Montreal Curling Club Centenary, 1907

Montreal Daily Star, 21 January 1907

Montreal Daily Star, 21 January 1907

Montreal Curling Club centenary!

Sir Walter Scott Centenary, Montreal, 1871

The account for the day is rather a disapointment.  Not because the celebration sounded boring or disastrous.  No, it is because of what plans seemed to have been afoot which were cancelled.  It was quite ambitious to rent out St. Helen’s Island and set up representations of his stories….. probably too ambitious, but it would have been interesting to see.

 

Montreal Daily Star

16 August 1871, page 1

 

One Century

 

The birthday of Sir Walter Scott- How it was celebrated by the Caledonian Society – Speeches & c- Last night.

 

The celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s greatest poet and the world’s first novelist, Sir Walter Scott, was held at the “Carleton” last evening.  The dining room was ornamented with the names of Scotland’s most gifted sons, Burns, Campbell, Argyl, McFie and others, and over the chairman’s head was displayed the motto of Sir Walter “Watch weel.”  The chair was taken at 8 o’clock by Mr. A Murray, President of the Caledonian Society, on his left was Professor Graham, of St. Francis College, and Lieut-Col. Fletcher on his right A.W. Ogilvie, President of the St. Andrew’s Society and Mr. Thomas White, jr.  The vice-chair was occupied by Mr. Thomas Symington supported by Col. A.A. Stephenson on his right.  The guests numbered about seventy-five, amongst whom were about fifteen or twenty ladies.  The dinner was served in excellent style and fully maintained the reputation which M~~in has for getting up entertainment in a superior manner.

            Mr. Murray in proposing the first toast took occasion to remark with reference to the celebration that it had been proposed to have got up a celebration in which the whole city might take part.  It had been planned as for ~~~ at last Fall to have St. Helen’s Island- “our island park” as the speaker happily called it- fitted up to represent some of Scott’s genius and to have a grand open air entertainment with fireworks & c, in the evening but

                        “The best laid plans of mice and men aft going ~~~~”

The island could not be had and so a new plan had to be found.  He spoke of the circumstances of the present meeting and referred with pride and pleasure to the proposed foundation of a Walter Scott Scholarship, and said that over $1000 had already been subscribed, and that with such an additional incentive to the diffusion of knowledge Montreal would ~~~~~~~ to look back on with pride ~~~~~~in connection with the Scott centenary.  He concluded by proposing the first toast of the evening, “The Queen” which was drunk in the usual enthusiastic manner, after which ~~~~~ Stevenson sang the National Anthem ~~~~ usual style.

            The chairman in proposing “The Prince of Wales and the Royal Family” pleasantly alluded to the expected visit of HRH The Princess Louise.

            Mr. Patterson sang “God Bless the Prince of Wales” very firmly.

            “The Army, Navy, and Volunteers” was responded to by Lt-Col. Fletcher on behalf of the army, Mr. Findlay for the Navy, and Col. Stevenson for the Volunteers, the latter gentleman also singing “The Red, the white and blue” in very good style.

            The chairman then proposed the toast of the evening “The memory of Sir Walter Scott,” which was drunk in profound silence.

            Professor Graham responded, paying a graceful and handsome tribute to the memory of “the Homer of Scotland”.  He divided his literary life into three decades, taking first from 1800 to 1810, when “the lay of the last minstrel,” “Marmion,” and “the Lady of the Lake” appeared and stamped Scott at once as a poet.  The next decade to 1820 witnessed some of his prose successes, that being the period when “the Great Unknown” began to shine, and everyone both high and low was charmed with the wonderful tales he was weaving.  From 1820 to 1832 when Sir Walter Scott died, was the darkest portion of his life that being clouded by financial difficulties caused by the failure of his publishing house, and from which he only freed himself at the expense of his life, fairly working himself to death.  He reviewed Scott’s early life and attributed much of his greatness to his mother’s gentle training; and several years’ residence among the wilds of Roxboroughshire, where that deep inspiration of Mythology had been imbibed which stamped Scott as the Columbus of the border poetry.  The speaker made copious quotations  from Scott’s works both poetry and prose, giving several selections from “Marmion” amongst them

            “Oh! Woman, in hours of ease

            Uncertain, vain and hard to please;

            And variable as the shade

            By the light quivering sepen made,

            When pain and anguish wring the brow,

            A ~~~~~ angel then.”

He also read the interview between Jennie Dean and Queen Caroline and paid a high compliment to Scott for the purity and beauty of his fen~~~~ conceptions.  After referring pleasantly to Abbotsford, the speaker concluded with the well-known quotation from Marmion.

            “To each and all a fair good-night

            And pleasant dream and slumber slight!”

The professor was frequently applauded and the apologies he made before commencing were quite unnecessary.

            Col. Stevenson proposed “the poets of Scotland” complying with it the name of D’Arcy McGee.  The toast was responded to by Mr. James Riddel, who gave a resume of the progress of Scottish poetry from the days of Thmas the Rhymer; unfortunately the greater portion of his address was almost inaudible.

