. For instance, there is scarce a great family in the Lowlands
of Scotland that is not to be traced to the Normans, the proudest as
well as most civilised race in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Is it
natural to think that holding the Scots in the contempt in which they
did, they would have adopted their dress? If you will look at Bruce's
speech to David I., as the historian AElred tells the story, you will see
he talks of the Scots as a British officer would do of Cherokees. Or
take our country, the central and western part of the border: it was
British, Welsh if you please, with the language and manners of that
people who certainly wore no tartan. It is needless to prosecute this,
though I could show, I think, that there is no period in Scottish
History when the manners, language, or dress of the Highlanders were
adopted in the Low Country. They brought them with them from Ireland, as
you will see from the very curious prints in Derrick's picture of
Ireland, where you see the chiefs and followers of the wild Irish in the
ordinary Highland dress, _tempore_ Queen Elizabeth. Besides this, where
has slept this universal custom that nowhere, unless in this MS., is it
even heard of? Lesley knew it not, though the work had been in his
possession, and his attention must have been called to it when writing
concerning the three races of Scots--Highlanders, Lowlanders, and
Bordermen, and treating of their dress in particular. Andrew Borde knows
nothing of it, nor the Frenchman who published the geographical work
from which Pinkerton copied the prints of the Highlander and Lowlander,
the former in a frieze plaid or mantle, while the Lowlander struts away
in a cloak and trunk hose, liker his neighbour the Fleming. I will not
state other objections, though so many occur, that the authenticity of
the MS. being proved, I would rather suppose the author had been some
tartan-weaver zealous for his craft, who wished to extend the use of
tartan over the whole kingdom. I have been told, and believe till now,
that the use of tartan was never general in Scotland (Lowlands) until
the Union, when the detestation of that measure led it to be adopted as
the national colour, and the ladies all affected tartan screens or
mantles.

"Now, a word to your own private ear, my dear Sir Thomas. I have
understood that the Messrs. Hay Allan are young men of talent, great
accomplishments, enthusiasm for Scottish manners, and an exaggerating
imagination