The address by Sir George Grey at the unveiling of the Burns statue - Dunedin

How can I find fitting words to address so vast an assemblage?   How can I tell in what terms to speak to men and women who have come to found a new empire in this part of the world, encountering many perils and dangers?  In what language can I address those who are about to introduce a new era, greater and happier, we hope than any which has preceded the present one?   And how can I also  without trembling try in adequate terms to set forth the merits of that great man whose statue has just been unveiled for us? 

Fancy what intellect and genius his, conceive that, standing in the presence of the statue only, of so gifted a being who with just a little education raised himself so high an eminence!  I stand here absolutely trembling lest I should not do justice to his merits.   And why and whence has risen this admiration for that great poet? 

It is for this reason, that he was one of the people; that he came forth from the midst of his fellow citizens, with no prospect in life, no hope of advancement, or of influencing his fellow-men and he thus showed you what the intellect of the people at large is.   He gave to you a proof that any man however humble his birth, however poor his state, may attain the very highest degree of eminence.   Since Burns exhibited this great example to the world, no mother lives, however poor however wretched, but she may hope she may be the mother of as great a son, and one who may prove as great a benefactor of his race.  The consciousness of this must ennoble us all, must strike every heart with joy, and may fill every bosom with hope.  But then you will tell me what sorrows and what sufferings he underwent.   Was his an enviable lot?   I answer “YES.”  Just let me read one short extract to of a letter from Jeffrey the great and learned author, and what does he say?  He says “What troubles me most is pitiable poverty in which that gifted being and his noble minded father passed their early days.   In this way he passed his early days, the painful frugality to which their innocence was doomed, and the thought how small a share of the useless luxuries in which we, such comparatively poor creatures, indulge, would have sufficed to shed joy and cheerfulness in their dwelling, and perhaps to have saved that glorious spirit the trials and temptations under which he fell so prematurely.”  And then Jefrey goes on to say that he could grovel in the dust for years weeping for the shame to think of the troubles and toils to which Burns was exposed.   Well, now, I will tell you that I do not agree with Jefrey.   Do not think me cruel, but I glory in his trials and troubles.    It is from such circumstances heroes are brought forth, and in no other way can they be given to the world.   But what was it this noble-minded man said himself about these terrible afflictions? – and thousands should cherish these words.   Did he complain?  Did he groan?   No!   He says

That if I afflicted must be

To suit some wise design

Then man my soul with firm resolve

To bear and not repine

Therefore it is with gratitude, I think, that the Great Creator dealt so wisely as to fit him to give us that bright example which he did give. 

Let me try to explain more fully what I mean.   Some people are but little acquainted with his religious character.  Some people little know how great and good a man he surely was and I believe that it was the misfortune through which he was led which chiefly caused that feeling to arise in his mind which gave rise to the beautiful maxims which he gave forth to the world.   Now, let me tell you that I think his sufferings were of those greatest consequence to us.   For, if his maxims are so good as I shall presently show them to be, we here in the new world have the opportunity of carrying them out and giving effect to them.   Let me tell you what a few of those maxims were.  Let me put them forward as rules of guidance for themselves.   Let these words lodge in your hearts: “May prudence, fortitude and truth erect your brow undaunted.”  Prudence, fortitude and truth in his belief constituted a man greater than any nobleman or prince that walks the earth; and, as he said

Princes and Lords are but the breath of kings

An honest man’s the noblest work of God  

Now, will you, the inhabitants of a new country, lay these words to your heart and adopt that maxim?    Let that be our rule, and we will seek no coronets, no favours from kings except such as a nation bestows on deeds performed; but we will deem them an honest and true, and good citizen as the most superior of beings that walks the earth?   In the same way, through his life, he inculcated this great lesson; that our first and most bounden duty to man was that each man should help his fellow men – help in every way.  And he points out that the most dreadful curse upon earth is “Man’s inhumanity to man,” which “Makes countless thousands mourn.”   Let us strive by our laws, by our customs, to save men from countless ills which they have suffered from the oldest countries, and from which we can relieve them here. 

I should weary you if I were to go through maxims of this kind which he lays down.   The main thing is the love of human being for being human being; and not only that, but goodness of Man to every dumb creature, as he himself calls them “our fellow mortals” – that they have but a brief life given to them for enjoyment upon the earth, and that the Creator has afforded means by which the lives of the great mass of them may be rendered lives of happiness.   We should think of them even as of ourselves.   What can be more noble than a sentiment of that kind?   As he says, “Poverty may overwhelm a man, and leave him truly honest and noble-hearted,” and again, “A man may have neither money nor influence to aid a failing friend, yet, by sympathy may render him priceless service.”   I will not trouble you by quoting as I was going to do because few can hear me, the many beautiful expressions he gives of love and gratitude to his Maker, of submission to His will, and true piety which actuated his heart; but I ask you, knowing that such was the case, and assembling here this day to offer the highest honour to Burns by placing this statue in Dunedin – I ask you, the founders of a new empire, the makers of a new people, will you give up in accordance with the modern notions of some people, will you give up all gratitude to that Creator who has placed us here in the midst of so many blessings?    Will you relinquish all love to His creatures, sympathy for your fellow men, hope for the future, all that guided your forefathers upon earth and walk blindfolded and without knowledge in the midst of difficult trials, which you will have to meet in the new world?  Let me now advert to the influence of Burns.  

Conceive how little he could even have thought that a new country would have been founded here in New Zealand.   Such an idea could never have entered his mind, and when he wrote his poems and spoke to a few millions of people, he never expected to see the Anglo-Saxon race and the English language prevailing over such a great portion of the continent of America over Australia and over New Zealand bringing into birth a nation which will have to be reckoned by billions and not by millions all united by common blood, by common sympathies, common faith, common literature and common laws.   From the Atlantic on the one side to the Indian Ocean on the other, the Anglo-Saxon race must march dominant over the world.