            In reply to the toast “Canada our Home” proposed by Mr WJ Patterson, Mr. Thomas White, jr, of the Gazette, made a very eloquent speech, which was frequently interrupted by bursts of applause.  He reviewed the prosperity of Canada dating from the birth of Scott in 1771, when Canada had a population of less than 100 000, until the present time when it boasts of four million and a quarter.

            “Our guests,” “Our sister societies” which was responded to by Mr. Ogilvie, “The Ladies,” and “the press” were similarly proposed and suitably responded to, after which, at about 11 o’clock, the party adjourned to the ball-room, when dancing was commenced and kept up until a late hour this morning.

Sir Walter Scott, Montreal, 1871

Not much was said about the celebration of Scott’s centenary.  This was the first mention I could find that anything was even organised for him.  This was a bit of a surprise because Scott was used heavily by Montreal Scots as a symbol of Scottishness in their other celebrations.  Even the Caledonian Society, heavily into Burns, was raising money at this time for a Scott bursary for McGill University.

Montreal Herald

15 August 1871, page 3

 

This day one hundred years ago Walter Scott, afterwards, Sir Walter Scott, was born.  The event which gave to the world  an author than whom, since Shakespeare, none have had so much influence on English literature, took place in a dwelling at the head of the College Wynd, Edinburgh; the house has long since been pulled down to make room for a new street.  We have no space to go into any lengthened account of the great man’s life- has not the Press placed his life and works within the reach of the poorest?- suffice it to say that to-day his memory will be celebrated the world over, and, we think by, none more heartlily than by Auld Scotia’s sons and daughters in this city of Montreal.

Scott Centenary, Montreal, 1871

Sir Walter Scott turned 100, and the Scots in the city of Montreal decided to host an event to honour him.  Unlike the Burns Centenary in 1859, the celebrations were actually rather modest.  It was a small party, with little advertising before the event to let the interested know it was going on.   The coverage was also quite slim!

 

Montreal Daily Star

12 August 1871, page 4

 

The Scott Centenary

 

The arrangements which have been completed for the Scott celebration at the Carlton by the Caledonia Society on the 15^th inst., reflect great credit on the Committee, and promises to result in a most thoroughly enjoyable evening to the participants.  Tickets for fifty couple have been disposed of, and the subscription list is closed, that being the full number.  Beside the dinner there will be a ball, Renaud’s quadrille band furnishing the music.  One of the chief features of the evening will be the singing of a couple of Sir Walter’s songs by distinguished amateurs.  The toast of the evening will be responded to by Professor Graham, of St. Francis College.

Montreal Gazette

15 August 1871, page 2

 

Sir Walter Scott

 

To-day, August the 15^th, is held in honour on both sides of the Atlantic as the hundredth anniversary of the birthday of Sir Walter Scott.  Just a hundred years ago to day, that great man, “the eponymous hero of Scotland” first saw the light in Edinburgh.  And there is good reason that his birth should be reverentially called to remembrance.  It has been the lot of few, very few, of the world’s greatest men to accomplish so much for the literature as he did.  His genius and industry- and industry is the invaluable accomplishment and complement of genius were extraordinary.  Whether we regard him as a poet, a romanticist, an historian, or a biographer, we cannot but yield our tribute of admiration to the comprehensiveness of his talents, the vastness of his acquirements, the graces of his style, and his wonderful capacity for continuous work.  No man of his time, not many of any time had so many of the qualities and in the same degree, which ensure literary success.   He was well  named “the Wizard of the North”, for his prolific creativeness and versatility were truly marvelous.  As a poet, he took from the first a high rank; at one time he had no worthy competitor, and thought he himself ~~~~~ from competition with the sometime popular idol who ~~~plauded him, there in his poems, a breadth of human sympathy, a glow of healthy life and a patriotic ardour, which will endear them to the hearts of his countrymen, when Byron’s glorious misanthropy shall have ceased to delight.  But there is no need on this occasion to constast the object of our veneration with his great poetic contemporaries.  Our hearts are large enough to give due homage to them all, and there is no fear that, while we do so, Sir Walter Scott will suffer any injustice.  For he was undoubtedly a great poet, and in the cultivation f his own inheritance on ~~~~~he nobly did his duty.  It would be well, indeed, if his bold and manly objectiveness but more imitators than it has in the present day, when a moody and often unintelligible ~~~~~~~ess has become fashionable.  After the gloomy horrors of spiritual dejection regards the imagination of their readers, here is something bracing and . . . .

 

Montreal Herald

15 August 1871, page 3

 

This day one hundred years ago Walter Scott, afterwards, Sir Walter Scott, was born.  The event which gave to the world  an author than whom, since Shakespeare, none have had so much influence on English literature, took place in a dwelling at the head of the College Wynd, Edinburgh; the house has long since been pulled down to make room for a new street.  We have no space to go into any lengthened account of the great man’s life- has not the Press placed his life and works within the reach of the poorest?- suffice it to say that to-day his memory will be celebrated the world over, and, we think by, none more heartlily than by Auld Scotia’s sons and daughters in this city of Montreal.

