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THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



of one or other of the great racial stocks, in spite of admixture with other peoples. With 

 this limitation, the North of Scotland may be described as Celtic; the South, as Teutonic and 

 Scandinavian. In physical and mental characteristics the Lowlander has all the attributes of 

 the stock from which he is descended. He is distinguished for prudence in business transactions, 

 reserve, thrift, and steadiness. With all his admirable qualities he is, however, less interesting 

 from the point of view of the ethnologist than his fellow-countryman in the Highlands. Almost 

 pure specimens of the Gallic type, so far as appearance goes, are to be met with here and 

 there even at the present day. According to ancient writers, the Gauls were tall of stature, 

 very fair, and red-haired, or at least fair-haired. Red hair is an almost universal character of 

 the Scotchman of the extreme North, and red- or yellow-haired men form the majority of the 

 population. At the same time people with dark hair, grey eyes, and dark complexion are 

 seen even in the most exclusively Gaelic regions. This is to be explained partly by the 

 absorption of the original Neolithic population, and partly by the intermixture that must of 

 necessity have taken place with later immigrants. The Highlander has also the mental 

 characteristics of the Celt, which declare themselves in his romantic temperament, aristocratic 

 tendencies, and fidelity to the head of his clan. Family pride is a pleasing weakness of the 

 Scottish Celt, and he glories in being able to trace his descent from some great chieftain of 



historical or even mythical origin. Brand-new titles and great 

 wealth unaccompanied by good birth have little or no glamour 

 for him. On the other hand, he will never cease to reverence 

 the head of his clan, however involved his finances may become. 

 In his eyes a laird who cannot afford to live on the land of 

 his fathers is a grander person than a mere millionaire. The 

 pride of clan is fostered to a certain extent by the great annual 

 gatherings which take place in the autumn in different High- 

 land centres, when bag-pipes, reels, and games all testify to the 

 strength of national sentiment. Each of the great clans, too- 

 the Fraser, Stuart, Murray, Gordon, Cameron, and the rest 

 has its distinctive tartan. Many of the great noblemen wear 

 the kilt, and their households and dependents follow suit. The 

 present Duke of Atholl may sometimes be seen on a Sunday 

 morning marching to church at the head of his retainers, wear- 

 ing the red tartan of the Murray clan. There is doubtless. 

 much that is artificial in these national manifestations. They 

 are picturesque, however, and serve to keep alive a popular 

 sentiment which has a strong and real basis. Of late years, we are sorry to say, the influence 

 of rich Englishmen and Americans has become greater, and there is a grave fear lest the 

 Highlanders now employed as gillies and mere dependants of rich sportsmen should lose some 

 of their pristine virtues. 



The Gaelic tongue is spoken by about 10 per cent, of the Scottish population, but the 

 Gaelic-speaking area is diminishing. The spread of English education is gradually ousting 

 the old language from its place. The Gaelic language has a strong similarity to the Celtic 

 dialect of the Irish. There are certain differences in the pronunciation, grammar, idioms, and 

 vocabulary; but in all essential points the language of the Highlanders bears a closer 

 resemblance to that spoken in Minister and Connaught than Low Dutch to High Dutch. 



Folk-lore, superstitions, and a belief in "second sight" are characteristic of the Scottish 

 Celt. The people are musical, and rejoice in the possession of many ballads. In the Hebrides, 

 the islands off the west coast, ancient forms of land tenure are still extant. The crofters of 

 these islands occupy the land on what is known there as the "run-rig" system. This term 

 is Gaelic for "common-division." A "constable," elected by the people of the town-land, has 

 the duty of looking after the whole community. He appoints the parish shepherds and 

 herdsmen; he controls the time and the amount of work done by the people; he looks after 



Photo by J. W. McLdlan, London. 

 A CITY WAIF. 



