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Summary of the Speech:

Birrell began with humour and humility, acknowledging the challenge of doing justice to Sir Walter Scott’s memory. He reflected on Scott’s enduring global legacy and influence, particularly in Edinburgh. Birrell drew inspiration from a historic 1827 dinner where Scott was publicly honoured for the first time, highlighting Lord Meadowbank's tribute to Scott as the “mighty magician” who revealed Scotland’s beauty and history to the world.

Birrell praised Scott's vast literary output (over 130 volumes), noting its emotional depth, rich characterisation, and generational influence. He defended Scott’s often-criticised prose style, asserting that its clarity and energy more than compensated for its occasional carelessness.

He celebrated Scott’s deep humanity, humour, patriotism, and literary breadth—likening his character gallery to Shakespeare’s. He admired Scott’s sanity and self-deprecation, especially his refusal to idolise his own work or be overawed by critics. Birrell also emphasised that Scott wrote for the "sensible men doing the work of the world," not for critics or academics.

He concluded by lauding Scott’s poetry, especially the natural beauty and musicality of his shorter works, and expressed that Scott’s writings continue to evoke profound emotion. The toast ended with the line: “And hallow the goblet that flows to his name,” followed by a solemn silence.

Notable and Interesting Points

1. Humour and Humanity: Birrell begins with wit, likening his emotional overwhelm to the Templar’s death in Ivanhoe, and later jokes that his boy will remember Guy Mannering more vividly than real life events.
2. Defence of Style: He counters critics of Scott’s “careless” style, quoting Scott’s own hilarious admission of being like “a drunken man who could run long after he could not walk.” Birrell’s point: style matters less than emotional resonance.
3. Literary Longevity: Birrell emphasises Scott's lasting impact by sharing a personal anecdote about reading Guy Mannering to his son—reinforcing the idea of literary inheritance across generations.
4. Comparison with Shakespeare: He boldly suggests Scott is the only British author who might reasonably be compared to Shakespeare in terms of humanity, range, and influence.
5. Scott’s Popularity and Modesty: Despite his fame and fortune, Scott remained modest, even calling his novels “cursed lies” and poems “nonsensical rhymes,” yet he used his fame honourably to pay off massive debts.
6. Sanity and Balance: Birrell hails Scott as the “sanest popular author” of his time, a grounding contrast to the vanity and anxiety of many contemporary writers.
7. Misuse of Scott for Children Only: He criticises the habit of relegating Scott’s works to childhood reading, arguing that much of the emotional and social insight in his novels is only truly appreciated in adulthood.
8. Lyrical Appreciation of Poetry: Birrell quotes extensively from Scott’s verse to illustrate its beauty, particularly the melancholy lyric written overlooking Cauldshield’s Loch.
9. Final Praise: In a profound conclusion, Birrell suggests that if humanity were ever on trial, Scott would be the perfect character witness to defend the human race.

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Subsidiary Toasts Summary

1. “The King” – Proposed by the Chairman, Augustine Birrell
   Birrell emphasised the strength and popularity of the monarchy in 1903. He imagined that Scott, a loyal monarchist, would have been gratified by the modern affection for the Throne, both as an institution and in the person of its current occupant.
2. “Queen Alexandra, Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Royal Family” – Toasted cordially without additional comment.
3. “The Imperial Forces” – Proposed by Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., M.P.
   Highlighted the evolving identity of Britain's armed services as imperial, not merely national. The shared military service of British and colonial troops in the recent South African War was praised as a new bond within the Empire. He noted how British sailors, even in peacetime, continued proving their worth in land-based operations.
4. Reply by Colonel Grove, C.B.
   Stressed that courage and endurance in the military remained undiminished, but questioned efficiency, particularly in peacetime. He called for compulsory training along Volunteer lines, starting in schools, to address a perceived decline in national fitness and readiness—pointing to urbanisation as a physical weakening force.
5. “Literature” – Proposed by Professor Seth
   He explored the philosophical tensions between philosophy and literature, using Plato's banishment of poets as a springboard. Seth defended literature's critical influence on civilisation and praised Scott's life as the ultimate vindication of action through literature, especially his perseverance through financial ruin. He called on the Club to continue fostering literary education, especially among youth.
6. Reply by Rev. Henry Gray Graham
   He lamented the decline of a distinctly Scottish literary scene, once thriving in Edinburgh but now largely absorbed by London. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Scots continued to contribute meaningfully to literature and journalism, albeit from afar.
7. “The City of Edinburgh” – Proposed by Mr T. Craig-Brown of Selkirk
   He affirmed that Edinburgh remained aware of the honour bestowed on it by Scott’s legacy.
8. Reply by The Lord Provost
   Recognised Scott’s central role in Edinburgh’s fame. He pledged to support the city's cultural and intellectual life—Art, Science, Literature, and Education—hallmarks of Edinburgh’s identity.
9. “The Chairman” – Proposed by Mr J. B. Sutherland, S.S.C., and acknowledged by Birrell.

The evening included songs by Alfred C. Young and music from Mr Dambmann’s band.

Interesting Points

• Imperial Unity through War: Sir Andrew Agnew’s remarks about the South African War show how recent conflict was seen as uniting the Empire and altering the identity of British military forces from national to imperial—a noteworthy snapshot of Edwardian geopolitics.
• Early Military Training Advocacy: Colonel Grove’s call for school-based compulsory training reveals pre-WWI concerns about military preparedness and national health—a theme that would intensify in coming decades.
• Literature vs. Philosophy: Professor Seth’s eloquent mending of the Platonic quarrel between poets and philosophers is intellectually engaging. He reinterprets Plato’s criticism of poets as a backhanded compliment—a testament to literature’s moral and civic power.
• Scott as a Moral and Practical Hero: Seth’s framing of Scott’s financial struggles not as a tragedy but as a moral triumph offers a striking perspective—casting Scott as a man of action as well as imagination.
• Cultural Centralisation in London: Rev. Graham’s lament on Scottish authors migrating to London hints at the perennial tension between national and metropolitan cultural identities—a subtle reflection on literary economics.

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