The morning times., 1896-11-19
TALKED OF CAkNY SCOTS
Ian Maclaren Illuminates and
Defends His Creations.
KEEN THRUSTS AT CRITICS
President and Mrs. Cleveland and
Party Attend the Lecture of the
Distinguished Scotch AuthOr-Dr.
Watson's Views on Realism-An-
alysis OF CaledOnian Character.

Rev. John Watson, d D., Qan Maclaren),
entertained ana cLiisnteheu V"o stfcct
audiences yesterday afternoon and last
night at the Columbia 1heater and Uni
versalist Church, speaking at the theater
on Inc subject oi Scotch traits OF character,
and at the church more directly on the
traits OF the perscnages in his literary
creations.
Dr. Watson is accompanied on his !ectnr-
ing tour by Mrs. Watson. They are lhe
guests here of Rev. Mackay-Smth, rector
of st. Johns Church. The visitors were
entertained at lunch at the White House
vest erday, President and Mrs. Clevc-
land, Mr.. Olney, Secretary OF State. ana
Mrs. Olney, and Mr.. II. Il. Thurber, private
secretary TO the President, and Mrs. Thurber
attending the lecture last night at Uni
versalist Church.
The distinguished author was 1ntro-
duced to his audience last night by Rev DE-.
Radcliffe pastor OF the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church, who gracefully took
occasion to comment on the iashion IN
which the Scotch were coming To the
front. among those referred to speciflc-
ally being the Mac who was soon TO
occupy Lue " mite iIouse, anu the Mac Oh
the present literary world
Dr. Radcliffe advertcd in good taste
| and with truth to the method or DIR. watson,
which was held up az untainted by thc
passionate atmosphere of recent liter
ature." .-..-
CRITICISED HIS CRITICS.
The lecturer devoted his first quarter
| OF an hour TO a criticism OF his crtics.
| OF these he reckoned two classes. those
who found fault with him because ne
| lacked realism or made MS characters
| almost impossible of conception ON account
! of their idcalsm; and second, the class or
| critics who found in his creations Things
| that were shocking to ethical sensibii,ties
| He contends that realism should be soil
| strued as meaning the manner OF treat
| ment rather than the conditions treated
| and hence there could be a realism IN me
| pure atmosphere OF life as there is in the
| social conditions and relations which are
| technically known as realism.
He could, considering the wide divergence
| of his critics, claim that he was at least
| in the middle of the road" phrase which
| amused the audience as indicating that the
| Reverend doctor was ION to Tom Watson.
| which is an American, not an English or
| Scotch colloquialisIn.
| In these fifteen minutes, which would
have been particularly mauvais quart
| d'heure for the critics had they been pres
! ent, DR.. Watson poked lot of ironical fun
| ut the guild on both sides of the Atlantic.
the audience being rather better entertained
with the hits at the American specimen.
| HIS VIEW OF HIS CREATIONS.
The rest OF the lecture was devoted &c
| ananal ysis OF the characters in the ANNALS
| of Drumtuchty'' and or ''Dr. Mcclure" The
| latter he considered n universal character
| although made up OF four distinct studies
| one of which is still in existence. The
| country doctor he conceives to be pretty
| much the same in Europe, Australia oi
| America,
| his niurnination OF the characters of the
| postman and James, and the proud peas
| ant parents OF the university graduate, lse
dominic and others was vivid, and. not
understanding the fact that he is not ORA
matte, finely artistic. He may not bt
| an actor but he tells us of his chilfsreI
| very much as the actor WHITES the lines oi
the dramatist 1t was an entertainment
of rare delight and edification.
In the lecture in The afternoon on certain
traits of Scotch character, Dir. Watson
| recognized the Indictment of blunt per
ception in the matter Of humor general,
| lodged against his countrymen, but the bes
| defense he offered was that as some Eriel
| was too deep for tears so some humo
was appreciated without demonstration
and, again, as all soils were not productive
| OF the Same fruit, so each country had IL!
own particular humor.
To the English he credited pure fun, to
the Irish drolIery, TO the Scotch irony. The
talk throughout was in a happy vein
demonstrating a much kecner sense of hu
NOR in his own Scotch way than he gave
his compatriots credit for.
| DR.. Watsons voice is musical in ths
readings Though many of the incidents
| which he encountered in his selections were
dramatic lie studously avoided any effOr
but suggested with admirable denotemen
| the effect desired.
The reverend litterateur is fine speci
men Of manhood as he appears, at his ful
height, with athletic shoulders and fine
forceful face, before his hearers. His hal
is just turning and the lines OF the fac,
are sOftening into the firm strokes which
are indicative OF a formulated character
| In the nose and chin one reads strength
in the forehead intellectually, but in ths
| eyes and mouth, especially when he smiles
is found the sweetness and sensitivenes
to humanity that made their firmeSt i'm
press in his beside the Bonnie Brial
Bush"