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The purpose of this work is so fully
developed in the introductory chapter that any preliminary reference to
it would seem unnecessary. At the same time readers expect to have a
preface to a book, even if they do not read it. There are one or two
remarks to be made, by way of addenda, to the explanation given in the
body of the volume. In the first place it seems well to disclaim
emphatically any attempt to exalt the Scot above his fellow-colonists of
other nationalities. The publishers have already given Ireland a chance
to speak, as she is fully capable of doing, for herself and her sons;
and it is only fair that "auld Scotia" should also have her
turn. It seems strange, and yet it is a fact, and that there has been,
amongst kindred peoples, an amount of prejudice against the Scot, which
seems perfectly inexplicable. From the time when James VI. of Scotland
became James I. of England until now, not merely at home, but in later
years in the colonies, nothing has been so common as virulent criticism
of the Scottish character. The predominant religion of the country, the
caution and the thrift of its people, and their so-called clannishness,
have been made the unmerited butts for ridicule or sarcasm. In England,
during the eighteenth century, most of the literary men took delight in
abusing the North Briton. Horace Walpole, Junius, John Wilkes and Dr.
Johnson are only samples of the general herd. The virulent pen of Junius
was especially active. He had, or fancied he had, grounds of suspecting
the backstairs influence of Lord Bute, and afterwards fell foul of Lord
Mansfield, whom he abused, when argument failed, because he was born
north of the Tweed. That most vindictive of political opponents, whilst
he admitted that "national reflections" were not to be
justified, as a general rule, deemed them quite proper when they gave
point to the stiletto he plied in the dark. Of the later use of
prejudice against the Scottish people, it is unnecessary to speak, for
every reader must have met with instances of it even in the Dominion.
The truth seems to be that, while "nothing succeeds like
success," there is nothing which so readily inspires jealousy. The
very virtues which have given Scotsmen success have been the causes of
"envy, hatred and malice, and all uncharitableness" in regard
to them.
In this work an endeavour is made to show
whence the strong, honest and persevering character of the Scot had its
origin, and then to describe in detail what he has done for British
North America. While doing this to the extent of the information at his
command, the writer has been careful to avoid invidious comparisons
between the Scottish and other nationalities. The aim of the book is
simply to show what the Scot has done in the Dominion, without in any
way undervaluing what it owes to the Englishman, the Irishman, the
Frenchman, or the German. The difficulty of collecting local data or
facts of any sort only to be found outside of books has been an
obstacle; and if the survey seems to lack completeness, the reader must
be so kind as to lay it to this account.
Without desiring to obtrude his
personality unduly, it seems proper to state that, although, on one side
of the house a Scot - the son of a Scotsman – the writer has never had
the advantage of visiting North Britain. Perhaps that may not be so
great a disadvantage as it might at first sight appear. This preface is
necessarily written before the remaining volumes have taken final form
and shape and therefore, seems to be hardly so complete as it otherwise
would have been. It is to be hoped that, when the entire work is in the
hands of the public, the promise of its title page will be found to have
been fully kept.
Toronto, February 16th, 1880. |
