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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 80

Thrift and Independence

Thrift and Independence

And, my Lord Provost, I regard that as the greatest blessing resulting out of thrift—lndependence of character. Whether Scottish pride arises out of Scottish thrift, or whether Scottish page 11 thrift arises out of Scottish pride, I really cannot decide, but they are closely intertwined, so closely that you cannot perhaps separate them; but at any rate the combination produces the character which has governed the country, (Applause,) Again when we talk of thrift producing character, we are at a loss to know whether it is not thrift that is a sign of character. Thrift implies care, foresight, tenderness for those dependent on you. Whether these qualities produce thrift, or whether they are produced by thrift, I will not venture to say; but at any rate of this I am certain, that they are inseparably intertwined. You remember what the last words were of Oliver Goldsmith, one of the greatest geniuses that ever lived in this island. You remember he wrote The Vicar of Wakefield, if I remember aright—that masterpiece which has survived so many masterpieces—to pay off a creditor, his landlady or another,—for he was always in financial difficulties,—and when he lay dying, some one said to him, 'Is your mind at ease?' and he replied, 'No, it is not.' These were his last recorded words. You may be sure that if he had united genius to thrift, his last words would have been something very different.