The Hutton Think Tank (HTT) have now completed their preliminary analysis of Merse Musings by Alex Buglas. Their initial main findings are as follows:
(a) Published in 1900 (search of internet-found it amongst a list of works from which Bagpipe tunes had been composed to go with a poem from that work)
(b) Mr B was an old fashioned Scottish ‘nationalist’ Loved Scotland and its culture but regarded himself as British. Does Mr Salmond think of himself as British HTT wonders in an aside:
You may sing about fair England,
Wi’ her roses fresh and rare
Or any other beauties
That may be centred there;
You may sing the praise of Ireland
Wi’er her shamrocks on the lea,
But It’s Scotland, bonnie Scotland,
Brave Scotland still for me.
Or in the venacular :
A’things Scotch for me, my boys
Nae matter where I gang,
And the Doric braid I like to hear
In a richt guid rattling sang’
There is some learned discussion by HTT about the absence of any Welsh reference (in the entire volume) Egypt, France and Spain figure later in another verse HTT made a tentative suggestion for an updated reference in this poem :
‘You may chant your love of Welsh men
And of their cuddly sheep
Of double lls in every word
Of dragons on the cheap'’
(c) Saw himself as a Borderer but had no apparent special regard for Hutton or Paxton-to the extent of mentioning them anywhere. HTT hope to put this right in a revised ‘relevant’edition and to increase sales in the Merse. He wrote lyrically (how else being a poet?) about the Banks of the Eye and
on that lovely spot where the Blackadder rolls by’ A new edition will include copious references to the Whiteadder, Hutton Castle Mill, the Cross inn, The Paxton Villager Green, the Hutton Village Hall and the Burrell collection.
(d) He loved his mother*
* That’s quite enough for the moment about Mr D. The piece on his mother, if that’s is who she was can await a later rant. Much later preferably. Ed.Blog
