In the period from student days until within the shadow of the great world-war of 1914, I made eight journeys to and in Scotland; five of them, more or less when alone, and three in company with wife or sister, thus gaining the manifold benefits of another pair of eyes. On foot, and in a variety of vehicles, in Highlands and Lowlands, over moor and water, salt and fresh, I went often and stayed long. Of all things remembered best and most delightfully in this land, so rich in the “voices of freedom,”--the mountains and the sea,--the first is the Scottish home so warm with generous hospitality. In this book I have attempted to tell of the Scotsman at home and abroad, his part in the world’s work, and to picture “Old Scotia’s grandeur,” as illustrated in humanity, as well as in history, nature, and art, while showing in faint measure the debt which we Americans owe to Bonnie Scotland. W. E. G. ITHACA, NEW YORK. CONTENTS I. THE SPELL OF THE INVISIBLE 1 II. THE OUTPOST ISLES 7 III. GLASGOW: THE INDUSTRIAL METROPOLIS 17 IV. EDINBURGH THE PICTURESQUE 27 V. MELROSE ABBEY AND SIR WALTER SCOTT 38 VI. RAMBLES ALONG THE BORDER 50 VII. THE LAY OF THE LAND: DUNFERMLINE 65 VIII. DUNDEE: THE GIFT OF GOD 76 IX. THE GLAMOUR OF MACBETH 88 X. STIRLING: CASTLE, TOWN, AND TOWERS 97 XI. OBAN AND GLENCOE--CHAPTERS IN HISTORY 108 XII. SCOTLAND’S ISLAND WORLD--IONA AND STAFFA 119 XIII. THE CALEDONIAN CANAL--SCOTTISH SPORTS 131 XIV. INVERNESS: THE CAPITAL OF THE HIGHLANDS 143 XV. “BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE” 156 XVI. THE OLD HIGHLANDS AND THEIR INHABITANTS 164 XVII. HEATHER AND HIGHLAND COSTUME 177 XVIII. THE NORTHEAST COAST--ABERDEEN AND ELGIN 191 XIX. THE ORKNEYS AND THE SHETLANDS 202 XX. LOCH LOMOND AND THE TROSSACHS 213 XXI. ROBERT BURNS AND HIS TEACHERS 223 XXII. KIRK, SCHOOL, AND FREEDOM 234 XXIII. JOHN KNOX: SCOTLAND’S MIGHTIEST SON 247 XXIV. INVERGOWRIE: IN SCOTTISH HOMES 259 XXV. AMERICA’S DEBT TO SCOTLAND 270 CHRONOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF SCOTLAND’S HISTORY 279