Notable Anniversaries

Here in the depth of winter comes Robert Burns Day, a celebration that brings Scots the world over onto their feet and out of their houses. They are putting on their kilts and gathering the pipers and piping in the haggis. They are tuning up their fiddles and dancing their jigs and flings. And they are singing the songs whose words are all by Mr. Burns. ‘By yon bonny banks, And by yon bonny braes, Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond,’ indeed. There’s a big celebration tonight in Roberts Creek to honor the occasion of Bobby Burns’ birthday and I’m sorry not to be there, but at our house we yet have the dreaded cold and associated cough and contagiousness that keeps us indoors.

Also, here in the depth of winter, today is the birthday of Edith Wharton, which probably no one but a select group of the Professional Order of English Majors celebrates, but it is right and meet that we remember her tonight and think about the long associations we all must have with the title of her best-known novel, The Age of Innocence. And what have we done with our own?

And to all the others whose birthday comes on the 24th of January: a shout out, a hoorah!, a recognition of the years passed and passing and how we count them and remember them. And, finally, ‘Happy Birthday!’ to me, as I mark the end of my 72nd year, as well as thanks to all those who have privately sent me their good wishes. I’m glad yet to be with you all.