New-York tribune., 1922-05-21


Prove Johnson wrong for once at this
Students Union and in your other
societies. | much regret that there was
no Students Union at Edinburgh in my
time, ! hope you are fairly noisy and
that members are sometimes led out.
Don't forget TO speak scornfully of tbs
Victorian age: there will be lots at
time to repent when you know it bet
ter. Very soon you will be Victorian
or that sort of thing yourselves; next
session, probably, when the freshmen
come up. Make merry while you may.
Yet light -heartedness is not for ever
and day. "You seize the flower, its
bloom is she'd" At it's beet 1t Is the
gay companion of innocence; and when
innocence goes as go it must-they
soon trip off together, looking for
something younger But courage comes
all the way
Fight on, my men says Sir Andrew
i am hurt hut am not elaine,
I'll lie me down and bleed awhile.
And then III rise and fight againe
Another piece of advice almost nv
last. For reasons you may guess
must give this in a low voice Beware
of McConnachie When I look in
mirror now it is his face ! see.
speak with his voice, and you all know
now what voice it is. | once had g.
voice of my own, but nowadays ! hear
it only from far away, a melancholy,
lonely, lost little pipe. | wanted to be
an explorer, but he wilied otherwise.
You will all have your McConnachie's
Turing you off the high road. Unless
you are constantly on the watch you
will find that he has slowly pushed you
out of yourself and tGken your place.
He has rather done for me. think
in his youth he must somehow have
guessed the future and been feggit
by it-hichtered from the nest like
bird-and so our eggs were left, cold.
He has clung to me, less from mischief
than for companionship. I half like
him and his penny whistle. With al!
his faults he is as Scotch s peat. He
whispered to me just now that you
elected him, not me, as your rector.
Suggests Chosen Hour
To Revisit st. Andrews
A final passing thought. We're an old
student given an hour in which to re-
visit the ST. Andrews Of his day would
half ~ AZ
lures? He is more likely to be heard
Gathering up bare stairs in search of
old companions. But if you could
choose your hour from all the five hun
dred wears of this seat Of learning.
wandering at your will from one age to
another, how would you spend it? A
fascinating theme; many notable
shades at once astif that st. Leonard's
and st. Mary's grow murky with them.
Hamilton, Melville. Sharpe. Chalmers.
down to Herkless, that distinguished
Principal, ripe scholar and warm
friend, the loss of whom ! deeply de-
plore with you. l think if that hour
were mine and though at ST. Andrews
he was but passerby, I would give a
handsome part of it to a walk with
DR.. Johnson. | should like to have the
time of day passed to me in twelve Ian
guages by the Admirable Crichton. A
wave of the hand to Andrew Lang; and
then for the archery butts with the gay
Montrose, all a-ruff1ed and ringed, and
in the gallant ST. Andrews student
manner, continued as | understand to
this day, scattering largess as he rides
along.
But whore is now the courtly troupe
That once went riding by?
! miss the curls of Carteloupe,
The laugh of Lady Di.
We have still left time for visit to
house in South Street, hard by St.
Leonard's. don't mean the house You
mean i am Knox man. But little
will that avail, for McConnachie is
Queen Mary man. So, after all, it il at
her door we chap, last futile effort
to bring that woman to heel. One more
house Of call, a students room, also in
chosen my student, you see, and have
chosen we'll; him that sang:
Life has not since been wholly vain
And now j hear
or wisdom plucked from Joy and pain
Some slender share.
But howsoever rich the store,
I'd lay II down,
TO feel upon my back once more
The old red gown.
| Well, we have at last come to an end.
Some of you may remember when | be-
gan this address; we are all older now.
| thank you for your patience. This is
my first and last public appearance,
and ] never could or would have made
it. except to "a gathering of Scottish
students. If l have concealed nv emo
tions in addressing you, it is only the
thraun national way that deceives
everybody except Scotsmen. I have not
been rs dull as | could have wished
to be; but, looking at your glowing
faces, cheerfulness and hope would
keep breaking through. Despite the
imperfections of your Betters we leave
you great inheritance, for which
others will one day call you to ac.
count. You come of a race of mer
the very wind of whose name has swepl
to the ultimate seas. Remember
Heaven doth with us with tor~haa Al