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Summary of the Speech:

John Buchan opened by expressing the increasing recognition of Sir Walter Scott as the greatest of Scotsmen. He argued that while literary fashions come and go, Scott remains timeless and enduring—like Shakespeare—thanks to what Emerson called his “stellar and indiminishable something.”

As a Border Scot, Buchan confessed that he couldn’t judge Scott with academic detachment, describing Scott as vividly alive and real—“a personality as real to us as our own contemporaries.” He painted a charming vision of Scott’s ghost on an Ettrick hill road: ruddy-faced, pony-mounted, hair blowing in the wind, surrounded by dogs, speaking kindly in soft Border Scots.

Instead of analysing Scott’s well-known literary achievements, Buchan chose to focus on one defining quality: Scott’s common sense—or “sense of the commonalty.” He showed how this trait explains both his literary strengths and what critics considered his flaws.

Key Themes in the Speech:

1. Scott’s Common Sense and Honour
2. Buchan cited the famous episode of Scott refusing bankruptcy after financial ruin in 1826. He worked himself to death to repay his debts.
3. He rejected Thomas Carlyle’s suggestion that Scott should have renounced the world and lived in philosophical retreat, calling such a gesture cowardly beside Scott’s practical courage.
4. Scott as a Realist and Romantic
5. Though a man of imagination, Scott was grounded in real life. His romanticism was always tempered by realism—he was “a great romantic who is also a great realist.”
6. His “padding,” discursive asides, and flat heroes were often criticised, but Buchan argued they provided necessary balance and perspective, rooting the fantastic in the ordinary.
7. Use of the Ordinary Man
8. Scott used common characters like gravediggers, servants, and peasants to ground the emotional and moral core of his novels.
9. These “prosaic” figures gave his stories depth, preventing them from tipping into melodrama. Examples included Jeanie Deans and Edie Ochiltree.
10. Supernatural Elements with Restraint
11. Buchan admired Scott’s measured handling of the supernatural—credible because of its grounding in realism. He highlighted the psychological tension in Wandering Willie’s Tale and The Bride of Lammermoor.
12. Anti-Climax and Irony
13. Scott masterfully employed anti-climax to heighten rather than diminish effect. Buchan praised the quiet closure of Redgauntlet, where a Hanoverian speaks a noble farewell over dead Jacobitism.
14. Scott’s Legacy
15. Buchan closed by reflecting on Scott not just as a writer, but as a deeply admirable man: “perfectly gentle, perfectly honest, perfectly fearless, and perfectly true.”
16. He described Scott’s gift as one of warmth, light, humanity, and tenderness that endures, transcending literature itself.

Interesting Points Worth Highlighting

• Vivid evocation of Scott's ghost: Buchan’s imagined vision of meeting Scott in the Ettrick Hills is poetic and deeply personal.
• Critique of Carlyle: Buchan challenges Carlyle's romantic ideal of retreating from failure, arguing Scott's true nobility lay in hard work and atonement.
• Redefinition of Romance: Buchan reclaims “romance” from Gothic excess, aligning it with believable human drama anchored in ordinary experience.
• Praise for the Peasant Voice: Scott’s moral authority often rests not with lords or ladies but with plain folk—a radical move for his time.
• Scott and National Identity: Buchan subtly implies that Scott’s fusion of imagination and realism reflects something essential about Scottish character.

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Subsidiary Toasts Summary

1. Toast to “The Imperial Forces” – proposed by J. Fraser Cunninghame

• He reflected on the honour of proposing this toast at short notice, contrasting the political turbulence of the time with the unity of the evening’s literary focus.
• He praised the gallantry and loyalty of the British Empire’s forces, particularly during WWI, and their deep inspiration from the works of Sir Walter Scott.
• Emphasised that Scott himself loved soldiers and might have become one were it not for his lameness.
• Linked the names of local heroes (Kingsburgh and Cranston) to proud military tradition.
• The toast was associated with Lieutenant-General Sir Walter P. Braithwaite, who replied with heartfelt remarks.

