THE THISTLE. 321 



the sharp spines of a thistle, which made him cry 

 out from pain ; and thus warned the unconscious 

 sleepers of their clanger. If this account be not 

 the true one, its chief error may consist, not as 

 is usually supposed in attributing too early a date 

 to the first choice of the emblem, but rather in 

 placing its adoption so late as the first invasion of 

 Britain by the Danes. The simplicity of clothing 

 which prevailed at that period, when, if regi- 

 mental uniforms were unknown, warriors were at 

 least attired in the most uniform costume, would 

 necessarily make it desirable that opposing parties 

 in the battle-field should wear some distinguishing 

 mark, enabling them to discriminate between friend 

 and foe ; and it may not be going beyond the bounds 

 of probability- to suppose that the thistle was selected 

 by the Scot, simply as a hardy and frequent plant ; 

 which, in the most desolate and sterile district, should 

 readily be found when required, even in sudden af- 

 frays. We might, therefore, without inaccuracy, read 

 when, for where, in the lines of Campbell, substi- 

 tuting also grew, for grows ; 



" Triumphant be the thistle still unfurled ; 



Dear symbol wild ! On freedom's hills it grows, 

 Where Fingall stemmed the tyrants of the world, 

 And Roman eagles found unconquered foes ;" 



a passage which is often erroneously supposed to 

 attribute the adoption of the symbol to Fingall, in 

 his defence against the Romans. 



Much of the controversy on the subject has appa- 

 rently arisen from confounding the use of the symbol, 

 and the establishment of the order, of the thistle ; 



P 3 



