Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-08-28
Walter SCOtf.

correspondence vi lne hlcAdHuIii baHCltc.
HALIFAX, n. S., Aug 2l.--Ou the 18th of
August, the one hundredh anniversary Of the
birth of Sir Walter Scott was celebrated with
enthusiasm by all the representatives Of the Vi.
rious races sojourning in this city, but especially
by the Celtic costumcd. together with the
18th l[ighlanderS, including the band and pl.
pers Hon. VIM. Garvlc, L most talented and
eloquent speaker, was the orator Of the day,
and seldom has it been our privilege to hear SO
touching and worthy tribute TO the memory.
of good and gifted man. Time and space
will not permit even a'culsory sketch Of his
happy remarks; but the admirers of Scott
the man who has gone into their homes, height
eped their imaginations and glorIcd their lives
with beauty and with the sense Of higher emo
ton and with mighty intellectual ideas-ean
we'll conceive how, with SO lofty 4 theme, the
inspiration OF the orator could hold, for the
space of one hour and 4 half: the brcathle<S at
tenton Of an immense cOncOurse OF people.
And where is there not an admlrer OF Sir Wal
ter Scott? Let us remember the remarkable
thing in his young training that burly. hearty,
hot headed youth that he was, he had his lie
81 regulated by high standard OF mora con
trol, and all his emotions so well disciplined,
that unlike Byron, who mutlated all the purer
and all the loyclIcr elements III woman nature,
Scott produced in his writings higher ideal OF
womanhood to grace his song and to sparkle
forth in the pages Of his romanccs. re never
sncered at womanhood; never violated the s;l-
cred sancity that surrounds with matches
grace the gentler part of society.
The procession was grand and imposing;
Masonic, Military and Temperance societies
uniting, and not the least interesting was the
Juvenile Temperance Club, boys from seven TO
sixteen years of aye, under bond and promise
of strict moral discipline The Highland cos
tunes, kits, waving plumeS, gliitcrIns Of silver
buckles, the green and scarlet >pltndor OF the
tartans, the scarlet uniforms of the soldiers, The
futtering of the colors aud all the varcgated
costumes, gave u most picturesque appearance
to the gathering and made up Il tit setting Tor
the oratorical jewel which followed.
At the Horticultural Gardens i'll the afternoon
the Highland Games elected :; lively competl-
ton Dancing, Highland Fling, Keel OF
Lulloch," "Gillic Callum, Sac, Races, High
Leap, &c.-won prizes Of considerable value.
The music surpassed any we eyer heard, III
number one hundred and iorty-tlvc pieces.
At seven clock in the evening Il Promenade
Concert was given, and at ten grand Ball 1t
was our privilege early in the evening to visit
and view the rare magnlticencr displayed IN
the arrangement Of the hall. Waves or cloth
of yarigated col0rs gave 4 ght airy appearance
to the ceiling Of the room, which aeculcd trans
formed into palace Of beauty worthy OF the
Arabian Nights. In the centre was erected Il
beautifully decorated fountain FLASHING cool
and clear into its basin, and having about 1t al
the wildwood plants and vines, and around the
room were arranged the most choice plants III
full bloom, filling the air with delightful per
Wrtt.p in, lattnr- ~ f,,lnrs .lI,lVn
the walls and arches formed between the posts,
were the names Of many of the characters which
SCOTS genius made famous and which IN re-
turn made their author renowned, and us one
gazed ut the familiar names alone: and then
stepped back after short revere to the present,
one felt impellcd to acco<t the first conner with
Marry my Lord OF Leicester | did not hope
to find thee here, ur with wv hat good Quentin
CONTEST thou to ,lnsai. France for flesh Tor thy
bones and wine for thy palate. Then comes
''lvanhoc' and the great hero Of all, the Black
Knight Richard Occur dc Lion. ''Ruwcna
and "Rebecca" Rcbccca whom lrllihoc should
have married and allowed AthcStanc to have
his Saxon love, Rcbecca whose >cll-sacrlllce Is
not one of the least of the great tributes to
womanhood paid by Sir Walter. She leaves
the land that had become unbrarable and rides
away to her Spanish retreat, BECAUSE in that
land every hope she had had been hghtcd.
Then comes Robin Hood, Quentin Durward,
lie. But we find it impossible to DO justice I"
this noble celebration, and must leave all space
to be filled by the imagining Of our rc;ldrrS.
Scott, good man. lived his liit >obcrly, never
breaking forth into wild excuses. nor preach
ing sickly cynicsm or doubt in the goodness
of Heaven; but like the honest, hca thy soul
he was, he put aside his passions, he kept his
soul pure and free, he sang everett the mob
ness of woman, of the di entity Of virtue. and 81
the need Of Heavens light to guide, and
Heavens hand to guard us.
"ERRATLC' ALEXANDElAN.