2. Reply by Sir Walter Braithwaite

• Humble about his qualifications despite 38 years of service.
• Gave tribute to:
• The Royal Navy, particularly during the Dardanelles campaign, defending its honour against recent literary criticism.
• The Royal Air Force, a young and courageous branch, deserving of admiration.
• The British Army, whose transformation from six to seventy-five divisions was hailed as a miracle of national resolve, courage, and fortitude.
• Quoted a famous line from the Battle of Albuera:
  “And then was seen with what a strength and majesty the British soldier fights.”

3. Toast to “Literature” – proposed by Sir John Findlay, K.B.E.

• Positioned literature as an outlet for dreams, ambitions, and the betterment of society.
• Critiqued “modern pictorial Art” for its focus on “self-realisation”, praising literature for its enduring social value.
• Cited Shakespeare's principle that the meaning of art lies in the ear of the listener, not just the intent of the artist.
• Argued for a return to greater simplicity and appreciation for beauty in life and art.

4. Reply by Sheriff W.D. Lyell

• Discussed the strong ties between literature and law, citing Walter Scott’s own fictional lawyer, Counsellor Pleydell, and real-life figures like Andrew Crosbie and Henry Erskine.
• Amusing anecdotes involving Dr. Johnson highlighted Edinburgh’s proud tradition of spirited intellectual exchange.
• Closed with a meditation on how literature appeals to emotion and imagination, while law appeals to reason—yet both are art and science.

5. Toast to “The City of Edinburgh” – proposed by Sheriff Orr, K.C.

• Celebrated the deep bond between Sir Walter Scott and Edinburgh, crediting Scott’s imagination with shaping the New Town.
• Reflected on a golden age of Scottish culture during Scott’s life: painters (Raeburn), writers (Henry Mackenzie), and critics (Jeffrey).
• Bemoaned old civic challenges like dumping waste near Nor’ Loch, noting modern improvements in self-government and public beauty.
• Praised the National Library dream, and invited American millionaires to contribute Scott manuscripts.

6. Reply by The Lord Provost

• Proudly emphasised Edinburgh’s heritage, beauty, and contributions to literature and education.
• Assured the audience of the Council’s full-hearted commitment to preserving and enhancing the city's legacy.

7. Toast to “The Chairman” (John Buchan) – proposed by Sir David Paulin

• Lauded Buchan’s skill as a speaker and historian of the Great War.
• Called him a worthy heir to Scott’s legacy in stirring national spirit and literary excellence.
• Praised Buchan’s works such as Greenmantle, Mr Standfast, Midwinter, and The Path of the King, suggesting Scott would have enjoyed them.
• Ended with the hope that Buchan, still on the "sunny side of 50", would continue to produce great works for years.

Points of Interest

• Sir Walter Scott’s influence on patriotism and military service was a recurring theme—his stories were said to have instilled early lessons in courage and loyalty among soldiers.
• Interplay of literature and law: The speeches reflect a cultural world where legal intellect and literary artistry were seen as twin pursuits.
• Witty anecdotes: Several humorous jabs at Dr. Johnson by Edinburgh worthies—especially Lord Auchinleck’s quip about Cromwell—highlighted the city’s literary brio.
• John Buchan is highly praised not just as chairman but as a literary heir to Scott, with explicit comparison to Scott’s legacy in martial literature and character-building stories.
• The deep civic pride in Edinburgh’s progress, both aesthetically and politically, was profound and accompanied by a poetic toast:
  “Beauty and this brave Town, Dim through the grey October rime.”
• The call for American benefactors to donate Scott manuscripts to the National Library of Scotland adds a global appeal to Edinburgh’s literary mission.

Download the [Subsidiary Toasts] to read in full. 

The audio below is from a recording of a talk he gave on Walter Scott to the Book Club in 1932