Correspondence
A LETTER FROM EDINBURGH. [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—The result of the Glasgow Rectorial election, in which the Prime Minister was nearly beaten by ME. It: B. Cunning- hame Graham, compelled everyone to recognize that there is a new party in Scotland. The Nationalists base their claim to be heard on two main points. First, they emphasize the con- fusion and delay inherent in the present system, under which urgent Scottish measures are held up literally for years owing to the congestion Of bUsinesS at. Westminster. Secondly, they believe that the existence of Seotland as a nation; and the • survival of the national type of 'character, are in danger. Others share this fear with them ; it was not an actual member of the new party who said the other day that " when he
• thought about Scotland, he felt like a child watching beside the death-bed of his parent."
The Nationalist remedy is a programme: also consisting of two points : a Parliament sitting in Edinburgh, and the re- construction of Scotland. Two of the older parties accept the -principle of Home Rule, biit neither will put it before everything else ; the Nationalist Movement, which includes men of all three parties, hits as its Only shibboleth, " Scotland first." It seems to be assumed ,that a StOttish Parliament could deal with housing and unemployment in an almost summary fashion, btit• 41 fact Nationalist speakers and writers are less successful in -handling detail than in the appeal to sentiment and tradition. For instance, they invite us to com- - pare the per capita taxation of Scotland with that of other countries, but an atmosphere of unreality envelops the dis- CuSsion when wa nOtice that the-rest of the:Empire and also Anaericii, 'Franee, Germany, Italy, and Russia are excluded from the comparison. This is not the way to convince a cautious and sceptical people not easily stampeded by rhetoric. The National Party .does not, as a .matter_ of fact, aim pri- marily at securing a small representation at Westminster. Their chief object- is to bring their views before the widest possible public, in the firm belief that when the facts are known and faced they "mist' inevitably " sweep Seotland." It is difficult 'to estimate how'deep airimpression has already been made. Eloquent Nationalist speakers tell us that all over the world exiled Scotsmen are asking one another, " Is. it true the heather's gone on fire ? " In the Edinburgh district, at, any rate, the success attained does not seem to justify quite so
vigorous a metaphor. _ Meanwhile, Edinburgh shows little sign of the decadence
which the Nationalists 'deplore. The concert season, for example, is proving as successful as ever. The Reid Orchestra, the Historical Concerts (devoted this year. to a - survey . of Haydn's String Quartet), and the Sunday Evening Concerts are being increasingly appreciated ; over these activities hovers the guiding and inspiring genius of Professor Tovey. His long-promised opera, " The Bride of Dionysus," is to be produced here in March. The Scottish Orchestra have as con- ductors for the season Messrs. Golschmann, Van Raalte, and Albert Coates. The principal external event was the visit of the Klingler String Quartet. The musical public of Edinburgh is not large (you see almost the same audience at every concert) but it is appreciative and alive. -The Society of Eight is holding its seventeenth exhibition
in the New Gallery, and as usual there is much that is *interest- ing. Mr. P. W. Adam's " Lower Signet Hall " is a fine example of this artist's work, while in "A Summer Sea" the problem of the conjunction of two widely differing distances is ably handled. Sir John Lavery is showing three pictures only. That of Mr. Shaw in his study is hardly successful ; the emphasis is scattered over a variety of objects, producing a blotchy effect, and Mr. Shaw is (for once) an inconspicuous detail in the assem- blage. The portrait of Sir James Barrie is better, but more attractive examples of the artist's later work can be seen, for example, at the Iinperial War Museum. Perhaps the best of Mr. James Paterson's pictures is " Near Edinburgh, • from the North," which contrasts a wide sunlit sky with the sombre shadow enveloping the city, while " Greenwich Pier," by the same artist, is one of the most pleasing water colours in the exhibition.
Next summer Edinburgh University is to open a hostel, to accommodate a Warden and about a hundred and twenty undergraduates. The experiment has a certain significance, for hitherto the UniVersity has made no attempt to supervise lodgings for men students ; it is represented on the com- mittee which controls the women's hostels, but apart from this it has been content to teach and examine its alumni without caring for their bodily needs. It is interesting to speculate on the possible outcome of this comparatively small beginning. Will Edinburgh become eventually a resident University on the lines of Oxford and Cambridge ? Certainly if the hostel is successful a wide extension of the new system
• will he demanded, for the existing arrangement is far from satisfactory. Perhaps others will follow the example of the generous benefactor who has made this undertaking possible ; the University itself, too, now that the first step has been taken, may become a little less lavish in adding to its labora- tories and lecture-rooms, and so be able to help forward the new scheme even without external assistance. The new Chemical Laboratories have cost £200,000, and expenditure on this scale is more truly remunerative if it widens the scope of University life than if it is concentrated merely on technical equipment. The new Professor of Greek, Mr. A. W. Pickard-Cambridge,
delivered his inaugural address on January 8th. Although these occasions are often merely formal and sparsely attended, a large company was present, and was rewarded with a most thoughtful and interesting speech. Edinburgh, in fact, was confirmed in its opinion that it had chosen well.
Scotland gained a narrow victory over France at Murrayfield and was perhaps a little lucky to do so. No member of the home team added to his reputation, and several times it looked as though the brilliant individualism of the Frenchmen would bring them through. (The less said about the Welsh match the better.) Better form will be needed when the " auld enemy " comes North in' March, but there is encouragement in the thought that France" is alinost always successful in preventing her opponents from settling down to their usual game, and that the Scottish players often produce their best form on the greatest occasions.—I am, Sir, &e.,
YOUR EDINBURGH CORRESPONDENT.
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