Read the text of his address here in the [bulletin] >  [transcript]

>> [Funeral Service and Obituary]

Summary of the Speech:

His speech, titled "Travelling in an Uncouth Land," reflected on Scott’s engagement with history, progress, and change, drawing comparisons between Scott’s era and contemporary Scotland.

1. Scott and the Modern Scotland

• Campbell began by reflecting on his tour of the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood, describing its mix of old and new—symbolic of Scotland’s evolving identity.
• He speculated that Scott would have admired the ambition behind the Parliament but also appreciated the challenges of progress, much as he did in his own time.

2. Scott’s Relationship with Change

• Scott lived through immense upheaval: the French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, Jacobite Rebellions, and the Industrial Revolution.
• Despite being a Tory with aristocratic sympathies, Scott was deeply fascinated by social change and captured both progress and nostalgia in his works.
• As David Daiches noted, Scott welcomed progress (gas lighting, railways) but mourned the loss of Scotland’s older social structures.

3. Scott’s Literary Greatness

• Scott was known for his ability to portray ordinary people, not just aristocrats. Though he opposed radical political reform, his novels gave dignity to working-class characters.
• His heroes are often passive observers, caught between old and new worlds, such as:

-- Edward Waverley in Waverley (caught in the 1745 rebellion)

-- Darsie Latimer and Alan Fairford in Redgauntlet (caught in a fictional Jacobite plot)

-- Jeanie Deans in The Heart of Midlothian (struggling between past faith and modern justice).

4. The Pain of Progress: A Scottish Dilemma

• Scott often depicted moments where Scots had to choose between tradition and progress, such as:

-- The end of the Jacobite dream (Redgauntlet).

-- The decline of old Highland clan loyalty (Waverley).

-- The clash between mysticism and modern law (Wandering Willie’s Tale from Redgauntlet).

• The final chapter of Waverley encapsulates Scott’s view of history: Scotland has changed completely in 50 years, yet people barely notice until they look back.

5. The 1822 Royal Visit & Theatrical Scotland

• Scott orchestrated King George IV’s visit to Scotland in 1822, which:

-- Revived Scottish national identity but in a somewhat artificial way.

-- Encouraged a romanticized version of Scotland (tartans, kilts, pageantry).

-- Was criticized by figures like Carlyle, who saw it as superficial.

• Scott understood that history is as much about storytelling as fact—and this remains a defining characteristic of Scotland’s self-image.

6. The Ultimate Political Realism:  Redgauntlet

• Campbell highlighted the fictional Jacobite rebellion in Redgauntlet, where:

--Prince Charles Stuart returns to lead one final, doomed attempt.

--General Campbell (symbolizing modernity) tells the rebels, “This will be remembered against no one.”
→ Meaning: Scotland must move on from the past.

--Redgauntlet’s despairing cry, “Then, gentlemen, the cause is lost forever,” marks the symbolic end of old Scotland.

7. Scott’s Legacy

• Despite his Tory views, Scott’s work has endured because it reflects universal struggles: duty, loyalty, modernity vs. tradition.
• Scott understood that Scotland’s identity was constantly shifting, and his novels help us understand change itself.

Interesting Points in the Speech:

1. Scott’s Complex Political Stance – Though a Unionist Tory, he sympathized with the old Scotland that was fading away.
2. Parallel Between Holyrood and Scott – The new Scottish Parliament’s mix of tradition and modernity mirrors the dilemmas Scott wrote about.
3. Scott as a Technophile – Campbell humorously imagined Scott with a word processor, writing at an even more furious pace!
4. Jacobitism as a Mythology – Redgauntlet explores the emotional pull of lost causes, but also the inevitability of political reality.
5. Final Scene of Redgauntlet – General Campbell’s pragmatism over heroism reflects Scotland’s ultimate choice to embrace modernity.

Conclusion:

Campbell’s toast emphasized Scott’s genius in capturing Scotland’s shifting identity, making his works relevant even today. Scott’s ability to see both the nobility of tradition and the necessity of change makes him a timeless guide through Scotland’s history and future.

The toast ended with a call to celebrate Scott not just as a literary figure but as a guide to understanding how nations evolve—a better guide than a stranger in an uncouth land.

Read the text of his address here in the [bulletin] > [transcript]

>> [Funeral Service and Obituary]

Image source: The Edinburgh Sir Walter Scott Club 2004 Annual Bulletin



Dame Jean served on the Council of the Club for 11 years. (1961-1963, 1969-1972, 1977-1980 and 1999-2002)