Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-05
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER $. 1889.
spRrcH OF HUGH MAXWELL. ESQ.

SPEECH OF HUGH MAXWELL. ESQ
DsJ;,sr,I af the 81. .7ndre,os Dinner, at Ne,o
YORK., on the I'm instant.
Mr. MAXWELL. lst Vice President, on being
called on for q toast, rose and said-the occasion
was one. where. with peculiar fitness. might be
brousht forward the characters Of those honored
NV Scotland. On the last Anniversary Of the
Society. we had just heard Of the declining health
of Sir Walter Scott, and OF his contemplated
bourne, to the South OF Europe. At that time,
those assembled on the festival OF st. Andrew,
had expressed for Sir Walter their warmest wish
es for his restoration to health-their iondest
homes that he might be preserved long an 0rna-
ment and honor to his native iand-they had
pledged him in flowing goblets-he was sure they
had pledged him in their heart-a most kind re-
membrance. Since then, death had hit - shiu-
Ing mark"-death with unsparing arm had struck
down the p ide of Scotand-the glory OF Bri.
tain. They now met under the common affllc.
ton of his death-they sympathised with his Ia
mily-wirh his friends, aud with the admirers OF
genius for the loss of so good, SO gifted, and so
distinguished a man; the great enchanter of the
reading world, whose magic mind, whose graphic
pencil hal furnished the mos varied and richest
materials for the present and future times. whence
might be drawn delight and instruction tor youth,
amusement and pleasure in the evening OF life
That minG--that peDcil-will be heard-wili be
seen no more. la SCOTS own beautiful Ian
guage-
Ills spells are spent, and spent with these,
The wine of lie is on the leesi
Genius aud taste, and talent game
Forever tombed beneath the stone
ID II was hardly to be believed, even now we feel
AZ n il could not be true that the voice OF Scott
IL silent forever; that voice which had been heard
50 oS,en. with so much rapture and delight. Yet
we we're compelled tn submit TO the sad reality.
to mourn with unavaing regrets. He Mr.. Max.
welu said that il would be very idle for any one
TO attempt on an occasion like this formal eu-
logy M Sir Walter Scott-that he would not
have the presumption to attempt. 1t would not
he thought, be deemed I'll timed to advert to some
points in the character Of the writings Of Scott,
and TO the virtues of his life. All were already
acquainted with the extraordinary rapidity. the
Unprecedented popularity with which the works
Of thus great author came from the press. They
had been translated into most Of the European
languages; they were In the hands OF the noble
and the peasanI-they were found IN the splendid
Libraries ot p:insa!y munihcence. as we'll as on
the shelf OF the lowlv cabn-they might be
found in the study of the professional man, in
the counting house Of the merchant, ON the work
beach Of the artizan. Whence he asked. this mar
velioas power-by which tue minds aud i'm agina-
tons Of men have been 81 swayedr He ap-
prshended there vas an easy answer. This pow
er grew out of Scots fidelity to nature: out Of
hi- 6delty to the spirit of history. A man might
ties, the temper nf his own mini, the qualities
Of his heart. by the uneering force OF nature, as
developed by this writer IN his pictures Of imagi-
nary life. \ msn who could read the works Of
Scott aud be unmoved. unaffected even to tears,
might be set down as wanting 10 some Of the
qualities that constitute the dearest charities Of
our nature.
V,,aire, in eulogizing one of the great poets
Of his country. and ,Ssisning him rank supr-
RIO tn Shakespeare. had With an air of candor. ad
muted his fav"rltr author had never written a
line which could draw a tear. We might ven.
ture TO saw that had Eotaire liz ed had he been
permitted IN express an opluion. after reading
the works of Sir Wtter-that W it'll all his pre-
ju Ices as lf~en hmhn-, JUDGES which pre-
vented him from dong Justice TO the Bard OF
Avon--his opinion would have gwen way under
the power aud genius of Scott. He could not
have perused to instance only single work-he
cou j not have read the Heart of Mid, Lothian.
without acknowledging the deep and abiding
knowledge Of the human heart, the touching in
teres,, the natural pa,hos, and beautiful simpli-
city Infused in each character. from the begin.
nins to tn. end Of the story. The great idol of
French literature would have read with surprise
, aud eRotion-the incidents in the life Of lowly
peasant maiden. Jeanne Deans. the daughter Of
an humble gardener, without pretensions to su.
prrinr intellect, with no courtly embellishments.
The scene between her aud the Duke OF Argyle,
when she advocates the cause Of her sister
where she appeals to his protection-the trial
scene-where she appears in so much affection
virtue and Observation-Disclosures intense inter.
est-and higher aud heller emotions than ever
d,d all the writings Of Corneille, the bosted pro-
dizzy Of V0itaire,
Mr.. Maxwell referred to various other consid
era'ions connected with the novels Of Scott,
and enforced his views on this point. He ques
toned whether any of the female herolnrs, in
the most celebrated dramas persnna,ed bv the |
ONei's, or the Siddons's, could produce so pow.
ertui an influence upon the feelings. as some Of
the female characters deineated by the pen Of |
Scott. He only spoke Of the effect on his own