Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-12-06

We are glad that our tellow-citizens of
scottish descent have placed statue Of Sir
Walter Scott in Central Park, New York.
lie was one who, in respect to his character
AS writer and as a man. merite1 some en-
during memorial, and We are confident that
his pure and gentle and romantic tastes
would have been satisfied with the sylvan
quiet and picturesque beauty Of the spot
which lately was the theatre Of the simple
ceremonies attending the unyeiling Of his
statue
Scots stories, as Ben Jons5n said of
Shakespeare, are '' not of an age. but for
all time. Coming in after the literary era
Of flelding, Richardson and Smoliett. who
wrote concerning the people and the cu,-
toms ol their own generation, and followed
hy Dickens, George Eliot and Thackcriv.
who tor the most part treat of the men and
women and manners oI their generation.
SCOTS works stand forth ike some antique
h-ure IN relief high up on the side Of
great cavern. In this cavern the genera
uun> 81 men follow each other in regular
succession. At one time 80 PANEL" come,
with her friends and sheds a sentimental
tear, while " Tom Jones disturb. the quiet
by recountiug To crowd of b1on-compan-
lon~ his Wild adventures anon the seli-ior-
-rtiul " Peck>nlf appears with his sweet
children and poor Tim Pinch, To whom Ia
moment of Observation-Disclosures be eXtll> his
own beueyolence, while Wonder stalks awk-
ward Captain bobbin, wishing In an ar
uculate way for that which he has not
Each group Is notable in it, dav each Is
understood and appreciated boy it, own audi
ence. But ON another level stands the quaint
ethgy, a- apparent and attractive To- those of
the other. To drop the simile, Scott wrote
what was history IN his own day into To-
nance and from the first it received the
stamp of popular approval To-day, when
our best writers set themselves TO the delin-
cation of character. Seott'~ stories still re
tain their original Characteristic and there
fore their original attnctyeueS- Like the
antique statue. their excellence does not de-
pend upon their conformity 20 the fashion of
the times bat TO their conformity to nature
and as time passes this quality viii deepen,
SO that while the English language i~-poken,
the enchanting power ut the " Wizard of
the North must endure
The pemanence ot Scott reputation.
moreover, is assured 10y another fact. His
books are full ola stir and movement special
iy captivating 90 youth. They deal largely
with events, and about them Is that atmo--
phere of nigh resolve, of an almost hnta>-
tic honor and Of rhiValric daring So congo
NAL TO Young and generous spirits. Beauti-
iul women and strong men midnight plot
Ungs and fierce ou-et- the passionate ap-
probation of outdoor life devotion 10
friends and generosity To foes IN short. all
that hurry and tamult of action which con-
Stitute most children ideal of life, are to
De found In them Aterward the acute OBJ
>eryation. the keen humor. the gentle ,ar-
csiSm and the mate mau.iuea- become mani
fest. serving TO cement in more mature years
the liking which had its beginning in the
impetuo~ity and uncomfortable riot of the
Youthful blood The statue uncovered last
saturday in the Central Park will not repre-
sent q stranger 90 those who come after
US
Aside from hi literary character, however,
Sir Walter Scott name deserve 10 hc per
petuated because be- wa, man. li- life
furnishes splendid example of moral strength
and bravery in time of misfortune lie was
sensitive. almost iastidi0us. Ia his tastes ar
tihcial rank was held In high esteem by him
and yet. when misfortune fell upon him, 50
acute was his sense of honor. So strong was
his integrity and SO courageous was his
spirit, that be- deliberately went to work t.
earn more than half q million OF dollars by
writing. that be might discharge the obli-
cations under which bee found himself stag
gering and keep his name un-tained. lie
died like martyr in this tremendous ~trug-
gle with sudden debt, though not until he
had virtually accomplished his herculeau
task Such an example de~crYe5 TO be pre-
served in lasting stone. Here was one who
thought that that intangible thing We call
reputation was of more account than lands
and houses that character was better than
bank notes Kindred examples are not a.
common that We can afford 10 let this notable
one be lost and years hence. when the little
ones Of to-day are walking in the Central
Park with their children, as they pass from
the statue of one great man to another, we
hope when they come 10 Scots that, after
telling our grandchildren that thi, l. in mem
orv OF the author ofthe ~ Wayer!ey Novels,
the parents of that day viii add-and of an
honest man.-N y Ernng Post.