Stars shine new light on Burns

Jan 23 2009 by Caroline Boxer, Strathearn Herald

SCOTLAND will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns on Sunday and a new book by a Strathearn author has been published to coincide with the event.

Launched at the Burns Conference in Glasgow last Saturday, “The Stars of Robert Burns” is by Dr Catherine Smith.

The Braco resident does not see Robert Burns as others see him. She looks at things from an alternative slant and her latest work is described as a “completely different and fascinating study” of the Bard.

She explained: “This is an intense book, exploring how Burns’ mind worked. Why did he think the way he did?

“Burns’ life goal was preserving the dignity of mankind. He speaks to the whole world, particularly those facing adversity.”

A lifetime enthusiast, Dr Smith has studied all Burns’ works, including his many extant letters.

She said: “He drew moral strength from Freemasonry and was no mere romantic. He kept abreast of science, including astronomy. He matched professors in discussion. His politics are well known but it isn’t well known that he was an innovator.”

Dr Smith attempts to understand how Burns’ thoughts formed and how his education and experiences contributed to his character and ingenuity.

She also challenges how academia analyses Burns. “We need to look at Burns the way people in the 18th century would have seen him,” she said. “We don’t think the way they did. There was a lot of superstition around then. Even some senior thinkers believed in astrology.”

Burns was conceived at Beltane (the big spring fertility festival, heralding the beginning of summer) but what marked him out as special, by those influenced by old beliefs, was that he was born as Halley’s Comet reappeared in the sky.

Astrologers saw him as a man of destiny and Dr Smith’s book contains Burns’ horoscope. “I’ve found out what he was probably told about what the horoscope meant," she said, “but he knew horoscopes are like economic forecasts: if you resign to them they destroy you.

“Burns was clearly a genius and all the educated people he met, whether or not they accepted astrology, told him he had destiny.”

Burns' rise to fame began in July 1786 when his first work, "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect" (now known as the Kilmarnock Edition), was published.

It was so well received that he cast aside his plans to emigrate to Jamaica and settled into his new life as an acclaimed poet, much in demand by Edinburgh society.

“You could say he was the ‘pop idol’ of his year,” said Dr Smith.

In 1787, and with a second edition in the press, Burns went on a tour of the Highlands to drum up interest and subscribers and to seek sources of inspiration for further works.

He first encountered Strathearn with his friend William Nicoll, when they passed through Ardoch and the Roman camp before making their way to Crieff, where they dined. Then it was on to Comrie and Aberuchill Castle, where Burns said he was met with a “cold reception”. However, he described the journey there as “a most romantically pleasant ride up Earn, by Auchtertyre and Comrie”.

At Blair Atholl he met Sir William Murray, whom he speaks of as “an honest and worthy man”. Murray invited him to stay at Ochtertyre.

This was the first time he had actually stayed for any length of time in the home of a gentleman. He usually lodged at the local inn.

Whilst there Burns wrote the poem “Blythe, blythe and merry was she”. This was for the 18-year-old Euphemia Murray, who was visiting at the same time. She was Sir William's cousin and a well known beauty. However, it is said Miss Murray was not entirely taken with the honour and that this is not one of the Bard's better poems. Dr Smith thinks that this is because his heart was not entirely in it.

She said that during his stay in Strathearn Burns was experiencing a period of introspection. He spent much of his time wandering the hills and glens in deep reflection.

It was during one of his sojourns up Glen Turret that Burns was inspired to write a deeper piece, showing that he was not only politically concerned but was environmentally aware as well.

His questioning of man’s thoughtlessness for his surroundings is found in the lines of the poem “On scaring some water-fowl in Loch Turit”, where he says: “Man, your proud usurping foe, Would be lord of all below: Plumes himself in freedom’s pride, Tyrant stern to all beside.”

There is also evidence that he was deep in important reflection at this time from the note of appreciation he wrote under the Loch Turrit poem after he had it copied into the Glenriddel Manuscript five years later. It read: “This was the production of a solitary forenoon’s walk from Oughtertyre house - I lived there, Sir William’s guest, for two or three weeks, I was much flattered by my hospitable reception - what a pity that the mere emotions of gratitude are so impotent in this world! ‘Tis lucky that, as we are told, they will be of some avail in the world to come.”

Dr Smith describes this poem as a powerful one, which includes a strong message about the destruction that mankind causes through being irresponsible.

Burns often said he had the second sight. He was certainly way ahead of his time in realising how the actions of man would do much ecological damage.

“The Stars of Robert Burns” by Dr Catherine Smith is published by Circlepublications.com and is available from their website or from The Masonic Publishing Company on 01436 672900.