New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-30
LORD ROSEBERY.
WITH REASONS WHY SCOTLAND Is So En-
rREMELY SCOTTISH.

lTpO
INV" I'M LONDON, November 10.
II pleases the English to cast little mid r'o'ou,'
upon the custom by which the scottsn un''e'''
&C. ory thres vears or 90 elect Lord Rector ana
r.n,ra 10 him an address The choice depends We
ara told on the caprice OF some NUMEROUS "a '"e''
most of whom would in England be attehu'ns
grammar school. The rest Oh the woliu VIZ
more likely to look at the use these laos ''aAo -
their privilege than to complain OF then' io' NV
being older They have chosen from ti'ne " "no
CARLYLE. Mill. Mr.. Froude Mr. Gladstone and many
neither man of prea, fame whose rectorial adj
drosse. xere nune rhe worse bccause delivered 10
| q grammar-scl DOL lads" Men of the most diverse
character and capacity are sought out. MOI i""s
AGO Mr.. Bright and Mr.. Ruskin we're opposing eau
oidates at the University Of Glasgow foutio' w
souetimes an element in the struggle. anu "i'o
pether there can be little doubt that Vhis po"
selecting Lord Rector Is useiul oi"no"
Scottish university education. 1oune in0n 81
taught to think aud judge for themselves III
matter which brings them consplcdousiy oe,o .
tue country, and brings credit or "iS're"'' ''
university
Two vea,s ago the University OF Euiuou n
elected tho Earl Of Rosebery LORD Rector i"o
Ia,. SIR hobart CbrIstison was opposed TO him
university man, pure and simple ino oo
occurred not long after the Midlothian election anu
,oIitics 7 apprehend had something to do Win the
ra,.ing of parties on one side and the other' IL
T. ,rd Rosebery was not supported, he was opposed
on noliticM grounds. lie is, at any rate. as YOU
know the unouestioned leader OF the Liberal party
in Scotland, aud he was Lord Rector oI inc |h
yersity of Aberdeen at the time. 90 heAi"o rO '
rho conditions of rectorial Office that it WAS not TIL
Saturday last that he delivered mis- inaugural sd-
dress at Edinburgh.
Iord Rosebery's address is q remarkable produc-
ton in more respects than one. ana Ill NUM- "i'io
than its diction. Whether because he Is oco' vi
for some other reason he has 10 sense Oh 10 '"u
feeling for style which are rare among men Oh 'n'
kingdom or of his age. There Is anolher you"H
soo,.mon who has it-Mr Robert l.. Stevenson
Though there is little similarity between MS S'y''
and Lord Rusebery's in The manner OF the pres
ant Lord Rector of Edinburgh there is distinct
traes of French influence which, sgain Is Often per-
csntible in Scottish life His sentences nave pro
cis;o, and sharpness which modern English mostly
lacks He is fond as the French are, oil antllhesis
of epipram of formulas and holds in abhorrencc
that slipshod raggedness OF speech oy which Vio
average Englishman indicates his cohteh pt ioi
avery elegance which is merely literary. An eA-
tract from his exordium on Patriotism, WHICH Is
tho subiect or the address will serve as an example
of Lord Rosebery's manner :
In the first place. allow me to remark that there
is no word 80 prostituted as patriotism III IS paI'
of the base coinage OF controversy. Livery UoNeln
meDt fails IN it and every Opposition eloWs WIN
it, 1t dictates silence and speech, action anu mat
t,on interference and abstentlOn Win uhVarElhs
force aud facility. 1t smiles lmpartialiy on te az
ceptance and resignation Oi ONCE; IL lHpets pcopo
to enter and TO quit public lie WIN e9ual ic"S1
and equal precIpltaticn IL urges 10 noiVi,r ~
self-sacrlfice. to ASSASSINATION ana incenuIailSI
II rebuilt Jerusalem and burned MOSCOW; ~
stabbed Marat and put his bones in the Iahlneoi
il WAS the watchword OF the Reign oil Terror anu
the motto Of the gulllOtne 1t raises statues 10 to
people whom 1t lodges in dungeons. III P',ionlzr'
almost every crime ana every vlrlue III n n,n ;at
the c,mpany and costumes ID WHICH IL mus Ilse'i
fhe crime volatility and virtue which III inspires
deserve separate history bu iv o a Gefnt,op
to serve my purpose to-day. Patriotism Is tine Sell
respect OF race.
Now that is not only brilliant but very dam
oerous method. Carried too far, it would become
stlted Just as the contrary and common language
of able men of the day becomes sloppy IL answers
for a start 1t enlists that attention on whch
Lord Rosebery prudenty avoids making too pro-
tracted strain. The body OF the aduress 10 ieS'
condensed and less rhetorical.
As to the subject. would be tempted to say
the Scots we're in no great need OF exhortaton to
natr,otisu But you will remark that Lord Rose
bery has shrewiIy put aside the conventional
definitions of patriotism. 1t now means not love
of ones country but self respect OF race III Is only
in modified that the Scot can be sala 10 DC
ME for love of his country 1t is his love OF
other people's countries which most distinguishes
him. Poor old England is lost, SAID some one III
the memorable interview between Dr. johnson anu
Wilkes at Bookseller Dilys. Sir, retorteu John-
son. it is not so much to lie lamenteu that olu
England is lost as that tue Scotch have found it,"
| Englishmcn who perceive that they are nara
pressed by competition from north OF the Tweed
| hiatt hp No
| Webster did upon New Hampshire, as good place
| +, emiqrate from Lord kosebery himsoi remarks,
| not without compaceny, that the gardeners anu
| engineers of the world are Scottish Pleasahtrles
| on this subject are, indeed. worn threadoare;
which is proof enough that the cry OF Scotland Tor
the Scots, against which Lord Rosebery renon-
strates is itself pleasantly iudiciousy adapted to
| the occasion.
| Mr. Freeman has lately been telling us that he
found less difference between England ana the
| limited States than between England and Scotland
One chief reason for this he deduces from the fact
that English and American laws are for the most
mart the same. while English and Scottish laws ore
for the m,st part different. Lord Rosetery dwells
on tbs same argument and brosdens it, I" Our
systems of re gon, of law and of education. are all
| essentially and outwardly different from those
which prevail in England; and these three scottish
| systems he looks three bases and syinbols oil
independence. With reference to the religious
basis he tells good story of the preacher Norman
Macleod, and his Visit to an old woman who was
both a .Coyenanter and parishoner. She at once
offered him the end of her ar-trumpet and shouted
| - Gang over the fundamentals And Lord Rose
berry expresses his conviction that 1t would be
| perilous for any statesman who was dealing with
| Scotland to tamper with the fundamentals. No
| doubt il wouId Nobody disputes that the Scottish
Nation cling desperately to their dogmas and to
| thar ecclesiastical systems But whether that be
one of The secrets of national independence and adj
| yancement Is another question.
| y. ....h.,. a.. on, ,,,ure danrprnnR in dealing