SIR,-As a warm admirer of the first poet of his time I shall readily contribute my mite to do honour to his memory. I own I should rather have contributed to benefit his children, or any who were dear to him, as doing more good. For, after all, a monument is very superfluous to one who has left such works behind him.—I remain, Sir, your most obt., F. BURDETT.

OXFORD, 30th Jany., 1814.

SIR,-I should not have delayed answering your letter had I not been under a difficulty which, after all, I must get your assistance to remove. It arises from my not knowing the sum it would be handsome for me to name for the erection of the monument to the genius of Burns. If you would have the goodness to inform me what has been subscribed by others, or what would be considered as handsome, you would confer on me a great obligation. I remain, dear Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant, F. BURDETT.

OXFORD, 8th March, 1814.

SIR, I am much obliged to you for the clue you afford me to escape from the difficulties I felt upon the interesting subject of Burns's memory. It appears to me that in order to do honour to the Poet, subscriptions should be numerous rather than large. I shall therefore name the largest sum hitherto named, £10, having not the least objection to double, treble, or quadruple it if thought better, and if that which strikes me as desirable should not equally strike the Committee.—I have the honour, Sir, your most, &c. F. BURDETT.

OXFORD, 25th March, 1814.

Friends and admirers of Burns in all parts of the world were asked to subscribe to the fund. The Provost and Magistrates of Dumfries gave the scheme their countenance. Mrs. Jordan, the celebrated actress, gave a performance in Dumfries in aid of the funds, as is shown by the play bill, which produced £33, 18s.; and Sir Walter Scott was instrumental in securing the valuable services of Mr. and Mrs. Siddons for the same object, and they gave a full dress benefit night in Edinburgh, which realised the sum of £39, 14s. His letters to Mr. Grierson on that subject were as follow:

EDINBURGH, 20th May, 1814.

I did not answer your last favour because I did not find an opportunity to suggest to Mr. Siddons the plan of a benefit for Burns's Monument. The fact is there are so many demands of this nature upon a theatrical manager that unless I were to find a very favourable moment I should not much like to suggest any thought that may enlarge this tax. My own idea was to speak to John Kemble when there, which would have been certain to make a house, but I was obliged to leave town while he was acting. I will keep the proposal, however, in view; in the meantime, I send some subscriptions on the other side, which may be added to those lists already circulated.

My own circle of friends is very limited, but I trust to get a good many guineas if I go to London before the books are closed. I have always

declined taking money, so that you will have the trouble to collect the subscriptions by some proper person here. WALTER SCOTT.

EDINBURGH, 3rd December, 1814. I have only time to write you two lines, being very busy just now. Mr. Siddons readily and handsomely agrees to give the benefit, and gives two guineas himself. The expense of the house is £40. It holds £200. I must endeavour, though my interest lies little in that way, to get some women of fashion to patronise the thing, when possibly we may gather £100.

WALTER SCOTT.

EDINBURGH, 14th December, 1814. Our benefit took place last night. We had by no means a crowded, but a very genteel audience. The boxes particularly were filled with fashionable people, but neither the pit nor gallery so full as I should have expected they might have been from the name of the bard. In this instance the higher classes have been more favoured in doing honour to Burns's memory. Mrs. Scott took two boxes, and used all the influence she had with her friends, of whom several took boxes and filled them well. So if the returns do not quite equal our zeal and my expectations it is not our fault. But the produce will be something considerable. As Siddons has behaved so handsomely, the gentlemen of the Committee will probably be of opinion that it will be proper to write him a letter of thanks, by which he will be highly gratified. Both he and his wife gave us a good play and farce, and did all that could be suggested for rendering the evening productive. I will pay my subscriptions to Mr K. W. Burnett, who will also, I hope, take the trouble to settle with Mr. Siddons and remit the money.

WALTER SCOTT.

The following is a copy of the play bill of the Mausoleum

benefit nights:

Theatre, Dumfries.

But while memorials rise to mark the spot,

Where sleep the vain, the worthless, and the proud,
Shall he, the pride of Scotland, be forgot,

Nor claim the meed to titled fools allowed?
Yes, there are those with virtuous grief inspired.
To see thy bones unhonoured and unblest ;
Whom long the stranger's keen reproach has fired,
To rouse a kindred flame in Scotia's breast.

And soon that stranger's eye shall joy to view,
By taste designed, a fond memorial rise,

Το

pay thy injured shade the honours due,

And mark the spot where buried genius lies.

The Committee of Management, in their zeal to forward this tribute of respect and admiration, applied to Mrs. JORDAN, who, in the handsomest and most liberal manner, acceded to their request, and gratuitously gives

her eminent assistance on the occasion, with a corresponding spirit. Mr. M'CREADY has agreed to dedicate a Night's Performance in aid of the undertaking. Saturday evening next is appointed, when the friends of genius will certainly give their support to a purpose which must interest the feelings of Scotia's sons and daughters. This generous instance will, no doubt, be followed by other if not all the Theatres in the kingdom, and thus afford the opportunity to all ranks of paying a tribute of regard to the memory of the favourite Bard.

In Aid of the Subscription for erecting a MAUSOLEUM over the Remains of

ROBERT BURNS,

On Saturday Evening, 26th November, 1814,
Will be performed the Favourite Comedy of the
WAY TO KEEP HIM.

