THE HEATHER AS A CLAN BADGE. 



street, and, after a short detour, return through the 

 Trongate, apparently a new reinforcement. But the 

 pine and the Heather were only too well known to be 

 mistaken by the sharp eyes of the citizens of St. Mungo, 

 who did not find it necessary to leave the Saut Market 

 to know a Macdonald from a Campbell. 



Says a writer in Cornhill : "It is a matter of 

 wonder why the thistle, with its defiant motto, has 

 been adopted as the emblem of Scotland, rather than 

 the Heather, which so regally mantles its hills. The 

 rigid angularities of the national character live indeed 

 in one ; but the tender grace, the breadth of color, the 

 fragility and yet the endurance of the Heather, point 

 to the higher and finer aspects of the Scotch nature, 

 and the deep affection and strength of will which 

 underlie it. The fact seems to be that until the Union, 

 the aggressive, prickly nature of the thistle naturally 

 too aptly symbolized the rough and warlike disposition 

 of Scotland. Few sentiments save patriotism found 

 favor with its people before the middle of the eighteenth 

 century. They took no thought of poetry or the re- 

 finements of life when the sword was at their throats 

 and their ears rang with denunciation of Stuart or 

 Hanoverian. When this question was definitely set- 

 tled, and commerce took her place in peace upon her 

 throne, border feud and national animosity alike faded 

 into the emotional love of country and home, which 

 finds its expression in so many beautiful ballads and 

 songs, the slogan being exchanged for those pathetic 

 love songs which are the glory of Scotch literature. 

 The Heather was twisted in many a chaplet of song." 



Despite the hold that the Heather has upon every 

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