Robert Burns

Robert Burns by Clarence Darrow

Clarence Darrow's "Robert Burns" is a biography of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. The book provides an in-depth look at Burns' life, including his early years, his literary career, and his personal struggles. Darrow's writing style is clear and concise, making the book an easy read for those interested in learning more about Burns and his work.

By Clarence Darrow · First published 1920 · Genre: Biography, Historical, Literary Criticism · 6,354 words

First lines

It is difficult to account for a genius like Robert Burns. His life and work seem to defy the laws of heredity and environment alike. The beasts of the field were scarcely bound closer to the soil than were the ancestors from which he sprang; and from his early infancy he was forced to follow the stony path his father trod before. As a mere child, he learned how hard it is to sustain life in the face of an unfriendly nature and a cruel, bitter world. He was early bred to toil; not the work that gives strength and health, but the hard, constant, manual labor that degrades and embitters, deforms and twists and stunts the body and the soul alike. Burns was denied even the brief years of childhood-those few, short years upon which most of us look back from our disappointments and cares as the one bright spot in a gray and level plain.

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Robert Burns is listed on Textopian as an essay by Clarence Darrow, dated 1920 CE.

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poetry · Scottish literature · romanticism · folk culture · nature · love · social justice · human rights · national identity · historical context · literary analysis · biography

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