MARK TWAIN ON SCOTLAND.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 267, 18 April 1874, Page 4

MARK TWAIN ON SCOTLAND.

On Saturday night the St. Andrew's Society of London held a festival at, the Salutation Tavern, Newgate-street," when upwards of "100 gentlemen sat down to dinner under the presidency of Mr. Tom Hood. One ,of the guests of the evening was Mr. Clempns, better known under the nom de plume of' Mark Twain. The Chairman gave the toast of the' evening in appropriate terms, and Mark Twain, in the coarse of his reply to the toast of " the Guests," said : I feel singularly at, home in this Scottish society. I have spent so much,time in Scotland that .everything connected.with Scotland is familiar to me. Last summer i passed five weeks in that magnificent city ■ Edinburgh, resting. I needed rest, and I'did'rest. 1 did hot, know Anybody. T did not take any letters of introduction at all., I simply rested and enjoyed myself., From .my experience of the Scotch, everything belonging to 'them is familiar, the language, the , peculiararities of expression;'. 'even" the technical things that are national, are simple household words with me. I remember when in Edinburgh I,was nearly 'always taken for a., Scotchman: Oh yes! (Laughter.) I had .my clothes some part colored tartan, and 1 ' I rather enjoyed being taken for a Scotchman. ' I stuck a big, feather in my cap, too, and the people would follow nie for miles. They thought I was a Highlander, and some of the best judges in Scotland said they had never seen a Highland 'costume like mine.' What's more, one of the judges fined, me for wearing it—out of mere envy, I suppose. (Laughter.) But any man may have a xi6bl9/good time in Scotland if they .only think he's a native (Laughter.) .Forbreakfast you may have oatmeal poultice —I beg pardon, I mean porridge. (Laughter.) Then for dinner you may have fine' Scotch game—the blackcock, the spatch-' cock, the woodcock, the moorcock. I havesimply to return you my acknowledgements, and to apologise for not being able to make a speech, but give me fair play, and certainly I can make a speech that will astonish anybody, and nobody more than myself. (Laughter.) My present position is a national one, if I may be regarded as representing the United State's of.America.- On thWside of,the Atlantic there are 40 '.millions of people. They, may be respectable, .and 1 will say in conclusion, that I do hope '-a brother American" will soon cease to be simply a phrase meaning nothing, but will bye and bye become a reality'vvhen the people of Great', Britain and the citizens of America will be brethren indeed. ' (Cheers.)