Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-04-07
speech OF lDr. j. a.. aver.

speech OF lDr. j. a. aver.
We copy the following speech, delivered
by DR. Aver on tho inauguration of the new
town of Aver, Massachusetts,. lie said
Lodies und GcnHcmcn On the western
coast of Scotland where it slopes into the
Irish Sea, river, rising Oh the mountains of
the inner land, winds down among the hills
and cmptics into the Firth Of Clyde. From
remote time it has been called Ayr from an
old Scoth word "Ayry," meaning an eagles
ncst-the river of the eagles nest. Near its
mouth and contiguous harbor, long stood Il
hamlet which became royal burg or town
named from the river, aud now about one
third as largo as Lowcll-thc city of AYR.
For more than thousand years it has been
noted in the history Of Scotland During
The wars of Robert Bruce it was one of his
resorts, and was especially favored by him be.
cause lie was there cured Of lcprosy. Oliver
Cromwell made it one Of the dcpots and
headquarters of his army in his attack upon
Scotland, and Que of his old forts is now the
Citadel of Ayr
But above all its distinctions, Ayr was the
birth place of tic poet BurEs. Aud what
poet What Il voice has he given to all the
cndcarmcnts Of home How has he hallowcd
the cottage and all it covers wcans and wife,
patches aud poverty, beans, barley, ale, hard
Ship and the poor mans toll. llow he wraps
with tenderness whatever hcnamcs, even lis
bleak leagues of pasture, the stubblc field, ice,
snow, slcct, and rain, brooks, birds, mice,
this!lcs aud heather. Ills Bunny Doom, John
Anderson, my 10 john, Aul Lang Syne,
and Highland Mary roll round the world in
ever ringing symphony with what is purcst
and best in human nature. lis songs WOO
and melt the hearts OF youth and madcHs,
bring solacc to the sorl owing aud courage to
the ovcrLurdcrcd ty heir lot. His irspira
lion has set the affections to music in rains
that are immortal.
No other enc m&n ever made language
classic, but he has. rendered that lowland
Scotch a Doric dialect Of fame The name
Of his home and his beloved river Ayr was
lift on tho wings of his pathos, and now the
approaching traveller ycarns to reach the
spot his genius has sanclifc,l.
Along the borders OF the saa in paraleo
gram and surrounding the tcw:, is county
Of the same Damc Ayrshire.
1t would weary your patience to hear the
history of my ancestors from one ancient John
Of Ayr, then John Ayr, down through the
centuries to this Aver now before you
through their vicissitudcs of poverty and
plcn!y-of fortune and misfortune how they
have intcrmarried with England, Ireland and
Scotland, and latter with the Americans, who
arc an excellent mixtune Of them ALL
ny Frieaas,-you have chosen the name |
inherited for your town with an extraordinary
unanimity, aud have thereby conferred an
honor nnop mn tho ,,r,,,nr y, ,xo,,o.,.
Of which | do not feel fully ,b, to express
ciated and that it will be gratefully remember
cd with Il living interest in your prosperity
while life remains to me, and, trust, beyond
that BY my children after me-
If this name has become noted among the
many that are worthicr around you, that is
greatly due to its publicity. May J. be per.
mittcd to state whence that came Until
withina few centuries all the civilized ma.
tons Of the globe were rcnt up on the Eastern
continent Two or three hundred years ago
they leaked over into this few aud fcarfully
at first, then more and more but always in
their settlements tinidly huggng the Allan
tic coast Within the last two or three gen
crations, they have burst out, as it were and
Ovcr.run these vast continents vf the West.
NOW thcy arc scattered here and possess these
mcasurelnss stretches of mountains and val
lcys, hills, plains, forests and praircs with The
bound'ess pampas aud mountain range, of
South America Former generations lived
in villages and towns, thickly settled together
whore physicians were plenty and near at
hand. Nov, the people are widely scattered,
in many, sections Of these 'nauy countries -
For great numbers the timely treatment of
physicians cnnot be had over large tracts of
country good or competent physicians cannot
be had at all. They cannot visit patients
cnonsh many miles apart to live by their
profession, nor can they carry medicines
! enough on horseback for their requirements.
Hence has arisen in these modern times,
necessity for remedies ready at hand, With di.
Sections for their use-a present recourse for
relief in the cxigcncics of sickness, when no
other aid is near. 1t is now necessity con.
scqacn. upon Tic changed conditions Of hu.