VOL. AEE. NO. 23S.
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ruin. But the world will excuse his follies and
as long as the wild Rose Of Allowav mods over
his grave will lament his fate-embalm his ne
mory in tears and say "requtescat in pace


The nature of Clarinda's passion may be seen
in the last letter she writes Burns before she
sails for the West Indies TO join her husband It
is as cool as an anchorite could wish, and clears
off old peccadloes by very solemn and pious
exhortation to Burns to mend his ways and be-
come a devout man. Coming from such a
source, it could not be expected to produce much
effect


The correspondence is interesting as throwing
now light on the character Of Burns, and will
doubtless be read with much eagerness. Pub
hshed by Robert P. Bixby & Co., No. 3 Park Row.
1t is published simultaneously in England.


The BegSar Poet.


u The WESTMINSTER REVIEW for December
has several most interesting articles, and among
them opinions of Sir Robert Peel, Life of Lord
Sydenham Working Glasses Of Sheffield, and
'Poems by William Thom.' The latter is a very
interesting article Mr.. Thorn is weaver IN
Inverury He has struggled up from the ex-
tremcst poverty TO barely a comfortable living
The gripping hand of suffering and the noise of
looms have not been sufficient, however, to drive
poetry from him.


"William Thorn is now about forty-five years
Of age. His stature is short, and his legs stunted,
like those of one whose childhood was not gener
ously fed but there is breadth in his shoulders
and clearness IN his complexion, indicating
hale and tough constitution. Light auburn halr,
now sverng covers large broad head with
ample brow firm set mouth, and light blue twink
ling eyes, full Of the sensibility and acuteness Of
the man His dress is that of his staton-the
corduroy trousers, the blue short coat with brass
buttons, and the silk hat, having that air OF
smartness peculiar to the costume Of those who
follow the sedentary trades


In a letter dated April, l64l, to Mr.. Gordon of
knockespock, man who befnended HIM, ne thus
describes his dwelling:


q occupy two trim little garrets in house
belonging to Sir Robert Elphinstone, lately built
on the market stand of Inverury. We have
everything required in our humble way perhaps
our blankets pressed little too lightly during the
last severe winter, but when s7e crept closer to-
gether--that is gone-'tis summer now, and we
are hopeful that next winter will bring better
things


He was the son Of a widow, and when lad
was run over by nobleman's carriage which
crushed his foot and ankle, and made him
cripple for life For this misfortune the nobleman
generously gave the mother ten shill1ngs. Lett
alone in the world, Mr.. Thorn sunk from one de-
gree of poverty to another till he was forced to
beg for subsistence How could he help it
compelled to support family of six persons on
five shillings week. Hear him give specimen
morning


Imagine cold spring forenoon. It's eleven
o'clock, but our little dwelling shows none Of the
signs of that time Of day. The four children are
still asleep There is bed cover hung before the
window, to keep all within as much like night as
possible; and the mother sits beside the beds OF
her children, TO lull them back to sleep whenever
anv shows an inclination to awake. For TINS
there is a cause. for our weekly five shllngs
have not come as expected, and the only food IN
the house consists OF handful OF oatmeal saved
from the supper of last night. Our luel IS also
exhausted My wife and | were conversng IN
sunkcn whispers about making an attempt to cook
the handful of meal, when the younger children
awoke beyond It's mot er's power to hush 1t again



broke out in {; steady scream, which OF course
rendered it impossible any longer to keep the rest
in a state of unconsclousneSs. Face alter lace
sprung up. each with one consent exclamng,
oh. mother, mother, gle me a piece! How
weak word is sorrow to apply to the feelings OF
myself and wife during the remainder o that
dreary forenoon -


When it came to the worst he left the key ofhls
Al NJ fam Ilv3 nd
started off On the third night, Saturday amid
the pclting of rain and the piercing east wind,
VIM. Thorn left his family by the way-slde and
went TO farmhouse to obtain shelter Tor the
night Being repused he says


Il returned to my family. They had crept
closer together, and, except the mother were fast
asleep. Oh, Willie, Willie, what kept ye =
inquired that trembling woman; I'm doottu' O
Jcane,' she added 'isna she waesome-llke Let's
in frae the cauid.' We've nae way to gang,
LASS said l. whateer come O US. on folk
Wilma hae u.s. Few more words passed. drew
her mantle over the wet and chilled slecpers, ana
sat down beside them My head throbbed with
pain. and for a time became the tenement OF
thoughts would not now reveal. They partook
less of sorrow than OF indignation, and 1t seemed
TO me that this same world was thing very
much to be hated and, on the whole, the sooner
that one like me could get out OF ii, the better
for its sake and mine own. felt myself, as 1t
were, shut out from neutrality-suspicious.
oned in lnisery-no outlook-none. My mlsera-
bic wife and little ones, who alone cared 1or me
what would not have done for their sakes at
that hour Here let me speak out-and be heard,
too, while tell it-that the world does not al al
times know how unsafely 1t sits: when Despair
has loosed honor's last hold upon the heart-"hen
transccndent wretchedness lays weeping reason