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Summary of the Speech:

The toast reflects deeply on Sir Walter Scott’s impact on literature and his legacy, especially in the context of the centenary of his death.

1. Personal Connection: Walpole expresses his honour in proposing the toast to Scott’s memory, feeling connected not only to the city of Edinburgh but also to Scott himself, partly through the memories of his father, who had a deep bond with the city.
2. Reflection on Scott's Novels: Walpole emphasizes Scott’s role in transforming English literature, particularly through his blending of imagination with the detailed realities of everyday life. He contrasts Scott’s work with earlier forms of English fiction, noting how Scott successfully merged the poetic and the practical, making his novels both vivid and authentic.
3. Scott's Artistic Legacy: He praises Scott for his spontaneity and natural storytelling ability, which made his novels both deeply authentic and transcendent. Walpole acknowledges Scott’s flaws, but also celebrates his ability to remain true to his vision and connect deeply with the world he described.
4. Decline in Popularity: Walpole addresses the decline in popularity of Scott’s works by later generations, particularly young readers, highlighting how the modern novel’s shift towards technical precision and introspection contrasts with Scott’s more expansive and romantic approach.
5. Scott's Character and Life: Walpole discusses Scott's personal qualities, including his financial troubles, his deep love for the past, and his capacity for accepting life’s changes with grace. He critiques accusations of snobbery against Scott, framing his reverence for the past as a noble trait, and emphasizes the strength Scott showed in the face of personal tragedies.
6. Legacy Beyond Time: In the closing remarks, Walpole reflects on the eternal nature of Scott’s connection to Scotland, suggesting that despite the passing of time and the changing political or economic landscape, the beauty of the land and Scott's spirit will endure.

Interesting Points:

• Personal Connection to Edinburgh and Scott: Walpole highlights his emotional connection to Edinburgh and Sir Walter Scott, particularly his vivid childhood imaginings of having been a bookseller in the city, serving Scott himself.
• Blend of Reality and Imagination: One of Walpole's most poignant points is Scott’s ability to merge the real with the romantic, creating an immersive and authentic world in his novels.
• Critique of Modern Literature: Walpole observes the shift in literary trends, criticizing the overly introspective and technically precise direction that literature has taken, which he believes loses some of the vitality Scott captured.
• Scott’s Resilience: Walpole speaks highly of Scott’s resilience in facing financial ruin and personal loss, portraying him as a figure who accepted life’s challenges with unwavering determination.

Walpole’s toast is a heartfelt tribute that combines admiration for Scott's literary genius with a deep reflection on his personal character, all set against the backdrop of the centenary of his death. It encapsulates not just Scott’s role in literature but also his broader cultural significance.

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Subsidiary Toasts Summary.

1. Toast to “The City of Edinburgh” – Master of Polwarth
   A charming and humorous tribute to Edinburgh, blending personal anecdotes with civic pride. The speaker affectionately positions Edinburgh as the “mother” of Sir Walter Scott (with the Borders as the “father”), and praises the city’s dentists, institutions, and hospitality. Despite some grumbles (notably about the daily one o'clock gun), the speaker expresses admiration for Edinburgh’s role in Scottish cultural and public life.
2. Reply – The Lord Provost
   Emphasises Edinburgh’s significance in the centenary year of Scott’s death. Highlights Scott’s deep connection to the city – his inspiration, affection, and literary legacy. Praises Edinburgh’s social progress, civic improvements, and enduring spirit, imagining Scott would still find pride in the city today.
3. Toast to “Our Guests” – Dr James Curle
   Introduced by a telegram from Sir Walter and Lady Maxwell Scott, expressing their regrets at not attending and gratitude for the tribute. Dr Curle speaks warmly of Abbotsford, Sir Walter’s ancestral pride, his romantic military sentiments, and his descendants’ continued embodiment of those ideals. He reflects on the symbolic inheritance of Abbotsford and its values through the generations.
4. Lady Maxwell Scott
   Honoured in a thoughtful reflection. Her connection to France and the literary elegance she brings to Abbotsford is likened to the poetic past of the Scott family. The family motto “Reparabit Cornua Phoebe” (“There will be moonlight again”) is interpreted as both romantic and symbolic of resilience.
5. Toast to “The Chairman” – Miss Margaret Kidd
   Delivered with humility and humour. Kidd praises Walpole as both novelist and dramatist, capturing the human outlook and deep emotional resonance he brought to the evening. She paints a picture of him – and of Scott – as figures who connect the past and present, bridging memory and meaning with literary grace.

Interesting Points:

• Dentists as Civic Heroes: The Master of Polwarth’s toast uniquely honours Edinburgh’s dentists as unsung benefactors of public health and comfort—calling them “little moles underground... of beneficence and healing.”
• Affectionate Satire: The humorous contrast between rural visitors and city life is gently played upon—especially the idea of rural folk coming to Edinburgh to see dentists, then rewarding themselves with shopping and theatre.
• Historical Continuity: The admiration for Sir Walter Scott is not limited to his literary legacy but is extended to his descendants and to Abbotsford as a living symbol of family honour, patriotism, and hospitality.
• Cultural Unity through Storytelling: Both Scott and Walpole are portrayed as figures who understand and humanise the past, keeping cultural memory alive through narrative.
• Edinburgh’s Civic Evolution: There is deep appreciation for the city's progress in public health, housing, education, and culture since Scott’s time—a point of civic pride.

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1932: Hugh Walpole - Scott and the Centenary > [transcript]