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Summary of the Speech:

Sir George Douglas delivered a thoughtful and candid tribute to Sir Walter Scott, reflecting on how the younger generation—his own—had initially struggled to appreciate Scott's genius. He attributed this partly to the dominant literary influences of twenty years prior, particularly Thomas Carlyle and Algernon Swinburne. Carlyle’s moral intensity and rhetorical fervour led many to misjudge Scott, while Swinburne’s exquisite formalism shifted admiration towards literary style over substance.

Douglas acknowledged that youth tends to revere dramatic ideas and lofty aesthetics, but matures into a deeper appreciation of humanity. He confessed that his generation began with a dullness toward Scott but grew wiser with age. Scott's strength, Douglas argued, lies not in technical perfection but in his truth to human nature and deep, humane sympathy, akin to that found in Homer, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Molière, and Burns.

He described Scott's rare ability to resurrect the past with vitality, making it “deathless,” and to show characters of all classes—rich or poor, Highlander or beggar—as equally human. Despite fluctuations in literary taste and the passage of time, Douglas declared Scott a timeless figure in the pantheon of literary immortals, deserving of remembrance and reverence.

Notable and Interesting Points:

1. Generational Honesty: Douglas opens with a frank admission that his generation did not initially appreciate Scott. This self-critical tone adds depth and credibility to his praise.
2. Carlyle vs. Swinburne:
3. Carlyle, though a giant in Scottish letters, was “not a critic” and lacked generosity toward contemporaries. His influence, Douglas argues, skewed literary judgment.
4. Swinburne, while admiring Scott, unintentionally diverted attention toward form and style—elements Scott didn’t prioritise.
5. Scott’s Humanity as Literary Legacy:
6. The heart of Douglas’s tribute is Scott’s universal sympathy. He compares this rare quality to elemental forces—“the earth, the sky, the sea”—saying it renders Scott’s work immortal.
7. Scott treated everyone—from kings to beggars—as human, and this egalitarianism resonated deeply with Douglas.
8. Literature as National Reflection:
9. Douglas points out that great historical deeds—especially recent military and diplomatic acts—would inevitably influence literature. He implies Scott’s work has a civic and cultural legacy beyond the page.
10. End Note on Immortality:
11. Douglas likens Scott to a “god enthroned above the tempests,” suggesting that great writers transcend mortality and time through their work and character.

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Subsidiary Toasts Summary:

1. “The Navy, Army, and Reserve Forces”
   Proposed by Mr John Wilson, this toast celebrated the Gordon Highlanders, recently welcomed home with great public enthusiasm in Edinburgh. He praised their valour and introduced Major-General Wauchope, who had just returned from a successful campaign.

• Wauchope expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and reminded attendees of the sacrifices made during previous campaigns, particularly referencing the Black Watch's departure in 1882, where 15% of the 800 soldiers fell in service.
• He championed the Volunteer Force, claiming it prevented the need for conscription in Britain.
• Colonel Cranston followed, commending Wauchope for his longstanding support of Volunteers and affirming the critical role they played in national defence.

1. “Literature”
   Proposed by Dr Rogerson, who declared that literature could soon surpass whisky as Scotland’s greatest national industry. He emphasised the importance of instilling literary taste in the young and thanked the Club Council for promoting Scott’s works in schools.

• He acknowledged that though essay submissions had been few, the effort had meaningfully sparked interest in Scott among schoolboys, despite their busy lives.
• Emeritus-Professor Masson, responding to the toast, reflected on his long association with literature, particularly its printing and publishing aspects. With humour, he hinted that he might soon contribute more to the printed word.
• He emphasised literature’s perennial nature and its ongoing evolution, suggesting that recent military and political events, especially in Africa, had lifted Britain to a higher spiritual and political level, which would be reflected in upcoming literary works.
• He highlighted Rudyard Kipling as a pivotal figure shaping this new chord in literature, calling him a writer who anticipated and expressed the mood of the time.

1. “The City of Edinburgh”
   Proposed by Mr T. Craig Brown, and responded to by Sir Andrew M‘Donald, though the speech content is not detailed in the text.
2. “The Chairman”
   Proposed by Sir James Fergusson, Bart., who offered kind words on Sir George Douglas’s literary achievements and his role as Chairman.
3. Entertainment

• Dinner was “admirably purveyed.”
• Mr Dambmann’s band provided musical accompaniment.
• Mr James Galloway performed several songs after dinner.

Interesting Points:

• Public Pride in the Military: The reception of the Gordon Highlanders clearly stirred public sentiment, and the link between civic identity and military service was strong.
• Volunteers vs Conscription: Wauchope’s firm opposition to conscription and his support for a volunteer-based defence force is a significant insight into pre-WWI military philosophy in Britain.
• Dr Rogerson’s Vision: His bold claim that literature could become the UK's greatest industry—even ahead of whisky—shows a forward-thinking view on cultural capital.
• Professor Masson’s Comments: His nod to a literary shift inspired by imperial ventures (likely the Sudan Campaign and others of the late 1890s) and the growing influence of Kipling highlights a pivot in national narrative—from introspective romanticism to outward-facing imperialism.
• Youth and Scott: The Club’s initiative to introduce Scott to schoolchildren—and the challenge of competing with their “crowded” lives—still resonates with today’s struggles in literary education.

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