Scotland.

other Lodgo has—but sir , who can boast of a Robert Burns ! It is only the St . James ' s , Tarbolton ; in that Lodge he lived and wrought as a Craftsman . Burns was a great and enthusiastic Freemason ; it was his pride and bis pleasure to instruct and enlighten that favoured feiv , ancl it was Avhilst he was one of the most active members of that Lodge that be gave forth the brightest and best of his poetical effusions to the world . The St . James Tarbolton Lodgo thus becomes imporisbably associated ivith Robert Burns , Scotland , and Freemasonry . AVe

have dedicated a bumper to the memory of Robert Burns . AVe have paid our respects to bis descendants , and since AVO prize tho smallest relic of him as a gem above all price , it becomes us as Freemasons to nourish and cherish this Lodge , St . James , Tarbolton , as a landmark of him that was a true Brother . Bro . Carnduff , a member of the St . James ' s Lodge , replied . Song by Bro . Boyd— " Bums ' s Farewell to the Brethren of the St . James Lodge , Tarbolton . " Bro . David SutherlandProv . Grand Treas . then claimed a bumper to " Tho

, , Poets of Ireland , " and in doing so he paid a high tribute to tho genius of Thomas Moore . Bro . J . Cruikshank , Prov . S . G . AV ., gave "Tho Clergy of Scotland . " Bro . Dalvoen ( No . 333 ) gavo "The Poets of Scotland . " He said , those who are included in this toast are , many of them , men of the most eminent genius , of the highest literary attainments ; many of them have filled the most prominent niches in the temple of fameaud among those who are still alive there are a

, goodly number ivho will yet occupy tho same honourable position in the lyric history of their country . Can any one forget—among the many who are to-night assembled in open Lodge , to celebrate the centenary ofthe birth of the man ivho was pre-eminently the bard of Scotia , Bro ., Robert Bums— that tbe world famed author of the " Lay of the Last Minstrel , " and the " Lady of the Lake , " Sir AValter Scott , ivas a Scotchman ? AVho can fail to remember , that we can also claim the groat author of the " Pleasures of Hope , " of " Ye Mariners of England , "

and the " Battle of the Baltic" ? Besides Thomas Campbell , in the west of Scotland , ive claim Pollok , the author of the "Course of Time ;' ' AVilson , the Avorld renoAvned Christopher North of Blackwood , whose "Isle of Palms , " for beautiful imagery , and his " Defence of the Reputation of Burns , " stamp him high in the list of poets and of critics . These , and many more who might be named , trode the higher walks of Scottish poesy and literature ; but while they may be looked at as the more effulgent stars , Ave must not forget that there are others to whom we must pay our homage and respecteven should it be only to their memories .

, I ask you to recall to your minds Allan Ramsay , and his " Gentle Shepherd ;" Alexander AA'ilson ; McNeill ; Robert Ferguson , the predecessor of Burns , to whose poetic genius the bard paid the tribute of erecting at his own expense a monument in the Canongate churchyard of Edinburgh ; Robert Tannahil ] , whose "Jessie , the floiver of Dunblane" and "Loudon ' s bonny woods and braes , " have rendered his name imperishable . Dugalcl Moore was a worthy brother of the Lodge to which I have the honour to belong . In speaking of the poets of

Scotland , ive are able to rank among them a portion of the fair sex , and those not amongst the least of the galaxy of poets belonging to our country . AVho would not severe the memory of Lady Anne Lindsay , for her " Auld Robin Gray ;" Miss Elliott , for the "Floivers of the Forest ; " Miss Blamire , for " Ye shall walk in silk attire ; " or the old school mistress in Greenock , who gave us " There ' s nae luck about the house ; " and many others , Avho have added to the poetry of Scotland some of its brightest gems . And here I may be permitted to add , that tbe

deep pathos , rich imagery , and homely feeling of the Scottish lyric have never yet been equalled , and bold the pre-eminence over the civilized world . Among the living poets and nature ' s bards , let me mention James Ballantine , AVilliam Maclaggan , Bro . Audreiv Park , and poor AVillic Miller . I cannot , however , omit mentioning Alexander Smith , Hugh McDonald , James HedderAvick , and tho author of "AA ill ye go to Kelvin grove , " Dr . Thomas Lyle . The extent of the list of our local poets must , I hope , excuse my brevity in enumerating them , although perhaps of superior merit to those which have come to my recollection . In conclusion , permit me to outer within the walls of this tyled Lodge