What are the quarrels of the princes of Europe to us?   What are their wars, their contests for a few feet of territory, to us, the inheritors of so vast a territory – the forefathers, as I tell you of billions of people speaking one common tongue.   We can pursue all great objects thinking little or nothing of them; we can attend to our own duties, rendering men happy and contented; see that our lands, all our common property, is equally distributed under fair and just laws; see that no favouritism is shown to wealth; see that all have equal rights, have equal opportunities of advancing themselves in life.   These are the maxims that we should hold in view.  These are the duties we should strive to fulfil.   These are the objects which we should follow.  When I say that you have much to do, I tell you that you have to make Burns’ Cotter’s Saturday Night – that which was written under the imagination of a poet – a true picture upon earth. New Zealand was made to realise that.  He must also have had a forecast in his mind of what a country was to be occupied by men of his race when he wrote as he did:

Oh Scotia, my dear, my native soil,

For whom my warmest wish to heaven is sent

Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil

Be blest with health and peace and sweet content

Yes, rustic toil.  Let all men have land open to them.   Let all have a chance of sharing in the bounties which God has offered to His children upon earth, and let there be no distinctions and differences made amongst men in that respect.   It is all very well to say that those who have money in their pocket and can pay ready money down for so much land shall have a freehold and walk lords of the earth residing where they please, doing what they like with their land, and that a man, honest, “a son of rustic toil,” fit to cultivate the ground desires land, because he has not a considerable sum shall only hold open leasehold subject to his rent being raised from time to time, compelled to reside upon it as long as he lives – not to live where he likes – and yet shall pay the interest for ever upon the very money that the other man pays down in cash, that being the only difference between them.   Will you have different races brought into existence in your own country with different privileges?   Will you have it said in the one case that he who has bought a freehold may leave his land as he likes, but that the other cannot subdivide his land, sub-let it, or leave it in portions to his various children, but must leave it to someone, and turn the others out beggars?  I say that the great poet looking down upon us, who bids us look for freedom, tells us to look closely to all such things as those in the new country which we occupy here.  

And, then, what does he say further?

“And oh , may Heaven their simple lives prevent

From luxury’s contagion weak and vile;

Then, howe’er crowns and coronets be rent

A virtuous populace may rise and while

And stand a wall of fire around their much-loved isle"     

There is a lesson, if you be content with small things.  

I have seen in this country, and I know many farms occupied by families and worked by families in which the Cotter’s Saturday Night is really and truly fulfilled – in which there, are peace, contentment and happiness.   The produce that the farm yields all they desire and a surplus by which, they may purchase necessaries: and though arriving at no great things they are in a position which will not injure their fellow men and set an example of peace, contentment and happiness which it is our duty to follow.   I consider that the lessons taught to us by Burns are these, and it is from teaching those lessons that he is our great benefactor: contentment with what we have, a natural desire to lay by what is necessary for our children and for old age, but to abandon luxurious habits and as far as we can to get rid of the vast expenditure which has been seen in this country, and to reduce our expenses in every possible way, because such expenses and such wealth as I speak of are really wrung from the people.  From such a vast population as I see around me now what could I realise this moment if I could tax every individual I look upon and put the money in my pocket?   What a vision rises before me of what I might and what I could do and accomplish in the way of personal enjoyment!   But, would that satisfy me for the misery I must bring on families, for the poverty I must plunge some into?   We cannot come to such an ideal as Burns has drawn until we determine that we ourselves – each one – will live with economy, and that we ourselves each one resist any undue taking of money out of the public pocket to the impoverishment of the people.   We can do that well without injuring anybody.   We can do it with justice to ourselves and to all connected with us.  We can render our lives happier and healthier and at last we can sink into that grave to which he, the great Burns, has led as it were the way for us.  

If we follow his precepts we can enter that grave satisfied with our lot in life and with the enjoyments we have had bestowed upon us and grateful for the Providence that has placed us here.   Now, if you really love Burns – if you idolise his memory that I do myself  - you will feel that we can take no greater, no worthier guide than he is – that by following in his footsteps we shall benefit ourselves and raise this young nation to a pitch of prosperity which I hope to see it attain.    I see around me mothers of families, their husbands, their fathers, their children – I call upon them all to join with me in agreeing that whenever we pass this statue of Burns we will recollect these great principles which he has left for our guidance; that we will feel that he was in truth an inspired messenger sent to us; that he was trained in toil and misery to give him the heroic character which he had – that contempt for wealth, that love for his fellow men, that ardent desire for all their benefit  which characterised him.   Let us think of that; let us resolve to imitate him.   Let this be no ideal ceremony; let it be one of the greatest days that has dawned upon this part of the world.   When men are erecting a monument of this kind they erect it to impress the principles and the great conceptions – not the mere admiration of a fleshly man but reverence for a truly great and noble soul, which animated one of the first and greatest men which the last two centuries have seen. 

With that recommendation I shall not keep you longer.  I shall try to pursue that course – weakly failing from time to time.   All of you will have to undergo such troubles: but let those who hear me this day think that there is something nobler and greater than wealth to be prized far above rank, and that something may be gained by every single man on earth who chooses to devote himself to his Maker and to his duty.   These are the lessons we should learn: these are the duties we should fulfil with the fervent hope that some hearts this day will recover fortitude and strength and enter upon such a struggle and be determined to make this nation such a nation that Burns would make it to be.  

I now return thanks for the reception you have given me, and assure you that in all the ways I can help you on such a pat you will find me a willing and ardent friend.