Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-23
T.STEWART BLACKIE
The Well-Known Professor Of Greek i'm
the University Of Edinburgh, on the
Infamous Land System
Of ScOtland-Hundreds Of Thousands OF
People Turned Out Of Their Homes
by Rapaei0us Landlords.

Inc GuluDufSn respondent OF the Brook.
i iyn Eagle writes that paper about one of the
:. most remarkable men of the present time
e John Stuart Blackie, professor of Greek IL
the University of Edinburgh. Whatever NAV
be thought Of Mr.. Blackie's success as .
teacher, his attachments as a Greek scholar
are OF the highest class, and in a comparison
he would take q foremost place among the
persons OF the present time. There are few
better known figures in Edinburg than tina
OF Prof.. Blackie; in fact, he is quite an insti-
tuition, and Edinburgh would not be itself
without him. Last century such notables
were by no means uncommon in this city,
Glasgow, London, and indeed all large TOWING;
but attire has now become so much matter
OF TACT like any distinguishing pecullarity
is very rarely to be met with which i
recognizable by the crowd. There il, how
: ever, no difficulty In recognizing Mr.. Blackie
mis- long white hair, with a wave rather
than curl-hanging down upon his shout
ders; his shsrp-cut sculpturesque features;
ms iong.taiied scholastic coat hanging down
we'll nigh to his heels, all afford evidence of
his marked individuality.
HIS PICTURESQUE poMIcILE.
Prof. Blackie has selected most beautiful
part OF the city for his abode-Douglas Ter
race-which overlooks the deep valley of the
Dean, or Water of Leith. The terrace is
composed OF elegant freestone mansions, all
ouiit according to one plan, and is adjacent
TO that noble structure of modern architect
ure, 81. Mary's cathedral. Facing the north
1t commands in the background views of the
Lomonds, Macbeth, the Firth of Forth. etc.
On the left the picture is framed BY side
view OF Donaldson's Hospital, one of the
| noblest structures ia Britain and Corstophine
Hill, and Immediately on the right The
| Orphan institution, perfect gem of Ionic
architecture-the finest by far 1 have ever
beheld. Responding to an invitation. / did
n III the honor of allfpx
few days ago, for the purpose of learning
from his own lips the real condition of the
Highland cotters, and his hopes of the
ameliorstion OF their condition, about which
SO much has been heard lately. Immediately
on entering from the street 4 found myself |
IN IN, large hall, elegantly and taste |
fully adorned with articles of uerfs.
eneravings and paintings of a purely |
classical description, touches of a Greek or /
Egyptian pattern, and numerous trophies of |
the chase in the shape of deers' antlers.
Skins, etc. On being announced, Mr.. Blackie
cordial welcome as he alone can afford. He
led the way into the dining-room, which
opens of the hall, and in it were to be seen
at glance evidences of the same refined
taste had noticed just before. There wsz~fs
corner bes for W., wris On
board there u.ss hne display of ceramic
spsefmena, apparently OF a very valuable
description. but whether Of Wildwood ware
or not was unable to ascertain. Above the
mantelpiece there is an admirable likeness
of the professor, by one of the leading artists
os tbs Sl.s1Aisa.- Aosden1y. and = fsrEe Piroto-
graph to boot.
HIS OPINION OF THE coTrERs.
lost no time in adverting to the object of
my call, and point blank asked the sage if |
he thought the condition of the Highland
peasant was as bad as represented?
"Yes," he replied, "worse even. The cotter
OF the north has been crushed down by bar |
barous land laws for more than a century
and half, aud their present state calls
loudly for amelioration. But Pm no states {
map, no business man, and know nothing q
about carrying remedial measures into effect.
am just scholar, nothing more, and con- r
tent myself with describing things just as :
they are. EnglIshmen, by leasing moors in :
the Highlands, have swept away the grand !
