alone that Burns touches every mood of a Scotsman's heart. There
is an enthusiasm of humanity about Burns which you will hardly
find equalled in any other author, and which most certainly does
not exist in Scott.

'Man's inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn.'
* * * * *
'Why has man this will and power
To make his fellow mourn?'

"These quotations might be multiplied were it necessary; but I
think enough has been said to explain what puzzles 'A.T.Q.C.' I
have an unbounded admiration of Sir W. Scott--quite as great as
'A.T.Q.C.' Indeed, I think him the greatest of all novelists;
but, as a Scot, somewhat Anglicised by a residence in London of
more than a quarter of a century, I unhesitatingly say that I
would rather be the author of the above three lyrics of Burns'
than I would be the author of all Scott's novels. Certain I am
that if immortality were my aim I should be much surer of it in
the one case than the other. I cannot conceive 'Scots wha hae,'
'Auld Lang Syne,' etc., ever dying. Are there any of Scott's
writings of which the same could be said? I doubt it....

--I am yours, etc., "J.B.
"London, June 18th, 1895."

The hopelessness of the difficulty is amusingly, if rather
distressingly, illustrated by this letter. Here again you have the
best will in the world. Nothing could be kindlier than "J.B.'s" tone.