Proud Scot

If there is one characteristic that Scots cherish above all others, it is that they are different. Not better than anyone else, certainly not worse, but definitely not to be confused with the English. Living as they do on the north-western edge of Europe, they have evolved their own way of doing things, and take great pride in it. Even the contrasts and contradictions, of which there are many, simply become part of the story. Being Scottish is not a simple and straightforward affair: if it were, the differences would disappear. For many Scots, perfecting their Scottishness is a lifetime's activity. This may lead you to think that the Scots are a nation addicted to showing off and boasting. Nothing could be further from the truth - they just want you to appreciate the fact that they are people who dance to their own particular tune. Like accomplished performers on the stage, they prefer a quiet, informed understanding on the part of the visitor. Knowing this enables you to appreciate their finer points: this is the essence of judgement, and all Scots are judges at heart. It is a private fear shared among the Scots themselves that as a nation their behaviour is the product of a deep sense of inferiority. A country cannot give up its indepen-dent nationhood, as the Scots did in 1707, without a few qualms and a sharp sense of what is being lost. Even before that, Scotland was twice turned into a province of England (under Edward I, the 'Hammer of the Scots', and under Oliver Cromwell). Both times, independence was reclaimed. The Scots are used to picking themselves up.

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