The rest of the Nation little did care,1
Reason's arrival pervaded the air,2
Enlight'ning thoughts percolated throughout,
Great Scottish minds spread their wisdom about,
All across Europe their notions held sway,
Voltaire, philosophe, was forced then to say:
"Scot's learning espoused the apex of Art".3
Dave Hume, Adam Smith and others apart4
Knowledge enriched they in many a sphere,5
Paladian style at home made it clear,
The name "Modern Athens" now still reserved
For Reekie's "New Town", was richly deserved6
By architect brothers both, Rob and Will7
Among many artists, two top the bill,
Henry and Allan in classical style,8
Technical know-how advanced all the while,
Geologist Hutton, Gregory, Black,9
In science and maths pushed boundaries back
The Reverend Alex counted all heads,10
Both clergy and lay and those in their beds
Steam engineering remembers James Watt;11
By Cullen in Glasgow med'cine was taught;12
Ramsay and Thomson wrote poems in turns,13
Were followed by Fergie and Rabbie Burns14
Radical thoughts on kids' education,
Varsity's growth on John's intimation.15
Canals, roads and bridges built by the score,16
Harbours established around Scotland's shore
Coaches sped faster along their new roads,17
With Pete's Penny-post the mail improved loads18
While farming advanced by great leaps and bounds,19
Runrig in outfields and old grazing grounds,
Commonly used by many a rustic,
Went by the board. The yields were fantastic
Gained by Improvers rotating the crop,20
Enclosure of lands by those at the top,
Dykes levelled in protest to no avail,21
And farming’s improvements none could assail;
Some country folk left for faraway towns,
Cotton to spin---weave linen for gowns,22
Or other fine things like bonnets and slacks,
White Rose replaced by the blue flower of flax!23
Owners of land their wealth they invested,
Factories built, machines were invented;24
Water and steam pow'r depending on coal,
Iron-made goods which were useful to all.25
Flourishing trade, more urbanisation,
Changing the future face of the Nation;
Down in the Lowlands around Glasgow way,
Expansion, production were here to stay;26
Steam ship the Comet the Clyde serviced well,
With her engines of steam fashioned by Bell;27
Paddle-wheel boats on the Forth-Clyde Canal,
One named Charlotte Dundas, not quite banal28
Spinners and weavers were busy in Fife,29
While jennies in Dundee sprang into life;
The finished textiles then had to be white,30
Bleachfields now covered with fabrics so bright.31
The Old Stat. Account describes it all well,32
Each parish's details clearly does tell.
Notes
1 About the Jacobite cause.
2 The Scottish Enlightenment or the Age of Reason.
3 Famous French philosopher who's real name was Francois M. Arouet who said
"at the present time it is from Scotland we receive rules of taste in the Arts".
4 David Hume, (1711-76).
5 Adam Smith, (1723-90).
6 Edinburgh.
7 William and Robert Adam, (1728-92).
8 Henry Raeburn, (1756-1823) and Allan Ramsay, (1713-84).
9 James Hutton, David Gregory, and Dr. Joseph Black, (1728-99).
10 Rev. Dr. Alexander Webster, (1707-84).
11 James Watt, (1736-1819).
12 Professor William Cullen, (1710-90).
13 Alan Ramsay & James Thomson.
14 Robert Ferguson, (1723-1816) and Robert Burns, (1759-96).
15 John Anderson, linguist and physicist, (1726-96), who also established a second university in Glasgow.
16 John Loudon McAdam, (1756-1836).
17 Thomas Telford, (1757-1834)and John Rennie, (1761-1821).
18 Peter Williamson in Edinburgh.
19 The Agricultural Revolution, c.1750.
20 Eg. Sir Archibald Grant, Monymusk, (1696-1778) and John Cockburn of Ormistone, (1679-1758).
21 The protesters were called "Levellers".
22 Glasgow and Paisley's linen and cotton mills.
23 The White Rose was the emblem of the Jacobites.
24 The Industrial Revolution.
25 Carron Iron Works near Falkirk established, 1759.
26 Textiles, iron foundry, foreign trade.
27 Henry Bell, 1767-1830.
28 Built by William Symington,1763-1831).
29 Dunfermline and Dundee also Arbroath became the capitals of the linen trade
30 Bleach was patented by Charles Tennant, (1768-1838).
31 Bleached fabrics were exposed to sunlight on so-called bleachfields.
32 The Old Statistical Account, (1791-99) was a comprehensive questionaire devised by
Sir John Sinclair, (1754-1835) and the answers provided and compiled in narrative form by
the local parish Church of Scotland minister.
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