New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-21
THE SCOTT CENTENARY.
THE EDINBURGH CELEBRATION.
WHY THE NINTH OF AUGUST WAS OBSERVED
CHARACTER OF THE CELEBRATION.
IFROM OUR SPECIAL CORRRsPONpENT.l

WHY THE NINTH OF AUGUST WAS OBSERVED
CHARACTER OF THE CELEBRATION.
IFRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
EDINBURGH Aug. 10.-There is no evidence
that Sir Walter Scott born the 9th Of August lie
himself says he was born the 18TH do not know that
the Committee who resolved to celebrate his Centenary on
the 9th meant to raise any doubts about the actual date
though the fact such celebration on the 9th may open
an interesting historical dispute thousands of years
hence The true for the change is far to seek
1t ia not the accident that the meeting of the British AS
ISOLATION was to last till the 9th. Science turns cold
shoulder to the who made the In the German
Ocean, and 1t cannot discover that any British member Of
the British Association had any share In the tribute TO
Scott. One Of the speakers scientific celebrity but
he was Dutchman. But 1t has long SINCE been re-
marked thab the real awgivers in Great Britain are
the grouse, the partridge, and the fox Everything
gives way to shooting hunting, and the
simple fact IL that the Centenary could not be held
the Fifteenth because the shooting begins the Twelfth
1t lie sur upon Scott. He would have been the first
10 recognize his unrcasOnabeness In having been
born the wrong side Of the most important annyer
sary In the whole British year. There il deal of
sincere enthusiasm about him, but for genius who
ever breathed would the true sportsman fail 10 be his
by daybrcak OF the 18th OF August could he be
expected to return when there. The Centenary
would have been failure unless 1t had been antedaed
Remembering what failure the English attempt at a
the superior enthusiasm OF the Scotchmen and their
paratve In doing honor to Scott They have so
strained and sweed their euloges upon him as to drive
one into a mood wholly euogistc. Suppose should
say that all this honor is offered TO the most famous,
save one, OF Scotch poets, who yet never
poetry, butt Emerson who says It, without
stint rhymed travellers guide to Scotland;" to her
greatest writer Of fiction who yet coud write En-
gsh and whose multitudnOus volumes contain scarcely
page not dls1gred by gross bunders Of Style to her
most successful and beyond comparison bestpaid a-
thor, who yet died bankrupt. Bcotchmen and Others
than scotchmen win protest against my summing up
1t unjust because il IL imperfect just as the verdcs Of
yesterdays speeches were unjust because imperfect
Theirs left out all the bOts and mine leaves ont the
brighter colors. The two together make faithful pOr
trait.
1t is well known, Irish authority, that man can
not be IN two places at once, barrin he's bird Still
less could he be in the dozen in which Scott
celebrations were held yesterday: in Glasgow, In
Leth, in Dumfries in Dundee, and | know
not where else. much az
wanted see than you will want to have de-
scribed, in Edinburgh II on the whole wellman-
aged day. and admirers of Scott. who resent my little
Whit Of criticism above, need not suppose am going to
throw any cold water on it or on them. All the ele
Taents of for popular festival existed great
be honored great national pride to be atered
great throngs Of people from country and town one OF
the most picturesque cities in the world for theatre
and bright, blue sky bending all. The Summer has
and cold throughout Scotland; three days ago
the weather changed and 1t has been hot since that
is not more than twenty degrees colder than New
York-and scott has had the benefit of the change
DECORATION CITY.
can imagine finer city than Edinburgh to decorate
just hang flags the salient points OF the broken
outline OF the varied buildings browning the ridge which
the Old Town covers, would be perfect But did not
see one. The shops in that part of the city
less adorned, they elsewhere but the chief dis
play due to the rangeof hotels in Prncesst. That
is all very well and must have afforded gratinca-
ton to the soldiers in the casebarrahs opposite while
they afforded Possibly the spirit OF economy
that guides and governs the at this moment pro-
hibs the OF bunting except by official order, for
bunting wears fast in the wind but will keep long
time folded in waterproof If the War oAlce
not afford to carry the baggage Of 2OO live troops
a few miles from Adershot how IL afford flags for
man who was born hundred years ago, all but six days
and who was soldier at all The Town Council Of
Edinburgh did little. They recommended holiday,
gave leave TO ring the city bells and set up fagtaf on
the site OF scots birthplace With that their honors TO
the hero OF letters ended 10 something Considering
what Town Councils are, 1t was perhaps good deal
A procession was talked and appeals were made to
various trades and societies. but the thing could not be
carried through. crcus-manager, MI Eewsone, came
TO the rescue Either of respect to scotts memory
or by way Of advertisement for bis circus or BOTH he or
ganized procession out OF his own resources Nearly
200 of SCOTS characters represented mostly on
horseback and all in suitable costume. did not see
this effort Of private enterprise but am told it was cred
itaby done The report OF II in the papers this morning
is brief do not even know whether Mr.. Newsome IA
scotcbmap II ever he takes his circus 10 America, re
member yesterday to his credit.
THE PEOPLE AND THE TOWN.
Excepting this procession there was nothing saw or
heard of in the least degree original or inventive Buss
uuha w Fp1 hpI nd
decked in coors About the steps OF the graceful monu-
mont beneath the arches OF winch Is the Sitting
Statue of Scott by Stoele-I am not respon-
sble for all those SIS coming togethor-were
clustered kinds of evergreens and FERNS III req earheh
po The general view OF Princes Gardens and Princes
ar seen from either Of the bridges that cross to the
Old Town was srking much was the cold gray stone
y, which everything in Edinburgh is built envened and
,arood nv the shining hues of the tarans with which IL
,va festooned The real attraction to stranger and
the best celebration, and perhaps reauy the highest
honor TO Scott the people who filled the streets
the Scotch men and women OF neighbOnng towns who
nourea into the city, and to whom the festival was at
nnv rate a real holiday. / make no doubt that SCOTS
name ia sincerely treasured by the simple folk who were
., hin, in his life time objects OF such genuine in
tor.st Not many of them could have shared in
the evening banquet about which shall have to
say something, and certainly no one OF them w's
on the list Of speakers. but without any line
phrases the rougheatured workngnan has clearly no
ton OF his about the comrade VINO mas made ms coun
try greater than she was before shouo nave liked 10
hear from their own lips their own ideas but unlucly
do nj know Scotch and until tried had no idea OF
the difficulty of carrying conversation with Scotch
man whose accent retains its full national flavor am
bound to say their trouble to understand me is greater
than mine 10 understand them. The streets, many OF
Them were 80 full all day long az to be hardly passabe
II was not easy TO drive through nor over the
A.. - r....,. "A
brdges The crowd was none the less goodhauIed ana
was sober. In both particulars, it bore much nearer
likeness 70 French than 10 English or even Ameri-
can crowd
And the town itself II does not look precisely French