THE LATE PROFESSOR BLACKIE.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8176, 7 May 1895, Page 1

THE LATE PROFESSOR BLACKIE.

(Scotsman.) . Thouch roconb reports as to tho gravo illness of Pr. fossor John Stuart B.ackio will have no doubt prepared tho public for the. news of his death, tho intimation that ho passed away on Saturday morning at his rosidonco, 9 Douglas Crescent, Ed in burgh, will bo received with no ordinary footings of regret. Tho illness which finally carried him off commenced in tho spring of last year, when he was taken quite suddenly with an attack of cardiac asthma. The attacks repeated themselves occasionally, but tho Professor was able to go out for his usual walk ovory day. When ho went to Pitlochry in July, accompanied by his nophow, Dr Stodarb Walker, his condition improved greatly, and amongst other func ions ho opened tho annual exhibition of the Horticul ural Society at Pitlochry. Tliis was tho last public occasion on which ho took tho loading p.irt. At Pitlochry ho had a reunion with his old friend Mr Gladstone. On returning to Edinburgh ho was so much bettor that ho overtaxed his strength again, with the re-ult that tho attacks returned. Dr Stodart Walker called in Dr Georgo Balfour for consultation, with tho result that enforced nat was enjoined. During tho winter tho Professor had no renowal of tho attacks, but lr.s strength gradually failed. Jlo, however, rose daily, and lay on a sofa, from which at first he wrote, and latterly dictated lottors ui.d artichs. Ho maintained his mental faculties absolutely unimpaired to almost tho very end, his hearing and sight also being potfoct. To tho end ho took an interest in all that was going on around him, and amongst tho last of tho books that ho read woro Froudo'a "Erasmus" and "Beside tho Bonnie Brier Bu-h," tho author of which was one of tho la^t to soj him. Amongst 0 her interests which ho maintained to tho last was his interest in the stage, and duiiug tho winter most of tho 10-iding ac oi s and actresses cal'ed to t-oo him, amongst them his old fiiend Mr Henry Irving. About a week ago grave symptoms developed tluimolves, and tin so becamo intonsifnd from day to diy. Even as lato as Thursday last ho had die t.itcd a portion of an article on Erasmus, which ho proposed publishing. Onco ho was heard repeating to himself some favorite passages from Burns, and ho asked his nephew whether ho thought tho national bard lived in tho hearts of tho people. About midday on F.iday helapsed into a semi-conscious state. Ho remained in this condition throughout Friday night, and ho passed away quito peacefully at a quarter to ten o'clock on S.iturd.iy in prosonco of Mrs Blackie, Mrs Stodarb Walker, his sister ; and his nophow, Dr Stodart Walker. His death removes tho most charactoristic Scotsman of our time. It is not too much to say that ho made a figure in our generation which was altogether unique, A delightful poet and singer, ho had a shrewd eyo for business ; and when an idoa took possession of him no opposition deterred him from following it to its practical end. An untiring controversialist, ho was tho mest lovablo of men. Erratic often, and sometimes nonsensical, in his public declamations, nono was more sane or logical when ho wielded the pen. Patriotic almost to a fault, nono appiooiatcd more clearly tho virtues of oher nations, or was more unsparing of tho weaknesses of his own countrymou. Poet and publicist, bcholar and tnachor, patriot and philosopher, ho was A man so varied that ho scorned to ba Not one, but all mankind's epitome. Scotland will doubtless never lack her sharo of notable men. Wo cinnot imagino a timo when sho will not hive her Stovcnsons, her Aytouus, her Wilsons, hor Jeffreys, and oven hor Ch.ilmura, should tho occasion ariso ; but imagination collapses whon it tries to picture another Blackio. Born in Glasgow, of Border blood, in 1805), tho son of a bank agent, John Stuart Blackio's onrlier years cover tho greater part of tho period which woa-o wont to look upon as tho Golden Aijo of Scottish litera'uro. When ho fust saw tho light Scott had 22 years of lifo in him. Whon ho went to tho Univeisity Carlylo was beginning to bo u great name. 110 was still a young man while Thomas Campbell, James Hogaf, Jeffrey, Cockburn, and Chalmers were in their prime, so that his death removes one of tho fow remaining links which connect our dny with that of tho literary giants of tho first half of our century. When ho w.»a llneo years old his father got a post as b.\nk a«ont at Abcrbten, i»nd there young Blackio wont to wliab ho called a wellconducted private school, whore ho wont through " tho regular processes of grammatical und other diill," though ho was "never taught to uso his eyes on anything bub gioy books." He was, howover, as he adds, " a very sober, sensiblo, well-behaved creature," and he early acquired a mastery over Latin by dint of making a living appropriation of neces* s<ry words and idioms, and flinging thorn about audibly. This was a method of learning languages on which ho ovet afterwards insisted ; and it is interesting to go with some detail into these oarly notices, becau^o if over there was a oaso in which the child was father of tho nun, Blackio's was one of them. In tho midst of tho distractions of a busy lifo Professor Blackio never forgot his beloved Highlands. When tho railway to Oban brought in the jorry builder with his "stone and limo lutloositios," the Professor i-hook tho dust off his foot against iho town, quitted it for over, and recanted all tho poetry ho had wiitton about it. Then ho tunnel his stops to Kingusssie, and in Badenoch, tint romantic land of mountain, glen, and wood, he felt his poetic muse stirred to frosh efforts. But Edinburgh whs his home, and it is as ho trod its stroets in those later days that his memory will bo fondly cherished. Picture him walking down Princes-street, with lirm step and alert carriage ; tho figure straight as an arrow ; tho cluse black ourtout falling down to tho knees of his wido hhophcrd tartan trousers j tho dark plaid loosuly crossed over his shoulder oarolessly hold with tho lefi hand, while tho right grasped tho famous "kail runt ;" tho clear cut Grecian faco overshadowed by a broad brimmed soft felt hat, from beneath : which his silver white hair escaped in <* flood ovor his shoulders, and as he passed along swinging his stick, and crooning like a bagpipe, the most unobservant folt that here was an or ginal. THK OUEAT BLACKIE BT.OHY. Many are the stories that are told of the quiok wit of the venerable Professor, and, as usual, not a few are fathered upon him that belonged nob to him. One story there was that was par excellrnca tho " Blackio " anecdoto among students. This is how it was told to me oa my first entry into the RCftdemig grovo, by uuo who gavo mo the impression— but Jt will UPt do him tho wrong of suggesting thub |}q fUfiultoly tt(tted«*tbßi lie \m lvta

