1908: Sir John Stirling Maxwell

1908

Our President in 1908 was:

Sir John Stirling-Maxwell

He proposed the Toast to Sir Walter at our 15th Annual Dinner on Friday 27th November 1908 in the Royal Hotel, Edinburgh.

Download the [transcript] or read the [bulletin]

Summary of the Speech:

Sir John Stirling-Maxwell began by acknowledging the honour and challenge of proposing a toast to Sir Walter Scott in Edinburgh, among those committed to preserving his memory. He reflected on the annual nature of this ritual, comparing it wryly to a recurring duty that remains noble but daunting.

He moved through several key themes:

Scott’s Legacy: Maxwell contrasted the popular depictions of Scott—the celebrated literary monarch of Abbotsford and the heroic struggler at life's end—with the more grounded reality revealed in Scott’s letters and journals, where calm strength persisted through adversity.
Scott’s Youth & Character: The speaker praised the portrait of young Scott found in Lockhart’s biography, calling it perhaps the only truly satisfying piece of autobiography ever written. He admired Scott’s rootedness in Scotland and his acceptance of national traditions and beliefs without pretence or superiority, describing this as a rare virtue.
Critique of Scott’s Poetry: With respectful candour, Maxwell admitted he found much of Scott’s poetry unappealing—except for his ballads and certain lyrics. He critiqued Scott’s lack of musical sense and how this affected the rhythm and metre of his verse. Despite being a born poet, Maxwell argued that Scott lacked the emotional “spurs” (passions, sorrows, inner conflict) typically needed to drive poetic greatness.
Scott as a Novelist: In contrast to his poetry, Scott’s novels were celebrated for their vitality, character, humour, and storytelling. Maxwell drew an interesting contrast between Scott’s method and that of Alexandre Dumas, noting that while Dumas’s novels were collaborative productions, Scott’s voice shone through purely and personally, with minimal revision.
On Scott’s Letters: The freshness and sincerity of Scott’s personal letters were noted as further evidence of his authenticity. Unlike Stevenson, whose letters often seemed written with publication in mind, Scott wrote spontaneously and solely for his friends.
Enduring Appeal: Maxwell concluded that Scott’s works—especially the novels—still held charm and popularity. Though Scott’s poems may be purchased out of reverence rather than interest, the novels continued to sell widely. He took comfort in knowing Scott’s spirit continued to inspire and entertain future generations.

Interesting Points

Annual Tradition as Burden and Honour: Maxwell playfully but meaningfully hinted at the weight of keeping up an annual public tribute—suggesting it becomes harder with each passing year, even as it remains a noble duty.
Autobiography Praise: He held Scott’s autobiographical fragment in such high regard that he believed every Scottish schoolboy should read it, preferably every year.
The ‘Three Gaps’ in Genius: Maxwell offered a quirky and honest assessment of Scott’s limitations—drawing, smell, and music—linking these to the structural flaws in his verse.
Contrasts with Contemporaries: Maxwell made thoughtful comparisons between Scott and others—Burns, Byron, Stevenson, and Dumas. These comparisons highlighted both Scott’s strengths (authenticity, storytelling, rootedness) and his limitations (poetic passion, technical finesse).
Enduring Popularity: The statistic about 1,200 British Museum catalogue entries under Scott’s name and an increase of over 100 in just a few years reflects his continuing relevance in 1908.
Warm Humanism: The toast ends on a touching note—that Scott would rejoice to see his “good impulse” still echoing through readers’ hearts, and be counted “among their best friends.”