The New York herald., 1872-11-03
THE SCOTT MONUMENT.
Inauguration Ceremonies at
the Park Yesterday.
a Pins psy and Large Assemblage Eloquent
Tribute to the Wizard Of the North
by w. c. Bryant
DESCRIPTION OF THE STATUE.

Yesterday afternoon another monument was
added to the artistic treasures Of Central Park
the statue promised by the Scotch residents OF the
city at the Scott Centenary being formally pre-
scented to the Park Commissioners by the commit
zee then appointed.
was all that could have been wished-clear, bright
and bracing, with gentle breeze stirring through
the Autumn foliage, and scattering leaves OF red
and gold and purple through the air. Tempted
forth by the weather, therefore, well as by the
occasion, an immense assembage gathered by
three O'Clock at the southern extremity OF the Mall,
little to the north OF the Shakespeare statue, the
Hite which has been selected by the Commissioners
for the monument OF the Wizard OF the North.
Facing the statue great number OF park benches
had been arranged and on either side Of 1t were
few score OF reserved seats for the accommodation
Of the invited guests The platform for the speak
ers and the committee was very small and much
100 low to allow Of the orators making themselves
heard, except with extreme difficulty. The mOnu-
ment itself was, Of course, draped with the
national colors. Behind 1t were ranged the band,
under the direction OF Mr.. H. B. Dodworth, while
an open space was marked OF by ropes for the
8eventy-ninth regiment of Highlanders
ARRIVAL OF THE .HIGHLANDERs.
At three O'Clock the Seventy ninth Highlanders,
headed by the Committee Of Arrangements and
the special guests OF the day, and accompanied by
Ave bagpipers, marched with col0rs flying and
their fun musical force exultantly playing from
the Casino to the site OF the monument. They
were received with tremendous cheers by the as
semblage, and made fine appearance as they
drew up In line and assumed their appointed
station.
THE PRESENTATION.
The ceremony OF inauguration was opened by Mr.
Richard Irwin, the chairman OF the Scott Monument
Committee, who formally presented the statue to the
Park commissioners. Unfortunately Mr.. irwin Wat
ntterly inaudble, even to those who stood within
. few feet OF the platform; but he was understood
20 express his great pleasure In seeing . WORTHY
memorial OF the great Scottish poet and novels
erected In the Park.
AS he closed, Mr.. William Wood stepped forward
and, having quoted Shakspeares lines
Peerless he lived and his dead likeness do well believe
Exceis whatever yetyou have looked upon or hand o
gave the signal for
or the statue The nag was withdrawn with the
Buddenness OF magic, and cry OF applause and de-
Aght broke from the audience and was again and
again repeated, while the five .pipers marched
round the statue playing "B0nny Dundee"
As soon as the pipers had concluded Mr.. GREEN
accepted the statue, on behalf OF the Park Com
missioners, in few brief remarks. He said I'm
the absence OF the respected President OF the Park
Board and OF my associate commissioners, 1t Is my
agreeable duty to represent them In the reception
by your act, now passes from the hands OF those
who have created and placed 1t here to the public
care and guardianship. From this time this monu-
ment becomes public property, ana to those who are
charged with the keeping fthe grounds the people
zion. In Accepting % L on beSsif Of the enc city and
the Park authorities, join, sir, with you in the
most ample recognition Of our obligations TO those hose
agents Of its origlnatlon and transpositon to this
place which il is to embelish and where 1t is to
stand, at once an ornament and an example, In
tine disposition of works OF this monumental char
acter, always dinicut In public grounds it is the
90 arrange them that the visitor, whether
citizen or stranger as ne proceeds
nize enduring memorials or the worthiest and bes
OF all cimes and natiOnalities. At the head of one
or these columns % by the mlnlncence OF your asso
who did SO much to illustrate the land OF his BIRTH
and to celebrate the people OF whom he was, and
the annals OF whose glOres and sterling virtues he
has introduced to successive generations.
DOdsw0rth's band followed with an overture,
HM0ntr0se' after which the orator OF the day, Mr..
W. G. BRYANT, was introduced and spoke as fol-
1ows:-
MR. BRYANT's ADDRESS.
The Scottish residents OF this city whose public
spirit and reverence Tor genius have moved them
TO present to the people ol New York the statue OF
20 wach hase mas Just now Deen @ In
Arequest that should so far take part in these
ceremonies as to speak few words concerning
the great poet and novelist, Of whose renown they
are 30 justly proud. AS look around ON this as
semhly perceive few persons OF my own age-few
OF this brilliant luminary OF modern literature. ]
well recollect the time when Scott then thirty
Of she Last the Of his
which awakened the enthusiastic admiration that
afterwards attended all he wrote. In that poem
the spirit Of the old Scottish ballads-the most
beautiful OF their class-lived again. In 1t we HAD
all their nre, their rapid narrative, their unlabored
graces, their pathos, animating a story to which
he had given certain epic breadth and unity. We
read with scarcely less delight his poem Of "Mar-
OF our country hung with rapture over the pages
OF his LADY OF the Lake." l need not emu
them all, that no other metrical narratives
in our language seem to me to possess an
equal power OF enchanting the attention OF the
reader. and carrying him on from incident to incl
dent with such entire freedom from weariness.
These works, printed In cheap editions, were dis
persed all over our country; they found their way
10 almost every freside, and their popularity
raised up both here and in Great Britain multi
the mind OF the reader was soon to be exemplifed
IN more remarkable manner, and when, at the
age or ty-three, Scott gave to the world, with
nut any indication OF its authorship his romance