Interesting 1773 Description of Kilt

[Bugbear]

While reading, I came across an interesting description of a gentleman and his kilt outfit in, A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, by Samuel Johnson and James Boswell.*

James Boswell writes of getting on a boat to travel to Raasay, which he spells, "Rasay," on Wednesday, 8th September 1773:

He (Mr. Malcolm Macleod, the boat pilot) was now sixty-two years of age, hale, and well proportioned,--with a manly countenance, tanned by the weather, yet having a ruddiness in his cheeks, over a great part of which his rough beard extended.--His eye was quick and lively, yet his look was not fierce, but he appeared at once firm and good-humoured. He wore a pair of brogues,--Tartan hose which came up only near to his knees, and left them bare,--a purple camblet kilt,--a black waistcoat,-- a short green cloth coat bound with gold cord,--a yellowish bushy wig,--a large blue bonnet with a gold thread button. I never saw a figure that gave a more perfect representation of a Highland gentleman. I wished much to have a picture of him just as he was. I found him frank and polite,in the true sense of the word. (229-30)

either of the journals are in the public domain and on line, but the point of this book was to present the two perspectives of the same events being recorded by Johnson and Boswell. Johnson does not mention the kilt in his description.

I note the tartan hose, but am not sure what to make of the "purple camblet kilt." Any comments?

* Samuel Johnson, and James Boswell, A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and the Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides (London : W. Strachan, 1775; London: Charles Dilly, 1785; repr., Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, 2008).

[BoldHighlander]

Interesting find Ted

Not sure what to make of said "purple camblet kilt"
I'll leave that to other's more knowledgable than I on the subject (& I look forward to the responses)

[KiltedSurveyor]

A quick internet search revealed that camblet was a fabric originally made of camel hair, but at this time and place had evolved into a fabric that was a combination of wool and silk fibers, with possibly some goat hair(think angora) in the mix. Interesting that it was purple. Was it a solid color, or just the predominate one in the tartan? From the quote, it sounds to me like it was solid.

[toadinakilt]

So perhaps some sort of purple tweed-ish kilt? Sounds good to me...

[artificer]

So perhaps some sort of purple tweed-ish kilt? Sounds good to me...

That's be my guess from the description.

Great find, Bugbear!

[macwilkin]

On 2 October 1773, Boswell records this:

We were very social and merry in his room this forenoon. In the evening the company danced as usual. We performed, with much activity, a dance which, I suppose, the emigration from Sky[e] has occasioned. They call it ‘America’. Each of the couples, after the common involutions and evolutions, successively whirls round in a circle, till all are in motion; and the dance seems intended to shew how emigration catches, till a whole neighbourhood is set afloat.

-- http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/b/bosw...html#section48

Nothing really to do with kilts, but a very poignant story regarding immigration...

T.

[Bugbear]

Thanks, cajunscot. There is a bit of discussion of America and immigration in both documents. They really are very interesting, though I enjoy Boswell's journal descriptions more.

From the book I cited, here is what Johnson writes about the dance, and it points out the interesting effect of reading both accounts:

When it was time to sup, the dance ceased, and six and thirty persons sat down to two tables in the same room. After supper the ladies sung Erse songs, to which I listened as an English audience to an Italian opera, delighted with the sound of words which I did not understand.

I inquired the subjects of the songs, and was told of one, that it was a love song, and of another, that it was a farewell composed by one of the Islanders that was going, in this epidemical fury of emigration, to seek his fortune in America. What sentiments would rise, on such an occasion, in the heart of one who had not been taught to lament by precedent, I should gladly have known; but the lady, by whom I sat, thought herself not equal to the work of translating. (42)

[Bugbear]

Here's the other side of the coin. From the book I cited, Boswell writes on, Friday, 17th September:

I must observe here, that in Sky there seems to be much idleness; for men and boys follow you, as colts follow passengers upon a road. The usual figure of a Sky-boy, is a lown with bare legs and feet, a dirty kilt,ragged coat and waistcoat, a bare head, and a stick in his hand, which, I suppose, is partly to help the lazy rogue to walk, partly to serve as a kind of a defensive weapon. (269)

Here are links to the two works over at Project Gutenberg, if you want to look at them.

Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland by Samuel Johnson
The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. by James Boswell

[Bugbear]

From book cited in OP, on Friday, 8th October, Boswell writes of the people of Col:

They can all dye. Heath is used for yellow; and for red, a moss which grows on stones. They make broad-cloth, and tartan, and linen, of their own wool and flax, sufficient for their own use; as also stockings. Their bonnets come from the main land. (324)

That might be interesting to the reenactment folks.

I had to take an excursion into reading up on Scottish horses because he discusses the horses of the island, a little earlier in the entry, without naming the breed. Apparently they did not shoe their horses on Col.

Then after traveling to Sky on, Sunday, 12th September, he writes:

I was highly pleased to see Dr. Johnson safely arrived at Kingsburgh, and received by the hospitable Mr. Macdonald, who, with a most respectful attention, supported him into the house. Kingsburgh was completely the figure of a gallant Highlander,--exhibiting 'the graceful mien and manly looks,' which our popular Scotch song has justly attributed to that character. He had his Tartan plaid thrown about him, a large blue bonnet with a knot of black ribband
like a cockade, a brown short coat of a kind of duffil, a Tartan waistoat with gold buttons and gold button-holes, a bluish philibeg, and Tartan hose.
He had jet black hair tied behind, and was a large stately man, with a steady sensible countenance. (244)

Once again, the kilt is not described as tartan. The hose are, in this and the other quote, specifically described as tartan. The "plaid" is also described as tartan etc, but not the kilt. Why would the kilt not be described as tartan if all these other items are described as tartan, unless the kilt were not tartan? Just saying...

I also note the long hair tied back.

[Cygnus]

...Once again, the kilt is not described as tartan. The hose are, in this and the other quote, specifically described as tartan. The "plaid" is also described as tartan etc, but not the kilt. Why would the kilt not be described as tartan if all these other items are described as tartan, unless the kilt were not tartan? Just saying...

Just to play the Devil's advocate :

Maybe he didn't describe the kilt as being tartan because he felt the word "kilt", to his audience, would imply that it was made of tartan cloth?

Just a thought.