that, when some time ago it was proposed to put a question in regard to the vernacular in the Leaving Certificate Examination, the idea had to be abandoned because of a representation that it would be unfair to so many pupils who had had no opportunity of acquiring the necessary knowledge. He thought he stated the truth when he said that public opinion only needed to be stimulated a little further in order to win success. The majority of the Inspectors, if not all, were favourable, and he should like to make one practical suggestion to the Scottish Education Department. Some eighteen years ago a clause was inserted in a Departmental memorandum on the teaching of English, which read as follows:

The general problem, then, is to increase the child's knowledge of English by getting him to listen and to read, and his command of it by getting him to speak and to write. But the second of these processes must wait on the first, for children always understand more words than they use. This obvious truth has a peculiar force in its application to the teaching of English in Scotland. The mother-tongue of most Lowland children is so like English that they can understand simple-spoken English to some extent when they enter school, though they cannot use it freely. Yet Lowland Scots, being historically a national language, possessing a literature to which the children will be introduced some day, is not to be treated like a provincial dialect. The teacher should not discourage its use by the children in those familiar talks through which he seeks to give them confidence, nor hesitate to use it himself when English fails as a means of communication. His suggestion was that that clause, redrafted in such a way as to cover the whole field of elementary instruction in the Scottish vernacular and made more definite, should be sent out by the Department to the Scottish Education Authorities. In all parts of Scotland there were teachers who would welcome the lead, and he was

not without hope that in due course it would be given. It was almost unnecessary to add that the Burns Federation, as a Federation, would give such a step the most cordial support. To its industry was due in large measure the foundation of the Chair of Scottish History and Literature in Glasgow University, a Chair which the occupant, Professor Rait, had made a powerful means of instruction in the vernacular to senior students, many of whom went into the teaching profession. The Scottish Text Society was also doing invaluable work towards the same end, not only by editing and publishing interesting old vernacular texts, but in giving prizes to university students. They desired, however, to reach the pupils in the elementary and secondary schools, and it was primarily in their interests that the Burns Federation had taken up this work. And they were receiving much encouragement. Within these last few days he had received several letters which he asked permission to read.

FROM THE EARL OF ROSEBERY.

I am glad to hear that you are going to preach the doctrine of teaching the Scottish vernacular in Scottish schools. It would be a thousand pities. if this grand old dialect were to die out, and I wish you all success.

FROM SIR DONALD MACALISTER, BART.

The Burns Federation and the people of the West a dozen years ago founded in the University of Glasgow a Chair of Scottish History and Literature. The purpose was not only to promote study and research in these subjects of national interest, but to insure that the teachers in our national schools should themselves be taught their value and significance as an instrument of national education. The purpose will be frustrated if a knowledge of the vernacular language, in which so essential a part of the history and literature is embodied, should be denied to the pupils of the

future. National education will be impoverished if our youth thus came to miss their inheritance of a distinctive and inspiring national tradition, and if the Scottish language, history, and literature became subjects only for the antiquarian scholar. Let us then enrich the popular culture of Scotland by giving the Scottish children free access to our vernacular treasures.

FROM PROFESSOR R. S. RAIT, LL.D.

Thirty-eight years ago R. L. Stevenson wrote in the preface to Underwoods, "The day draws near when this illustrious and malleable tongue shall be quite forgotten, and Burns's Ayrshire and Dr. MacDonald's Aberdeen awa' and Scott's brave metropolitan utterance will be all equally the ghosts of speech." The fulfilment of the prophecy was then accepted, I think, as inevitable. We do not think so to-day, and this in itself is a great advance. We have come to believe that what Stevenson called our own dying language ought to be preserved, and can be preserved, from the oblivion which comes of neglect. There is a farther and a larger step to take that of achieving what we know to be possible, and the duty falls upon this generation. In the next it may be too late.

FROM PROFESSOR W. A. CRAIGIE, LL.D.

The more that I learn of what is being done in other countries in which the native language had been allowed to fall into disuse, and the more that I see of what has already been achieved by the work of talented writers on the one hand and the effects of education on the other, the more I am surprised at the indifference with which Scotland continued to treat this question of the national tongue. Most of the smaller countries of Europe, some of them with no national literature of any importance to build upon, are already far in advance of Scotland in this respect. In our Scottish literature, from the days of Allan Ramsay down to the present time, there is a great deal that

every Scot ought to be acquainted with, and there is no sound reason why this knowledge should be left to chance instead of forming a part of the national education. If the teaching of Scottish literature were properly recognised in our schools there would be no ground for any doubt as to the future of the Scottish tongue.

In these circumstances, and with such help, they went forward hopefully, convinced, as they were, also that they were engaged in one of the best possible movements for the honour of the memory of their National Poet.

II.

At the Annual Conference of the Council of the Burns Federation, held at Edinburgh on Saturday, 12th September, 1925, the President moved

"That this Conference, recalling its deliberations at Dumfries twelve months ago, has observed with much satisfaction the growth of public interest in the movement for the revival of the study of the Scottish vernacular in the primary and secondary schools, again recommends the matter to the attention of all Burns Clubs affiliated with the Federation, and asks the Executive Committee to take such other steps as may seem expedient to secure the end in view."

In moving the Resolution, Sir Robert Bruce said— As has been stated by the Hon. Secretary in his Report, the Federation year just ended has witnessed a marked movement of public interest in this question of the preservation of our Scottish vernacular. At Dumfries a year ago we took up the matter where it had been left at the Dunfermline Conference, and appointed a Committee to consider methods. We were fortunate, almost at the outset, to receive the support of our Honorary President, the Earl of Rosebery, of Principal Sir Donald MacAlister, Professor Rait, and Professor Craigie. At Greenock, in January, I had the privilege of reading messages from these representative

B

Scots. I also took the opportunity then, as I take this, of stating our immediate object. As a Federation we do not aim at creating a Scots vernacular-speaking nation. But we do aim at such a preservation of the knowledge of the vernacular as will enable people of Scottish birth to understand and value their rich heritage of vernacular literature, and will stimulate in due season the production of more. To that end we have desired to concentrate attention upon the elementary and the secondary schools. For many years, and with increasing success, Clubs within the Federation have promoted school competitions. These competitions have been made possible by the sympathy and keen personal interest of the teachers, and as a Federation we are deeply grateful to them for their invaluable assistance. It is, indeed, through them that we hope eventually to carry the day. We will do so when the majority of teachers are interested. And so during the year we have placed ourselves in communication with the Scottish Education Department. But before I mention the result, so far, of those communications, I should like to deal with some friendly criticism.

THE MOVEMENT NECESSARY.

It has been said that the movement is unnecessary, that the language of Burns will never become unreadable by men of Scottish descent, any more than the language of the Bible and of Shakespeare by the English-speaking world. I am not so sure; on the contrary, I assert that in these days there are thousands of young Scots, the products of our elementary and secondary schools, to whom a considerable part of Burns, and even more of some of his predecessors, is utterly unintelligible. They have never had the literature brought before them. I mentioned as a fact in my address at Greenock that so widespread is the neglect that, when some time ago it was proposed to put a question in regard to the vernacular in the Leaving Certifi