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Summary of the Speech:

The Earl of Birkenhead opened by acknowledging the honour of presiding over a Scottish club as an Englishman and praised the club’s commitment to preserving the memory of Sir Walter Scott. He made a persuasive call for attendees to support the club by becoming members, highlighting Scott's significance not just to Scotland but to the wider British Empire.

Birkenhead reflected on his lifelong admiration for Scott, having read all his works multiple times and even owning first editions. He challenged the notion that Scott’s greatness was limited to Scottish identity, instead portraying him as a British icon whose works inspired generations across the empire.

He offered a detailed and heartfelt assessment of Scott not only as a writer but also as a man of great personal integrity, resilience, and industriousness. Birkenhead praised Scott's extraordinary work ethic, his financial struggles following the collapse of his publishers, and the honourable way he worked to repay his debts. He admired Scott’s dedication, noting that despite severe illness, Scott managed to repay much of what he owed through sheer literary labour.

Turning to Scott’s poetic and novelistic legacy, Birkenhead celebrated The Lay of the Last Minstrel and the Waverley novels, emphasising Scott’s originality, imagination, and mastery of character and atmosphere. He argued that Scott’s historical romances opened new possibilities in literature and helped sustain the martial and patriotic spirit of Scotland, especially during times of war.

The Earl also discussed Scott’s use of anonymity and the ethics of truthfulness in authorship. He concluded by insisting Scott’s legacy transcended Scotland, pointing to works like Ivanhoe as evidence of his mastery of English themes too. He ended with an affectionate tribute to Scott’s enduring literary and moral greatness.

Notable and Interesting Points

1. Scott as a British, not just Scottish, Hero:
   Birkenhead powerfully argued that Scott belonged to the whole British Empire, not just to Scotland, asserting his universal appeal and moral stature.
2. Personal Connection and Admiration:
   The Earl revealed he had read all Scott’s novels multiple times, owned first editions, and admired him since youth, lending an intimate and credible weight to his praise.
3. Scott’s Work Ethic and Financial Integrity:
   A moving section focused on Scott’s efforts to repay over £100,000 in debt later in life, despite illness. This was seen as heroic and honourable—comparable to military courage.
4. Literary Pioneer:
   Birkenhead described Scott as the founder of the romantic novel in its modern form, influencing authors like Dumas and helping to shape 19th-century literature’s taste for adventurous storytelling.
5. Scott’s Influence on Scottish Patriotism:
   Birkenhead credited Scott’s poetry and novels with keeping alive the martial spirit of Scotland, which he believed helped inspire heroism in World War I, particularly referencing the Battle of Loos.
6. Anonymity and the Ethics of Authorship:
   There’s an intriguing digression into whether Scott was justified in misleading people about being the author of the Waverley novels—a philosophical reflection on truth and discretion.
7. Final Literary Anecdote – The Misattributed Poem:
   Birkenhead recounts the famous “One crowded hour of glorious life...” lines, long believed to be Scott’s but later discovered to be from another, forgotten poet—highlighting Scott’s generosity and modesty.

Subsidiary Toasts Summary

1. “The Imperial Forces” – Proposed by Mr Walter T. Watson, K.C.
2. Watson eloquently linked the values of imagination, sacrifice, and faith to the soul of Britain’s Imperial Forces.
3. He drew vivid historical examples: Nelson’s "radiant orb of duty," Wolfe quoting Homer and Gray on the eve of Quebec, and Sir John Moore’s stoic heroism in death.
4. He connected these ideals to the volunteer spirit in Sir Walter Scott’s The Antiquary, particularly highlighting Edie Ochiltree's stirring patriotic declaration.
5. The toast honoured Admiral Sir Reginald Tyrwhitt, representing the Senior Service, and concluded with a double assurance: that civilians maintain a deep reverence for the Services, and that the Club aims to uphold an imperial ideal rooted in Scott's ethos.
6. “Literature” – Proposed by Lord St Vigeans
7. Delivered with wit and learning, the speech ranged from Kipling to Milton, Chaucer to Robert Burns.
8. St Vigeans warned of the danger of mistaking commercial popularity for lasting literary merit, noting that true literature “touches the heart” and often finds its origin in a “spark o’ Nature’s Fire.”
9. He celebrated Scotland’s literary lineage—from Barbour to Stevenson—and observed that no great civilisation has lacked literature.
10. He described literature as both the mirror of the past and the solace of individual life, calling it “a God-given gift”.
11. Response to “Literature” – Rev. J. Harry Miller
12. Miller modestly downplayed his own abilities while honouring Scott as a literary giant.
13. He praised Scott’s “amazingly richly furnished mind,” and credited the Bible as a foundational source of Scott’s literary style and moral insight.
14. He concluded with a personal tribute, evoking childhood memories of reading Ivanhoe and the lasting influence Scott had on his imagination.
15. “The City of Edinburgh” – Proposed by Lord Polwarth
16. Polwarth reflected on Scott’s deep ties to the city—both romantic and practical.
17. He shared a delightful anecdote about Scott supporting a municipal Gas Bill, revealing his interest in local governance.
18. Another charming letter from Scott showed his generous attitude toward literary criticism from Jeffrey of The Edinburgh Review.
19. Response to “The City of Edinburgh” – Lord Provost Sir William Sleigh
20. Sleigh thanked the Club and remarked that the evening should be remembered not for civic affairs but for Lord Birkenhead’s oration in honour of Scott.
21. “The Chairman” – Proposed by Lord Sands
22. Sands delivered a humorous and admiring toast to Lord Birkenhead, noting his many public roles: politician, barrister, statesman, and orator.
23. He jokingly suggested Birkenhead might one day argue that Waverley was written not by Walter Scott but by Lord Chancellor Eldon.
24. He affirmed Birkenhead’s fitness for his new position as Secretary of State for India, invoking Disraeli’s belief that “the key of India is London”.

Notable and Interesting Points

• Wolfe’s annotated Iliad lines and Nelson’s signal at Trafalgar are presented not just as historical footnotes but as symbols of the enduring martial spirit that Scott’s literature echoes.
• Scott’s domestic patriotism—as shown through his depiction of volunteer fervour in The Antiquary—was aligned with national military values, reinforcing how literature and heroism intertwine.
• The humour and humanity of Scott are glimpsed in anecdotes: running out of gas at a party at Abbotsford, or generously interpreting a critic’s lash as a gentle whip crack.
• The entire event was steeped in respectful affection for Scott, not merely as a writer, but as a moral exemplar, literary titan, and unifying cultural figure.

Download the [Subsidiary Toasts] to read in full.