Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-01
ST Andrews DaY,

There is. perhaps, no one day in the year so
looked forward to by Scotchmen and their
sons as this same st. Andrews day. 1t Is a
day when, with more Formally and in some
what more especial manner, they are eaLea
upon by all their various modes OF celebrating
it throughout this great country to partlcu-
lsrlv hear in mind and with just pride reflect
upon and turn their thoughts reverently to
the land OF their fathers, Scotland! How elo-
nuent the word. And what majestic figures
loom Up in all their historic grandeur to pass
before the minds eve at the mere mention
only of the name!
Is he not a happy mann Aye. He is indeed
happy man. a man justly proud, aud one with
whom most Of US can readily and heartily
svmpathize, who says land what il it Is with
emoilon:) Yes; Scotland is the land of my an
cestors.
Consider its history, if only in the most su-
perficial way, and you meet with incidents so
numerous, stirring, varied, and, yea, grand,
as to excite the keenest and realest interest.
while they provoke you TO unbOunded adml-
ration. and, perhaps, TO a heartler apprecla-
ton. also, Of all tn L Is noble, upright, heroic
manly. substantial and most enduring and
exemplary in man.
Was she not the preserver and careful
guardian. the protector and patron. and, too,
| the faithful dissemination OF learning IN the
old DARK times Of st. COlumbas And has she
not always been the land Of brave men. Of
| great heroes. Of learned men. and OF mea
/ ever strong for the right, and that, too, often
/ for the rights sake S0teiyg where snail we
find people so devoted 10 liberty, as II is IN
| derstOOd in its highest ami very best sense,
| and vet so tolerant of and enthusiastic Tor IT'S
ancient. proud royalty. a conservative peo-
| ple. and vet radical withal! Can we ever adj
1 mre sufic emily the patience with when
| Scotland has IN times past borne win her
| naughty kings and queens-as Mary, Tor ID +
u Inv % n n
| al the horrors 80 often consequent upon and
| inseparaDly cOncOmltant with political reyO-
| luiions and shall we say that such land as
| this Is unworthy the scholars-nay. any
4 one'-clOsest. most thorough and careful and
| critical study
| Is it not this land whose writers have
| charmed all ChristendOm, and who have, ID
| no small degree, likewise powerfully contrib
| uted to awakening men to increased lntellec-
| tual activity and vigor Of thought and in
| tenser mental labOrs? Carlyle, probably. has
| given greater impetus and encouraged more
| Young men land for that matter older ones
| too to independence in thought. than any
| other single writer who could ne mentioned
| of this nineteenth century, And what makes
men not only delight in perusing his, but all
| the various works of different Scotch writers,
| is the thOrOughness with which the mllttlIa-
| riOus subjects treated OF ~ them IS always
| handled. Campbell, the Ettrlck Snepheru,
| Burns. thorough poets; Robertson. Hume.
| Alison. thorough historians; scott as novel
| ist, JefIFeys as a reviewer. Chalmers as the
| OlOgldn. thorough, All OF tutul % IN tAc Otuc-
| walks Of life. a. for example. SIR John Moore,
| AbercrOmbie and sir Colin Campbell, thor
| Ough soldiers. And the truth Of the assertion
| is nowhere so pract cally apparent ana &c
| substantially evident in the magnificent
| vessels. numbers of them every year built in
| the docks on the Clyde. and sent TO all quar-
| ters Of the globe as solid specimens OF tnor-
| Oughness in scotch workmanship.
| Viewed from whatever standpoint. what an
| admirable people. Hardy in body and tough
| Of mind. vigorous and tenacious OF their old
I 4f,r.1v. fan1r 0ff -,
| nOvatiOns, they equally excite our profound :
| est admiration and win our undivided and
| heartiest respect and love.
| Time would fail to reclte even a few Of the
| thoughts that naturally occur TO one on an
| anniversary day like this. Time would fail
| to show how replete with interest Is Scotch
| history, or how many themes and rich Incl
| dents IL affords for the painter. novelist. his
| tOrian, poet. Next to visiting such places as
| annCckburn, Stirring Castle, HOlyrOot. Cul-
| lOden Moor and the CanOngate, ones greatest
| privilege IS to be at q st. Andrews day gath
| eriug OF ScOtchmen, where narratives, inciden 5
| and recOlectlOns Of these places and OF the
| great characters who figured IN them are
| evoked. Memories OF old school day and college
| studies cause even the most phegmatlc and
| emotional to think Of a fair and unfortunate
| Mary, Queen OF Scots OF an Archibald. Earl
| of Angus, and the prompt and effective man.
| ner with which he fulfilled the promise made
| BY him 10 his brother nOblemen To ''bell the
| cat" Of Chevy Chase and the noble Douglas
| and fiery HOtspur, of a Bruce cutting down
1
| FlOdden Field, alas and of a Knox, firm, i'm
| movable and stern for the truth. And the
| spirit Of these old worthless is not yet extinct
| let US gladly add, for the men OF old Scotland
| are still. in intrinsic and real worth, the same.
| Perhaps their quaint philosopher, In his own
| rugged and inimitable way. would style them
| as a set Of logged, haudfast, furlbund, eupep-
| tic. manful men.
| Like watts OF gentle breezes which refresh
| and strengthen and renew the wearied body,
| 50 these recOllectiOns of brave, true men of
| old invigOrate and revive. quicken and stlmu-
| late the dropping energIes Of the soul u do
| and dare, and live, and manfully and yet
| truly live.
| May grand old Scotland be as prolific Of dis
| tingUished sons in the near, and in the on roll
| ing and the farthest distant future, as she has
! been always fruitful of them at all times in
the past. Let not her star ever decline, nor
| heI~glOry wax nor wane, and let her influence
| be always and increasingly felt for good IN
| the world. May her literature be always as
| rich and healthful. as pure and Strengthening,
| occasionally ebul!ient wi h wit (paradOXical
| as that sounds as it has been from the days
| of most ancient bards and pedantic dOminies
| down to the more recent times Of the ''&Octes
| AmbrOslan9."
And may she ever be respected nation,
| marked and noted pre-cminently for hardf
| simplicity and enduring strength in the midst
! Of these latter luxurious times. bright cX-
| ample, bold leader in thought and in all
| the other departments of life. and IN short 4
| model among the nations Of the earth.
PENNA.