old romantic highlander, and the glorious i
old country will soon become an utter DESC ,
latiou. Men, formed in the image of God,
have had to give way before the beasts in the
field. All that was good and noble in the ,,
north has been sacrificed by mercenary land
lords for the Englisnman's gold. The VIII
lagos Sneeded thinning, but the landlords l
have gone too far. The residuum now left 6
are dependent, and their means of life are
greatly circumscribed. But american COM
petition is bringing about change; former
y small farms didn't pay, but now they are Z
loing better" Ii
"Does American competition not tend to Il
over pricesw Q
YES; hence the large farmer who has i
)nly beef or butter to sell suffers; while the
mail cuitivater WHO can raise poultry, veg q
stables, ETC., is not exposed to the same COM g
petition, as these articles cannot be brought g
lcross the Atlantic" a
"What do you think of the land laws gen. :
rallyT =
"Bad, bad. ALI right when there is a good :,
and -owHer-B=kc Of CUMBERLAND, for r.
lance; but his successor might be bad, and
nth over q million of acres of land in his | 81
possession he could afford to be an opp-.-t n
1 the poor. Our great aristooratic land =,
nonopolies should be broken up and the :,
and bets.r divided" g. g.
"Have you seen work on the land ques- y
ion by Henry George, an American econo- =
,ist?"
Eyes, and l admire it very much. NV
ttention was called to it by Dr.. Hodson, u
rofessor of political economy in Edinburgh v
University, and I think the authors views til
re thoroughly sound. We want the land Sc
,ore into the hands of the middle classes, is
Or now the landowner has only 10 lift his U
tile finger and multitudes may be swept st
way to Canada, Australia or America. We is
ave too many dukes and lords in this coun- ia
y, and abe government shoisl8 stop ina asd =
% that a balance is maintained between the 10
iferent classes and things kept a sort OF ba
ven. In the Highlands there is no middle he
Ass; you have only got the landlord or CT
nglish sportsman and the humble peasant, w
nd middle class is much needed. The Br
w should help the weak against the strong NJ
nd build up powerful and independent H
ody polite" E,
SIS it now possible to develop Highland Z;
en-
"Very hard to tell. The people have
zen SO much crushed down that they may a,
ay not be able to regain their strength Of he
anhood" he
RECENT EvICTIoNs. otl
'There have been many complaints as TO SIN
how do they affect the country?" yo
"Their influence is most injurious, and tn,
icy ought to be interdIcted. Last year there lis
as a bad case at Loeb Melm, and at the Hi
resent moment the cotters in the Isle of tn
rye are being threatened But public bli
oinion is being brought to bear upon the tw
1estion, and it is to be hoped that there ma
i'll be quite a change soon. Tyrannical
ndlords should be looked after and held up an
public obloquy and reproach. Thousands in
the best conditioned Scottish families Al,
ave, during the last hundred years, been Ia,
-iven from their homes and their lands M,
rown waste. Accused il the land system hi,
hich produces results SO terribly deplor- NJ
,len
As Mr.. Blackie spoke these.words his eyes str
came illumined, as it were, with a super raj
ltural fire, which showed how thoroughly II
8 whole nature is wrapped up in the for his
mes Of the Gaelic race, although he says or.
at he is pure Lowlander and has not .
OPP of Highland blood in his veins. Speak
z of the poetry of the Highlanders, the 10
ofeseor says it is very ine-quite equal to o ss
at of any other nation, and capable of -. ~
ing compared with that of the lowlands of me s
otland and the poems of Burns. 1t is I'M I'M
lite classical and addresses itself to the Tx u
art. "When," he said, 81 Iectured before me
e Royal Society in London, and gave the pr
embers specimens of Gaelic poetry, they ,As
,uld hardly believe ii was genuine. The an an
ems of Ossian are the inspiration OF native tei
MUS, dressed up by Mcpherson and his .9 1
adjutors to render them Ineligible to 'oi
odern readers" am
Before leaving, Mr.. Blackie went upstairs !
seek some literary extracts which weuld vie
We me interesting particulars regarding grs
e highlands, and as he bounded along he Eu
yously Gang some ditty as cheerily as the
TX bounding upward in the sky. Alto mo
Their my seancc with the illustrious priest st
the temple OF modern literature, culture ha
d science was of highly gratifying de- OF
ription, and his franknees in answering all tak
: questions was beyond all praise. OF
mi
Irish Prosperity.
The capital of Ireland few years ago the
"a estimated by DIR. Hancock at f275, 000,- Oh
0 sterling, or over $3.50 per head. And
Z. waalfh IA annnIv diatrihuted Tho e,sb | II