Two in the parish, one Burgher, one Relief, one Moravian, and one Methodist.
Medical Practitioners, nine, Lawyers thirty-two, &c. &c.
Mails—Depart to London, by Glasgow, every morning at seven o’clock. To Glasgow from Ireland, &c. every evening at 9 o’clock. To Galloway, at half past 2, p. m. To Ireland, at 10 o’clock p. m.
Arrivals of the London mails by Glasgow, at 2 p. m. Irish mails, at 9 p. m.
Coaches—Telegraph coach to Glasgow twice a-day, coach to Greenock thrice a week, & a Portpatrick Diligence every lawful day, and a neat Noodie to Kilmarnock twice a-week.