NATIONAL CHARACTER

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1003, 19 December 1910, Page 8

NATIONAL CHARACTER

—4 MR. HALDANE ON CELT, SAXON, AND SCOT. • * FUNCTION OF THE CELTIC FRINGE Mr. Haldane, the Minister for War, visited Aberystwyth, and delivered the inaugural address of tho new session to tho students of the, University College of Wales. Mr. Haldane, who was vociferously cheered by the students, entitled his address, "The Soul of a People." He said the people of Wales and Lowland Scotland, differing profoundly iu other /respects, appeared to possess a characteristic in common —they were both of an idealistic cast of mind. Wales had the gift of imagination, enabling her to strike out some distinctive lines for herself in higher education and religion. They were not easily daunted with difficulties, and they acted together with an enthusiasm which penetrated to tho humblest classes of the community. In the soul of her people was a firo moro Celtic than Saxon. Lowland Scotsmen were also at heart idealist, but their temperament was reflective rather than imaginative. They moved easily in the current of abstract discussion, and were tenacious of intellectual purpose. As to tho peoplo of Ireland, wo studied them too little to appreciate properly' what the British nation had owed, and to-day owed, to the Irish strain of Celtic blood. • (Applause.) The Welsh, Irish, and Scots had this in common, that in different ways they had much to complain of in tho attitude towards them of the English, but he most genuinely admired this dominant race oven in this Philistinism. (Laugh- ' ter and applause.) They were worse at organising for tho fulfilment of definite ends beyond those of tho moment than almost any of their rivals, and yet they held their own in tho world, and he saw no in- [ dication that they wero in the least degree failing to hold it. (Applause.) They wero almost always late in- coming on to the- ground—(laughter)—but when they did come they set to work silently and with courage, they proceeded with marvellous initiative to repair their error of .omission, and they dropped their practice of saying depressing things about themselves and their institutions until they saw themselves again on top. (Laughter and applause.)

When a new invention like tho submarine or the motor came to light, the Englishman was usually, behind a few years, and lie had not only taken care of himself in the meantime, but ho was generally leading in the end. As it was with'theso inventions, so he suspected it would prove to bo with aircraft. (Applause.) Having at present charge, said Mr. Haldane, with some part of the endeavour to seo that wo got up with other, nations in matters of science applied to defence, I have had experience of what happens when tho British people are exhorted to make efforts in times of tranquillity. The reply is invariable, that the ono thing needful is for the Government to spend the taxes plentifully and to damn tho differential calculus emphatically. (Laughter.) Yet this very people, when it was caught unprepared and threatened with defeat a few years ago in South Afiica, calm, ly put its . shoulder to the wheel, and without :a. groan set itself to get through a situation which would have appalled a nation with a more nervous temperament. . (Applause.) Well) the English arc good partners for you Welshmen, and for us Lowland Scots "in our common business enterprise. All wo need ask of them is to leave us to manage our purely domestic affairs and to conduct our purely domestic affairs and family worship in our own fashion.' (Applause.) They are on these conditions valuable comradcs, and let us remember that they go on periodically producing from among themselves individualities of very great power, individualities that can only spring from a very great race. (Applause.) Tho real question is how in this remarkable partnership we may best help each other through the medium of our spe-. cial aptitudes, and develop not only the partnership, but ourselves. The Englishman is short of ideals— (laughter)—moro than of.anything else, and it is just ideals that wo two races in our different fashions can put into the common stock. (Applause.) By ideals I mean large permeating ideas, ideas such as have been tho origin of tho remarkablo power which the Welsh and Scottish Universities are showing to-day, of penetrating the people round them, with tho influence of the. higher learning. (Applause.)' The development of tho true spirit of the University among a people was a pretty good measure of the development of its soul and consequently of its civilisation. No one in our time could, accomplish the production of any solid contribution to the common stock of ideas unless lie was prepared to devote years to prepare himself and his own soul to the work which would be his chief interest and his chief amusement. Diversions had better not be loved until they became ends in themselves. Life was short, and thero was too much to be- got into it if it was to be fully lived to admit of anything being made its chief end consciously or unconsciously, except that which weighed most when'nut into the ultimate balauce. (Applause.)