II Certain Delusions of the North Britons 305 



plaid reaching to the knees, was a modern substitute 

 for the old belted plaid, being found to be less cum- 

 bersome, particularly in action, when the Highlanders 

 ' used to tuck the Breachan into their girdles ' ; if, 

 indeed, they fought not stark naked, as was often the 

 case. 



But why should I multiply testimonies against 

 this ever-waxing folly, though waning garment ? It 

 pleaseth the vain and foolish, who ever will be in the 

 majority, and he who thinketh he hath a trim leg (as 

 do indeed most) believeth that it graceth him in the 

 sight of the maidens, though from its eburnean white- 

 ness it do gleam and twinkle like the waving of 

 bunches of tallow candles, and the knees be soft and 

 white as though but little praying were done on them. 

 The ancient Irish, both of North Britain and Hibernia, 

 were not so, but manly, Nature compensating them 

 for their want of skill in tailoring by covering their 

 legs with growths, tufts, nay, very fells of hair, for the 

 most part of a red colour, from whence they got the 

 name of ' redshanks,' ' red-haughs,' and such like 

 fancies, many of which may hardly be mentioned 

 here. 



And so enough and too much of this foolish kilt, 

 which was invented by an Englishman no long time 

 ago, and which, had it been as old as King Brute 

 himself, was never the dress of a Highlander of 

 gentle blood ; nay, I do verily think that George the 

 Fourth of pious memory was the first approach to a 

 gentleman who wore the kilt in public, not for lack 



X 