 

 

Montreal Daily Star

16 August 1871, page 1

 

One Century

 

The birthday of Sir Walter Scott- How it was celebrated by the Caledonian Society – Speeches & c- Last night.

 

The celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s greatest poet and the world’s first novelist, Sir Walter Scott, was held at the “Carleton” last evening.  The dining room was ornamented with the names of Scotland’s most gifted sons, Burns, Campbell, Argyl, McFie and others, and over the chairman’s head was displayed the motto of Sir Walter “Watch weel.”  The chair was taken at 8 o’clock by Mr. A Murray, President of the Caledonian Society, on his left was Professor Graham, of St. Francis College, and Lieut-Col. Fletcher on his right A.W. Ogilvie, President of the St. Andrew’s Society and Mr. Thomas White, jr.  The vice-chair was occupied by Mr. Thomas Symington supported by Col. A.A. Stephenson on his right.  The guests numbered about seventy-five, amongst whom were about fifteen or twenty ladies.  The dinner was served in excellent style and fully maintained the reputation which M~~in has for getting up entertainment in a superior manner.

            Mr. Murray in proposing the first toast took occasion to remark with reference to the celebration that it had been proposed to have got up a celebration in which the whole city might take part.  It had been planned as for ~~~ at last Fall to have St. Helen’s Island- “our island park” as the speaker happily called it- fitted up to represent some of Scott’s genius and to have a grand open air entertainment with fireworks & c, in the evening but

                        “The best laid plans of mice and men aft going ~~~~”

The island could not be had and so a new plan had to be found.  He spoke of the circumstances of the present meeting and referred with pride and pleasure to the proposed foundation of a Walter Scott Scholarship, and said that over $1000 had already been subscribed, and that with such an additional incentive to the diffusion of knowledge Montreal would ~~~~~~~ to look back on with pride ~~~~~~in connection with the Scott centenary.  He concluded by proposing the first toast of the evening, “The Queen” which was drunk in the usual enthusiastic manner, after which ~~~~~ Stevenson sang the National Anthem ~~~~ usual style.

            The chairman in proposing “The Prince of Wales and the Royal Family” pleasantly alluded to the expected visit of HRH The Princess Louise.

            Mr. Patterson sang “God Bless the Prince of Wales” very firmly.

            “The Army, Navy, and Volunteers” was responded to by Lt-Col. Fletcher on behalf of the army, Mr. Findlay for the Navy, and Col. Stevenson for the Volunteers, the latter gentleman also singing “The Red, the white and blue” in very good style.

            The chairman then proposed the toast of the evening “The memory of Sir Walter Scott,” which was drunk in profound silence.

            Professor Graham responded, paying a graceful and handsome tribute to the memory of “the Homer of Scotland”.  He divided his literary life into three decades, taking first from 1800 to 1810, when “the lay of the last minstrel,” “Marmion,” and “the Lady of the Lake” appeared and stamped Scott at once as a poet.  The next decade to 1820 witnessed some of his prose successes, that being the period when “the Great Unknown” began to shine, and everyone both high and low was charmed with the wonderful tales he was weaving.  From 1820 to 1832 when Sir Walter Scott died, was the darkest portion of his life that being clouded by financial difficulties caused by the failure of his publishing house, and from which he only freed himself at the expense of his life, fairly working himself to death.  He reviewed Scott’s early life and attributed much of his greatness to his mother’s gentle training; and several years’ residence among the wilds of Roxboroughshire, where that deep inspiration of Mythology had been imbibed which stamped Scott as the Columbus of the border poetry.  The speaker made copious quotations  from Scott’s works both poetry and prose, giving several selections from “Marmion” amongst them

            “Oh! Woman, in hours of ease

            Uncertain, vain and hard to please;

            And variable as the shade

            By the light quivering sepen made,

            When pain and anguish wring the brow,

            A ~~~~~ angel then.”

He also read the interview between Jennie Dean and Queen Caroline and paid a high compliment to Scott for the purity and beauty of his fen~~~~ conceptions.  After referring pleasantly to Abbotsford, the speaker concluded with the well-known quotation from Marmion.

            “To each and all a fair good-night

            And pleasant dream and slumber slight!”

The professor was frequently applauded and the apologies he made before commencing were quite unnecessary.

            Col. Stevenson proposed “the poets of Scotland” complying with it the name of D’Arcy McGee.  The toast was responded to by Mr. James Riddel, who gave a resume of the progress of Scottish poetry from the days of Thmas the Rhymer; unfortunately the greater portion of his address was almost inaudible.

            In reply to the toast “Canada our Home” proposed by Mr WJ Patterson, Mr. Thomas White, jr, of the Gazette, made a very eloquent speech, which was frequently interrupted by bursts of applause.  He reviewed the prosperity of Canada dating from the birth of Scott in 1771, when Canada had a population of less than 100 000, until the present time when it boasts of four million and a quarter.

            “Our guests,” “Our sister societies” which was responded to by Mr. Ogilvie, “The Ladies,” and “the press” were similarly proposed and suitably responded to, after which, at about 11 o’clock, the party adjourned to the ball-room, when dancing was commenced and kept up until a late hour this morning.