Prepared for the 1875 Edition.
The Poet, constitutionally, was not a strong man; but he took great care of himself. He seemed to be aware of the nature of the exhausting disease with which he was afflicted, from the dry cough rasping in his breast. In 1804, it would appear to have become so painfully severe that, in writing the Second Epistle to his friend, James Scadlock (then in Perth), he informed him of the state of his health in the following verse:—
“But, ere a few short summers gae,
Your friend will mix his kindred clay ;
For fell Disease tugs at my breast
To hurry me away.”
A monument was erected over the Poet's remains in 1866.
SMOKING—CLUB CRITICISM OF HIS POETRY.
The Poet, and all the members of the Club with which he was connected, were inveterate smokers, and his own teeth were blackened from the narcotic fumes of tobacco. He has vividly described the members of the Club enjoying the weed, assembled in their “bourock,” in a poem written in 1805 (No. 54) :—
“Encircled in a cloud of smoke,
Sat the convivial core ;
Like lightning flash'd the merry joke,
The thund'ring laugh did roar.”
This bacchanalian poem, like others of a similar kind in the volume, was written by desire of some of the members of the Club, and for which TANNAHILL would he sure to receive the applause of the members. The Club had a powerful fascination for the Poet that he could not resist. His ambition was to please them, as he considered these worthies the ablest of men; and they were nothing loth to suppose themselves possessed of wonderful ability. When a new song or poem was read before them, it was subjected to the severest criticism; and not only that, but to captious hypercriticism. Each stanza, verse, line, and word, was scanned and keenly discussed. The criticism, it may be remarked, was occasionally not very polished,—approaching, on some occasions, to rudeness. This was the kind of criticism that affected the sensibility of TANNAHILL, and not that of outsiders.
THE BURNS' CLUB.
The Burns' Anniversary Society or Club was instituted in 1805,—William M‘Laren and ROBERT TANNAHILL being its chief promoters. The former was chosen the first President, and the latter elected the first Clerk of the Society; and they both acted in these capacities on Tuesday, 29th January, 1805, when the First Anniversary of Burns was celebrated in Paisley. The Preamble or Argument (as it was called in those days) for the institution of the Society, is the composition and in the handwriting of ROBERT TANNAHILL, and occupies the first page of the Minute-Book of the Club :—
“That Man is the only creature capable of enjoying an eminent degree of felicity, is a truth so evident and so generally admitted that it were foolish to labour for its proof. An indulgent Nature, ever attentive to the happiness of her offspring, has enriched the world with men of superior intellect, who, by the splendour of their genius, the fascinating charms of their writings, have, like the sun which dissipates the vapours of the night; dispersed the dark clouds of ignorance, have taught the vacant hours of life to steal on with uninterrupted felicity, and thus in an eminent degree contributed to the happiness of mankind. Shall we, then, suffer such characters to pass unnoticed? No. Ye illustrious benefactors of the world! we will cherish, we will celebrate your memories! your virtues are already engraven on our hearts, and the tears of honest gratitude shall bedew your tombs; posterity will imitate and applaud the deed, and your proud names shall roll through an eternity of years.”
“Animated by these reflections, a number of the admirers of Robert Burns met on the 29th of January, 1805, in the Star Inn, Paisley, to celebrate his memory, when a beautiful bust of the bard, painted by an eminent artist (Tannock or Muir) was exhibited from the window. The company, amounting to near seventy, sat down to supper; after which, the President (William Maclaren) addressed the company, as follows.” [The address is then copied into the Minute-Book in the handwriting of M‘Laren, and concludes by proposing “The Memory of our immortal Bard, 'Robert Burns,” and is printed by M‘Laren at the end of Life of Tannahill, published in 1815.
“The toast Was drunk with enthusiasm; after which, the following Ode on the birth of Burns— ‘Once on a time, almighty Jove,’ etc.—(written for the occasion), was read over to the company.” [The remainder of the minute as also the toasts and list of committee is in the handwriting of Tannahill.]
“Among the many toasts proposed in the course of the evening were the following—‘May the genius of Scotland be as conspicuous as her mountains;’ ‘May Burns be admired while a thistle grows in Caledonia;’ ‘May Scotia never want the sword of a Wallace, nor the pen of a Burns.’ The night went off with uninterrupted harmony; and the company, resolving to meet annually on the same occasion, appointed the following gentlemen to conduct the business of the ensuing year:—
(This song was composed by John King.)
Then follows, in the handwriting of the Clerk, a
“SONG WRITTEN FOR, AND SUNG AT, THE ANNIVERSARY FOR 1805.”
TANNAHILL duly attended all the meetings of the Society during his lifetime, and also wrote the two Odes for Thursday, 29th January, 1807, and Monday, 29th January, 1810 (Nos. 7 and 8); but he did not act as Clerk. We are not surprised at this. More than his leisure hours would be taken up with the composing of his poems and songs,—making several copies for his friends and the press,—correspondence with his acquaintances,—attending meetings,—preparing for his first edition, and correcting the proofs. That record of the Burns's Anniversary Society has now become a valuable relic of TANNAHILL.
LOCAL CLUB MEETINGS.
A club had also been instituted in Kilbarchan similar to the Paisley Literary, Poetical, and Musical Club which assembled in Allan Stewart's; these clubs reciprocated the feelings of each other, and frequently the members of the one club joined those of the other in friendly convivialities and discussion. In conveying each other towards home, they generally made the hostelry of Jean Hattrick, situated at Thorn, two and a half miles from each club-room, the half-way house for parting. The house itself had obtained the distinctive name of “Hamburg,” from the person who had built it making his money at Hamburg; and by that name it is known and called at the present time. It was a short distance off the road. Jean Hattrick was remarkable for intelligence, and she enjoyed the literary and musical conversation of the members of the combined clubs in a high degree, and even joined them in their conversations and discussions. The members were always made welcome by Jean; indeed, she would frequently refuse to supply their orders, declaring she had admitted them as friends for their intellectual conversation and not for their money. The bard was a principal favourite of Jean's.
APPEARANCE OF HIS SONGS IN PERIODICALS.
Mr. M‘Laren, in his biography, says of the author: “Such was the extreme modesty of his nature, that though the qualities of his mind had ripened into superior excellence, it was with difficulty that his friends could persuade him to offer any of his early pieces for publication. With doubtful hesitation a copy of his verses was, however, prepared for a periodical work then published in Edinburgh ; (but which cannot be found) but whether from that modesty for which he was conspicuous, or from a dread that his name might swell the list of disgraced correspondents, they appeared under a fictitious character. The fears of the bard were vain. His verses appeared in the first number, accompanied by a flattering compliment to the author, and soliciting a continuance of his correspondence.”