Burns Country Discussion Board

James · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 549 Location: West Midlands UK.

192 years ago....

On this day in 1818, Sir Walter Scott supervised the REDISCOVERY of
the 'HONOURS of SCOTLAND, the Scottish Crown Jewels.
[They had been last used for the coronation of Charles 11 in 1651.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honours_of_Scotland

Regards,
James

James · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 549 Location: West Midlands UK.

214 Years ago....

On July 21st. 1796, Robert Burns died in Dumfries at the age of 37.
The consensus amongst eminent 20th. century medical experts was
summed up by Dr. H.B.Anderson of Toronto: "The case was an ordinary
one, of Rheumatism with Heart complications----shortness of breath,
faintness, weakness, rapid irregular pulse [auricular fibrillation], and--
towards the end, fever, parched tongue, and delirium, presumably due
to bacteriological ENDOCARDITIS which developed as a terminal infection."

But surely his untimely death had been predestinated by the serious
lung-damage, sustained during his many arduous months of 10-hour days
in Irvine, working in ill-ventilated, Flax-dust filled, Heckling sheds?

And finally, there was the COUP DE GRACE----the administering of poisonous Mercury, and the brutal ice-cold-water treatment, prescribed
in ignorance by his 'friend' Dr. William Maxwell......

Regards,
James

James · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 549 Location: West Midlands UK.

THE KILMARNOCK EDITION.

224 years ago....

On this day in 1786, Burns's 'Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect', was
elegantly printed, and issued by John Wilson of Kilmarnock.
The 240 page volume was dedicated to Gavin Hamilton, and the entire print-run of 612 copies [priced at 3/- each] sold out within a month.

So far as can be ascertained, sales totalled about £90 , and production
costs recorded as " thirty-five pounds, 17 shillings."
Although this left Burns with about £54 pounds----he stated that the
venture only yielded a profit of £20 ......?

From The New London Magazine, December 1786:

"We do not recollect to have ever met with a more signal instance of true and uncultivated genius than in the author of these poems. His occupation is that of a common ploughman, and his life has hitherto been spent in struggling with poverty. But all the rigours of fortune have not been able to repress the frequent efforts of his lively and vigorous imagination. Some of these poems are of a serious cast, but the strain which seems most natural to the author is the sportive and humorous. It is to be regretted that the Scottish Dialect, in which these poems are written, must obscure the native beauties with which they appear to abound and renders the same unintelligible to an English reader. Should it, however, prove true that the author has been taken under the patronage of a great lady in Scotland, and that a celebrated Professor has interested himself in the cultivation of his talents, there is reason to hope that his distinguished genius may yet be exerted in such a manner as to afford more generous delight. In the meantime we must admire the genuine enthusiasm of his untutored muse, and bestow the tribute of just applause on ONE WHOSE
NAME WILL BE TRANSMITTED TO POSTERITY WITH HONOUR."

How discerning!

Regards,
James

James · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 549 Location: West Midlands UK.

239 years ago....

['JEBEDIAH CLEISBOTHAM' aka WALTER SCOTT.]

Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh in 1771, the son of a Solicitor.
An early illness--Polio--left him lame in the right leg, but he developed into
an energetic 6-footer...

His first novel, 'WAVERLEY' brought him fame and a substantial fortune.
Published anonymously in three volumes on July 7th. 1814, the first edition
of 1000 copies, sold out within 2 DAYS---becoming the most successful novel published in the English language, up to that time.
Historical fiction as we know it today, is largely a product of this gifted
author.

http://www.angrypict.co.uk/walterscott.html

Regards,
James

James · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 549 Location: West Midlands UK.

176 years ago....

On this day in 1834, Sir Thomas Telford died.
From humble beginnings in Westerkirk, Dumfrieshire, he gained a
reputation as " the finest Civil Engineer of his day".

His Pontcysylite Aqueduct was belatedly inscribed onto UNESCO's
World Heritage List, in 2009....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Telford#Telford_the_poet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0au-2tbAJI

Regards,
James

veepee · Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 15 Location: SCOTLAND

James · Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 549 Location: West Midlands UK.

134 years ago....

On this day, John James Macleod [co-discoverer of INSULIN] was
born in Cluny, Near Dunkeld.
He went on to study medicine at Marischal College, where he graduated
with honours in 1898.

His book:'Physiology and Biochemistry in Modern Medicine' became a
standard text in the field...
In 1921, he concentrated his time on Carbohydrate Metabolism,
questing for the *unidentified substance which sped the passage of sugar
[in the form of Glucose] through the body-----INSULIN !

Macleod, and his assistant F.G.Banting, shared the Nobel Prize in 1923,
which regrettably generated considerable dispute and rancour.

http://www.faqs.org/health/bios/45/John-James-Rickard-Macleod.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolae_Paulescu#Paulescu.27s_discovery_of_insulin *

http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/abstract/48/12/2270

Regards,
James