ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE CHARACTER OF 44 'Sir Burn," OF KIDLAND, COQUETDALE. FROM ROBERT WHITE'S MANUSCRIPTS. N towns and populous places, where men have great facility in meeting each other, it would be in vain to seek for much originality of character. Habits of business, intercourse with the world, and above all the influence of female society, when the latter is of a refined and intellectual description, tend to soften down the asperities which in many instances belong to the rougher portion of humanity. But in wild solitary districts where man seldom meets with his fellow, and especially if he be placed in circumstances where he perceives no necessity of conforming in behaviour to those around him, he acquires trains of thought and modes of acting altogether peculiar to himself. These again he is apt to carry into excess, if he be endowed with much force of mind, or if he pay slight regard to the opinion of others. He exhibits neither the trim, pruned appearance of the orchard tree, nor the stately magnificence of the forest monarch, but resembles rather the lonely oak on some upland solitude, whose knarled branches, fantastic though they seem, are yet pleasing to contemplate from the freshness of their foliage, and the firmness with which they meet every opposing breeze. Nearly one hundred years ago, James Burn, an extensive stock farmer, lived at the Kidland Lee, in Coquetdale. It was customary with him, indiscriminately to call both man and woman Sir, hence among his neighbours he was usually named Sir Burn. He was kindhearted, liberal to the poor, and fond to an extreme of hearing news. When none save his own family were likely to be present with him, during the long, winter evenings, he would have ordered one of his servant girls to go up to an eminence near the house, which commanded an extensive view, and endeavour to descry some poor people, for the purpose of giving them an invitation to lodge at the Kidland Lee, and tell him all they heard of country affairs. In the winter season during a storm, instead of riding about and seeing his flocks duly attended, he was in the habit of lying in bed. Here he received the various shepherds as they entered the house-listened to every particular about their respective charges-gave them the necessary orders-and then laying hold of a large bottle of whiskey, which he always kept within his reach, he bestowed it liberally upon them, telling them "it wad keep out the cauld," and admonishing them to pay strict attention to the various hirsels under their care. In his perambulations over the country, and amongst his own people, he was, in the latter part of his life, accustomed to ride a white pony, and had a cur dog accompanying him, more remarkable for its noise than any other quality. When he had occasion to pass a flock of sheep, and ran some danger of scaring them, by reason of the continued barking of the animal, instead of commanding it to be silent, he resorted to the more effectual method of pelting it with small stones, a full supply of which, to meet contingencies, he regularly stowed away in his pockets, before mounting on horseback. Being a married man, his wife brought him three daughters, and from the time of manhood till his death, he steadily attained the ascendancy as lord and master over his household. In the time of sheep-shearing, he gave employment to a large number of clippers, chiefly his own men, all of whom were supplied with victuals from the farm house. It was customary then, as now, to have oat meal pudding for breakfast, and in cooking the same, on account of the abundance of whey, which the dairy of a farm produced, that liquid was often employed instead of water. On a morning Sir Burn observed this meal for the clippers served up in large wooden dishes, and set out in the open air to cool. The food appeared not to be of so substantial a kind as he wished-in short, he considered it too thin for hard working men; and the calves being at hand, waiting to be served, he ordered a female servant to mix a quantity of milk with the pudding, and give it to the young animals. Taking the men into the house, much to the chagrin of his wife and daughters, he speedily caused the best food within it to be produced, consisting of excellent cheese, butter, mutton, ham, white cakes and other delicacies, and told his followers to put aside all bashfulness and eat freely. When they finished, he observed, "Now, lads, ye may thank me for what ye've got siccan cheer wasna intended for you.” : One of his daughters married a Mr. Davidson of Featherwood; Mr. Redhead of the Windy-haugh married another, and the third became the wife of Mr. Horsley of Alwinton. Some time after marriage, Mrs. Horsley considered herself not over well used by her husband: they did not agree together, and on one occasion, it would appear he had struck her. This was not to be patiently endured, and, therefore, she embraced the first opportunity of returning to Kidland Lee, that she might lay a statement of her grievance