Interesting 1773 Description of Kilt

**BoldHighlander** · 13th July 10, 01:57 PM

Thanks for posting this Ted

I've read excerpts from these journals before (including this passage). I have always been of the belief (from what I've read, seen, & heard) that The Hebrides (inner & outer islands) were a world of their own, being separated by the water & all (and once being the realm of the Lordship of the Isles -- a kingdom within a kingdom), and thus a wee bit harder to enforce the laws of the land. Hence we read that "the fillibeg, or lower garment, is still very common", despite the Proscription Act.

Great stuff Ted, I really have been remiss in not reading the full journals. Something I intend to remedy. Thanks again!

**Bugbear** · 13th July 10, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

Thanks for posting this Ted

I've read excerpts from these journals before (including this passage). I have always been of the belief (from what I've read, seen, & heard) that The Hebrides (inner & outer islands) were a world of their own, being separated by the water & all (and once being the realm of the Lordship of the Isles -- a kingdom within a kingdom), and thus a wee bit harder to enforce the laws of the land. Hence we read that "the fillibeg, or lower garment, is still very common", despite the Proscription Act.

Great stuff Ted, I really have been remiss in not reading the full journals. Something I intend to remedy. Thanks again!

Oh, you've got to read them both in full! There's just too much to go into on the differences between Johnson's account and Boswell's journal. I don't think Johnson describes Proscription correctly in that quote. I'm not a historian, though...

I like historical journal entries , letters, etc, and their written descriptions work out well for me... Sometimes it's kind of creepy to read them though.

**Nick the DSM** · 13th July 10, 07:37 PM

I need to read this. I'm guessing you just found in google?

**Bugbear** · 13th July 10, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Nick the DSM

I need to read this. I'm guessing you just found in google?

Here are the links to the two texts at Project Gutenberg.

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

Those are the two texts that are reprinted in the book I cite in the first post. Your library might have that book, but it's mostly a reprint of those two texts, if you only want to read them.