noB9od tho incidont. Thoro are oretain days in tho student year when a holiday is declared. On ono such occasion tho Professor, arriving oarly at tho classroom, entered before tho class had assembled and wro'o in chalk on tho black-board tho words : THE CLASSES WILL NOT MEET TO-MORROW, tfo ih n retired to his privato room. Tho moil assembled and wiled away the few minutes prior to the Professor's ontry by tho usual songs. But ono wag, struck with a happy qhought, skipped up to tho pla form and rubbed out tho " 0 of tho word "classes" loaving tho scroll to read thus : TIIK LASSES WILL NOT MEET TO-MOUUOW. Roars of laughter greeted ' his stroke of student humor, and in a few seconds tho whole class settled down to await tho arrival of tho Professor. Tho door oa tho platform opened, and tho Professor appeared. This was the signal for ati outburst of hilarity that literally shook tho windows in their frames. Tho Professor stared in astonishment at the class, standing there in front of the blackboard, with his back towards it, a spectacle of bl.mk amazement. Tho laughter grow deeper and louder as his hand wandered nervously towards his necktie and over his silver hair, as if to inquire whether his personal appearance could explain this demonstration. But no, his dress and all woro quito as usual. On a sudden ho wheeled round, and his eye caught the alteration in ttio notico on tho blackboard. Almost as quick as thought tho agile Professor peized tho duster, and striking out anothor letter left tho notice to road as follows : THE (ASSES WILL NOT MEET TO-MORROW.