The part of the Widow Belmont by Mrs. JORDAN.
Livamore-Mr. MUNRO. Sir Brilliant Fashion- Mr. GOMERSAL.
Sir Bashful Constant-Mr. LANCASTER.

Sideboard-Mr. WILLIAMS.

John-Mr. ALEXANDER.

Mrs. Livamore-Miss MACAULEY.

William-Mr. FAULKENER.

Pompey-Miss PARR.

Lady Constant-Miss WILLIS.

Muslin-Mrs. MARA.

Migorionet-Mrs. GOMERSAL. Furnish-Mrs. LANCASTER.

Patrick Skipwell-Mr. M'CREADY. Villainous-Mr. GOMERSAL. Old Meanwell-Mr. FAULKENER. Young Meanwell-Mr. ALEXANDER. Servant-Mr. GRAY.

Florinda-Miss WILLIS.

And Letty-Mrs. GARRICK.

Tickets, 3s., for BOXES and the PIT; GALLERY, 28. on this particular occasion. To be had at the Bank of Scotland's and the British Linen Company's Offices, at the Stamp Office, and at the Courier Office; also at the Shops of Messrs. James Kerr, Wm. Grierson, David Williamson, and Adam Rankine.

The public are requested to purchase Tickets, as no money will be taken at the Doors.

Doors to be opened at Half-past Five, and the Performance to begin at Half past Six o'clock precisely,

Being Saturday Evening.

Dumfries: Printed at the Courier Office, by C. Munro & Co.

On the 8th February, 1816, Walter Scott again wrote to Mr. Grierson :

You were so good some time since as to send me a drawing of Burns's Mausoleum, which I think will look very handsome. I believe I am in debt to the fund in the sum of £5 received from Mr. Weld Hartsteng, of Dublin. I got the sum when I was in England, and wrote to a friend to send the said sum to you, but I fancy it was neglected, as looking over my receipts from him I do not see any from you, so I am afraid it was forgotten. Should it be otherwise, you will have the goodness to return the £5 note which I now enclose.

I think it would be highly advisable to repair the old monument at Kirkconnell, but I feel somewhat doubtful whether there would be perfect good taste in placing upon it our ingenious friend Mr. Mayne's very pretty verses. I should rather prefer doing what has been done on the tomb of Sir John the Grahame at Falkirk, (i.e.) cutting a new stone of the same dimensions and exactly a facsimile of the old monument. There is something in the forlorn simplicity of the hic jacet Adamus Fleming that I think would be injured by any modern additions. I do not the less admire Mr. Mayne's verses, to which he has added a very good stanza. I intend to solicit his aid in getting words for some fine Gaelic airs lately collected by Alex. Campbell, which I think will prove the purest as well as most extensive collection of Scotch music yet made, as he has recovered some very fine airs.

O O O O O O

30 15

"Formerly subscribed, including 14 years' interest,"

Subscriptions procured by J. Kennedy, merchant, Lisbon,

a native of Kirkcudbright,

Liverpool Subscription,

Montreal Subscription,

81 O

Lodge Canongate, Kilwinning (of which Burns was the

While on 25th August, 1815, the Prince Regent expressed his pleasure that the unrivalled genius and memory of Scotia's favourite bard was to be perpetuated by a work of art, in the highest degree beautiful, and suitable to the sacred purpose for which it was intended, and subscribed 50 guineas.

The next step was the advertisement, which appeared in the Dumfries papers of 6th February, 1815, for designs for the Mausoleum, to be sent in by 13th of April. "With regard to the design, the Committee cannot give any very specific directions, as this must be left to the taste of the artists. Ground plan may be square, octagonal, or circular, not more than 14 feet in diameter. Something approaching to the form of a temple, with columns supporting a dome or cupola, might, perhaps, be suitable for this part of the design. The second object is an emblematical figure or subject of marble, and including, probably, a bust or medallion of Burns, supported on a pedestal, with an inscription panel, to be placed in the interior of the Mausoleum." Exterior structure to cost £300 or £400, and the emblematical design a similar sum. Premiums of £10 and £5 were offered for competition.

About fifty plans, designs, and models were received, out of which twelve were selected as preferable to the others, and at an adjourned meeting of the Committee and subscribers held on 25th April, 1815, the design for the Mausoleum by T. F. Hunt, architect, London, was adopted, while that of John Hendry, Edinburgh, was placed second. Mr. Hunt declined to accept of the premium of £10 to which he was entitled as successful competitor, and agreed to furnish working drawings free of expense. His working plans and drawings are still preserved in the Museum in Thornhill.

Builders' estimates were advertised for, and that of John Milligan, Dumfries, amounting to £381, 8s. 6d., was accepted, and Mr. James Thomson was appointed superintendent of works. On 30th May following the Committee "having walked down to the Churchyard and inspected the burialplace of Burns, are of opinion that it is so much encumbered with monuments and tombstones surrounding it, and a risk that it may still be more obscured by other erections, have therefore resolved, with the consent of Mrs. Burns, to remove the whole remains of the family to another and more eligible situation in the new burial ground, and the Mausoleum erected