meny. Lord Rosebery has not himself been swept away by what has been called the "Great Golf Stream"; but he has, at all events, allowed himself to be publicly identified with the game. On May 11th, 1897, he took part in the opening of the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society's Club House at Barnton, near DalAt the east entrance to the Club House he was presented with a gold key by the Captain of the Club, to which he responded by the first of these Addresses. The second was delivered at the consequent Cake and Wine Banquet, when, after the toast of "The Queen," Lord Rosebery was made an Honorary Member, and presented with a set of golf clubs. But though you may take a horse down to the water, you cannot make him drink. GOLF I WHEN I was first asked in a cordial and pressing manner to take the leading part on this occasion, I rather thought that a trap was being laid for me, because I am so innocent of golf and all its works. I could not help dreading that the authorities of the club had determined that out of the mouth of complete innocence should come a testimony to the merits of golf, and that for that reason they had called upon one of the only Scotsmen who does not play the game to perform the ceremony. I did think that I was the only Scotsman with that unfortunate disability, but I have since learned that a great ecclesiastical authority, who lives at the very Mecca and shrine of golf itself—I mean St. Andrews and I mean Dr. Boyd-although he has lived there for so many years, is completely innocent of the game. I wish you had taken Dr. Boyd instead of myself to dilate on the virtues of a game of which he must have seen a great deal more than I have; but I was reassured by finding that I was not asked either as a golfer or as the reverse, but simply as a neighbour, to come and perform a neighbourly function in a neighbourhood which I know and which I love so well. I am sure that we of the neighbourhood, speaking to you as invaders of our serene quietude, can only express the most unbounded gratitude for the invasion. You have, in the first place, secured to the eyesight of the passer-by a beautiful and parklike space of land commanding glorious views of the Forth; you have, in the next place, raised a building of which I can say truthfully and sincerely that it is an ornament to the neighbourhood and a credit to Mr. Cameron, the architect who has had the designing of it; and, thirdly and lastly, you have infused into us a little life. We were an excellent neighbourhood, but we |