before her father. During the time she told him, he appeared to listen to her with great attention, and then remarked, "Aye, has the fallow had the impudence to strike my daughter?" "Indeed has he, father!" continued she. "Then I'se be upsides wi' him," said Sir Burn; "if he's struck my daughter, I shall make him a weel-paid * wife," and, accordingly, taking a horse whip, he mounted his white pony and drove Mrs. Horsley, on foot, home to her husband at Alwinton. Perhaps the most singular of all Sir Burn's proceedings was the way in which he tested what sort of stuff his shepherd lads were made of, when they first entered his service. He was partial to strangers, and for the most part made his selection from young men, who resided at a good distance from Coquetdale. This was his mode of operation. He behaved kindly to the youth for a few days after entering to the Kidland Lee-pointed out to him the boundaries of the different farms—enquired into the good qualities of his dog-and told him if he faithfully discharged his duty as a servant, he himself, as a master would endeavour to make him comfortable. He then watched an opportunity to find some defect in the lad's conduct, and on detection of this, he charged him flatly with it-became to all appearance very angry with him-stormed away mightily-and would have seized the young man, and not hesitated even to strike him. If the lad stood to him manfully-gave him word for word-returned his abuse-and when the grappling moment came, seized hold of him, also, and either struck him again, or threw him down, all was right; the quarrel abated, and he was the hand just suited for the place. If, on the contrary, the stripling was bashful-said nothing in reply to the charge-and bore meekly all that was put upon him, Sir Burn, most unfeelingly, would have couched his dismissal in these words :"Gae way, gae way! If ye canna take your ain pairt, ye'll ne'er take mine! His motive in thus dealing with his new servants was essentially selfish: his lands lay far and wide among the hills, and he knew that much promptitude and decision were required, in keeping the marches clear of the flocks of his neighbours. Hence, a simple lad might be imposed on; but a bold, resolute youth who would at all times oppose any encroachment, was a better servant, inasmuch as he would be more able and ready to defend his master's interest. Such are the incidents which once occurred at and near the Kidland Lee, and they are all I have to tell of James Burn. It is man alone, that either by his genius, his actions or his other qualities, can invest a place with interest; and pity it is that his day is so short, or that, in cases like the present, there are so few to glean and bind together memorials which simply tell of his existence. I Meaning well-beaten, or in other words, he would return the compliment with interest. never saw the Kidland Lee, but were I visiting it, and gladly would I go a mile or two out of my way to do so, I should care very little about the place farther than the influence its old vestiges and neighbouring objects possessed, in awakening thoughts connected with James Burn and his amusing peculiarities. The Groupe; А РОЕМ, FANCIED FROM A PICTURE. ILLIAM Cooper, A. M. of Queen's College, Oxon, the author of the following poem, was a native of Cumberland, an elegant scholar, and possessed in particular of a happy vein for poetical composition. With a sweetness of disposition, and a vivacity in conversation, which rendered him a most engaging companion, he had not always resolution to resist the eagerness with which his company was solicited by the neighbouring gentry; and his constitution, always delicate, was unable to support the constant fatigue of a sedentary employment. In 1786 he resigned the Grammarschool of Houghton-le-Spring, over which he held mastership, and it is painful to add, that the latter days of this amiable man and elegant scholar were clouded by indigence and distress. HEN art, by nature taught, repays The various beauties, that adorn And art is nature o'er again. But when art elevates her plan This is the master-work of art, But gen'rous art all praise dislikes, "Take this," says she, "which when you use, "Such sentiments alone to move, "As taste and virtue may approve." His wisely-judg'd attendance gives A village, which I dare not name- The Village of Good Neighbourhood.3 1 Mr. Sykes, a portrait painter. 2 John Rotheram, A.M. rector of Houghton-le-Spring. He was the second of three sons of the Rev. William Rotheram, Master of the Free Grammar-School at HaydonBridge in Northumberland, where he was born June 22, 1725, and after being educated under his father, became a member of Queen's College, Oxford in 1745. In 1766, Trevor Bishop of Durham presented him to the Rectory of Ryton; and in 1769, removed him to the valuable Rectory of Houghton-le-Spring. He was soon after appointed one of the Trustees of Lord Crewe's Charity; and in 1779 held the vicarage of Seaham. He died at Bambrough, July 16, 1789, aged 64. Houghton-le-Spring. |