Scotland

He canna Scotland see wha yet Canna see the Infinite, And Scotland in true scale to it.

—Grieve

It is the maxim of every prudent master of a family never to attempt to make at home what it will cost him more to makethantobuy.Thetaylordoesnot attempttomakehis ownshoe†All ofthemfind itfor their interestto employ their whole industry in a way in which they have some advantage over their neighbours and to purchase with a part of its produce†whatever else they have occasion for† What is prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom† Would it be a reasonable law to prohibit the importation of all foreign wines, merely to encourage the making of claret and burgundy in Scotland?

—Smith, Adam

Mairg an t-so' i l a ch |' air fairge ian mo¤ r  marbh na h-albann. Pity the eye that sees on the ocean the great dead bird of Scotland.

—MacLean, Sorley Gaelic name Somhairle MacGill-Eain

We look forward to the time when this moment will be seen as a turning point: the day when democracy was renewed in Scotland, when we revitalized our place in this our United Kingdom.

—Dewar, Donald Campbell

For the cleansing of that horror, if cleanse it they could, I would welcome the English in suzerainty over Scotland till the end of time. I would welcome the end of Braid Scots and Gaelic, our culture, our history, our nationhood under the heels of a Chinese army of occupation if it could cleanse the Glasgow slums, give a surety of food and playöthe elementary right of every human beingöto those people of the abyss†

—Gibbon, Lewis Grassic

If there is writing on Hadrian's Wall, it reads that the English should leave Scotland to its own devices.

—Heffer, Simon

   Still from the sire the son shall hear Of the stern strife, and carnage drear, Of Flodden's fatal field, Where shivered was fair Scotland's spear, And broken was her shield!

—Scott, Sir Walter

O flower of Scotland, when will we see your like again, That fought and died for your wee bit hill and glen And stood against him, proud Edward's army, And sent him homeward tae think again.

—Williamson, Roy

A symbol of all that's perfectly hideous about Scotland

—Welsh, Irvine

   I look upon Switzerland as an inferior sort of Scotland.

—Smith, Rev Sydney

O ye'll tak the high road, and I'll tak the low road, And I'll be in Scotland afore ye, But me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes, Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond.

—Anonymous

Oats. A grain, which in England isgenerally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

'In Scotland,' Tavish muttered, picking up my bags,'the women dothehod carrying whilewe blokesretiretothe nearest puböto deliberate upon the role of labour in society.'

—Neville, Katherine

The vice of meanness, condemned in every other country, is in Scotland translated into a virtue called 'thrift'.

—Thomson, David

It was a'for our rightfu' king, We left fair Scotland's strand.

—Burns, Robert

Scotland small? Our multiform, infinite Scotland small?

—Grieve

We have waited nearly 300 years. My hope is that it will evolve with dignity and integrityand it will truly reflect the new voice of Scotland. My position on Scotland has never changed in 30-odd years. Scotland should be nothing less than an equal of other nations in the world.

—Connery, Sir Sean

We had better remain in union with England, even at the risk of becoming a subordinate species of Northumberland, as far as national consequence is concerned, than remedy ourselves by even hinting the possibility of a rupture. But there is no harm in wishing Scotland tohavejust somuchill-nature, according toher own proverb, as may keep her good-nature from being abused.

—Scott, Sir Walter

I would rather have a Scot come from Scotland togovern the people of this kingdom well and justly, than that you should govern them ill in the sight of all the world.

—Lorenz, Konrad

   'Scotland! a queer country that, your honour!' 'So it is,' said I; 'a queerer country I never saw in all my life.' 'And a queer set of people, your honour.' 'So they are,'said I; 'a queerer set of people than the Scotch you would scarcely see in a summer's day.'

—Borrow, George Henry

For who would leave, unbrib'd, Hibernia's Land, Or change the rocks of Scotland for the Strand?

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

   Auld Reikie! wale o' ilka town That Scotland kens beneath the moon; Whare couthy chiels at e'ening meet Their bizzing craigs and mous to weet.

—Ferber, Edna

In Scotland, land of the omnipotent No.

—Bold, Alan

Time after time, on matters great and small, we are still standing on the sidelines, mutely accepting what is decided elsewhere instead of raising our voices and making our own choices. Scotland's much vaunted partnership of Jonah and the whale.

—Ewing,Winnie

It is Scotland's rightful heritage that its people should create a modern Parliament† This entire issue is above and beyond any political party.

—Connery, Sir Sean

Auld Scotland wants nae skinking wareThat jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu'prayer, Gie her a Haggis!

—Burns, Robert

Seeing Scotland, Madam, is only seeing a worse England.

—Johnson, Samuel known as Dr Johnson

Lourd on my hert as winter lies The state that Scotland's in the day. Spring to the North has aye come slow But noo dour winter's like to stay For guid, And no'for guid!

—Grieve

Quhen Alysaunder oure kyng wes dede, That Scotland led in lauche and le, Away wes sons of alle and brede, Off wyne and wax, of gamyn and gle; Oure gold wes changyd in to lede. Cryst, borne in to virgynyte, Succour Scotland, and remede, That stad is in perplexyte.

—Anonymous

The rose of all the world is not for me. I want for my part Only the little white rose of Scotland That smells sharp and sweetöand breaks the heart.

—Grieve