Once upon a time, Burns was as popular in the United States as he was in his native Scotland. Jan. 25, 2009 is the 250th anniversary of the poet’s birth. One of his biggest fans was Abraham Lincoln, born 50 years after Burns. Their lives never overlapped – Burns died in 1796 at the age of 37, more than a dozen years before Lincoln’s birth. Following closely behind Burns’ anniversary is Lincoln’s 200th, on Feb. 12.
Photo: Ferenc Szasz, Regents' professor of history
Ferenc Szasz, Regents’ professor of history, has written “Abraham Lincoln and Robert Burns: Connected Lives and Legends,” published by Southern Illinois University Press, 2008. Themes of Burns’ poetry – equality, human empathy over judgment, and religious skepticism with a deep appreciation for the Bible – are mirrored in Lincoln’s work and legacy.
“Each shared a semi-Calvinistic faith – God is using every activity for his own purpose that humankind can’t fully fathom,” Szasz said. Both took the Bible seriously, but not literally, he said.
In the 1850s, Americans loved Burns. His line “A man’s a man for all that,” proclaims the same ideal set forth in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal.” Burns came from the peasant class, something Lincoln, with his farm life upbringing, could understand. “His humble background and egalitarianism is why Lincoln was so taken by Burns,” Szasz said. Similarly, Szasz said, the Scots view Burns as the embodiment of their nation’s hopes and ideals, much as Americans view Lincoln.
“Burns may have faded from the American pantheon of great poets, but he is upheld in Scotland,” Szasz said. People may not recognize Burns’ work, but almost everyone is familiar with some of his lines, particularly those that were later set to music, he said. Auld Lang Syne; My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose; and “the best laid plans of mice and men…” are familiar Burns lines. Another of his poems, “green grow the rushes, oh!” was put to music and often sung by American soldiers. “Mexicans heard them singing and started referring to them as ‘gringos,’” Szasz said.
“Lincoln had a photographic memory and Burns’ poems stuck in his mind. Without consulting a book he could recite his lines,” Szasz said. Lincoln not only borrowed some of Burns’ ideas, but also his rhyme scheme with its powerful rhythmic beat, Szasz said. Evidence of the rhythm is found in Lincoln’s state papers, particularly in the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address, where he said, “Fondly do we hope -- fervently do we pray -- that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.”
The legends of the two men overlap. A statue of Lincoln was erected in Scotland in 1893. “In 1880, a statue of Burns was erected in New York. There are 12 Burns statues in the United States because he embodied the same social goals as America,” Szasz said.
The 150th anniversary of Burns’ birth was celebrated with great fanfare in the United States in 1859, Szasz said. “Americans celebrated his birthday with lots of drinking, toasts and reading his poetry,” he said. And although Lincoln and Charles Darwin share the exact same birthday, Szasz hopes Americans won’t forget to acknowledge Burns. “Make a toast and celebrate his influence on one of America’s great figures,” Szasz said.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu