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Donald McLeod's Gloomy Memories in the Highlands of Scotland versus Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's Sunny Memories in (England), a Foreign Land, or a Faithful Picture of the Extirpation of the Celtic Race from the Highlands of Scotland
Excerpt from Donald McLeod's Gloomy Memories in the Highlands of Scotland: Versus Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's Sunny Memories in (England), A Foreign Land, or a Faithful Picture of the Extirpation of the Celtic Race From the Highlands of Scotland
Despite the fact that three editions were published, the work was within recent years all but impossible to procure. The idea of publishing the present edition, which is a reprint of that published in Canada, is due to Mr. John Campbell, a patriotic Mull man resident in Greenock, who, impressed with the educative value of the Gloomy Memories, set about collecting subscriptions with the view of having an edition published at a pfice that would place the work within the reach of all. To his efforts therefore, conjoined with the patriotism of a number of Celts and others interested in the Highlands, the public are indebted for the present re-issue of the Gloomy Memories.
Despite the fact that three editions were published, the work was within recent years all but impossible to procure. The idea of publishing the present edition, which is a reprint of that published in Canada, is due to Mr. John Campbell, a patriotic Mull man resident in Greenock, who, impressed with the educative value of the Gloomy Memories, set about collecting subscriptions with the view of having an edition published at a pfice that would place the work within the reach of all. To his efforts therefore, conjoined with the patriotism of a number of Celts and others interested in the Highlands, the public are indebted for the present re-issue of the Gloomy Memories.
234 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1841
35 people want to read
About the author
Donald MacLeod
40 books13 followersDonald MacLeod is a Scottish theologian.
Macleod studied at the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in 1964. He served as professor of systematic theology at the Free Church College from 1978 to 2011, and as principal from 1999 to 2010.
In 1996, Macleod was cleared of allegations that he had sexually assaulted four women. The Sheriff court found that "the women had all lied in the witness box to further the ends of Professor Macleod's enemies in the Free Church of Scotland." A number of people who believed Macleod should be put on trial by the General Assembly then formed the Free Church Defence Association and ultimately a new denomination, the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). However, Johnston McKay notes that although on the surface the split was about Donald Macleod, he believes it was about theology since Macleod belonged to the more "modernizing" wing of the Free Church.
In 2011, a Festschrift was published in Macleod's honor. The People's Theologian: Writings in Honour of Donald Macleod (ISBN 1845505840) included contributions from Richard Gaffin, Derek Thomas, and Carl Trueman.
Macleod studied at the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in 1964. He served as professor of systematic theology at the Free Church College from 1978 to 2011, and as principal from 1999 to 2010.
In 1996, Macleod was cleared of allegations that he had sexually assaulted four women. The Sheriff court found that "the women had all lied in the witness box to further the ends of Professor Macleod's enemies in the Free Church of Scotland." A number of people who believed Macleod should be put on trial by the General Assembly then formed the Free Church Defence Association and ultimately a new denomination, the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). However, Johnston McKay notes that although on the surface the split was about Donald Macleod, he believes it was about theology since Macleod belonged to the more "modernizing" wing of the Free Church.
In 2011, a Festschrift was published in Macleod's honor. The People's Theologian: Writings in Honour of Donald Macleod (ISBN 1845505840) included contributions from Richard Gaffin, Derek Thomas, and Carl Trueman.
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April 16, 2021
Following the publication of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, Harriet Beecher Stowe travelled 3 times to the UK, where she was feted everywhere she went. She understandably found these experiences very agreeable, and published an account of them entitled “Sunny Memories of a Foreign Land”. During these visits she became close friends with the Duchess of Sutherland, and in “Sunny Memories” defended the Duchess and her family over their behaviour during the Highland Clearances. These were a series of mass evictions which took place throughout the Scottish Highlands during the 19th century. In particular, she sought to dismiss as “ridiculous stories”, allegations made by Donald McLeod, a native of Sutherland who was a fierce critic of the Clearances. During the 1840s McLeod had a series of letters published in a sympathetic newspaper, the Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle. “Gloomy Memories” was first published in 1857, as a rebuttal to Mrs Beecher Stowe.
Estate managers in Sutherland enforced the evictions by burning the tenants’ homes, and the first part of “Gloomy Memories” consists of a reprint of McLeod’s newspaper letters. In one he vividly describes the simultaneous burning of around 300 houses in 1814:
“The cries of the women and children…the roaring of the affrighted cattle…the yelling dogs of the shepherds amid the smoke and fire – altogether presented a scene that completely baffles description.”
Many instances of cruelty are described, but McLeod became best known through his description of perhaps the single most notorious incident in the Sutherland Clearances, which involved its most notorious villain, the Estate Under-Factor, Patrick Sellar:
“I was present at the pulling down and burning of the house of William Chisholm, Badinloskin, in which was lying his wife’s mother, an old bedridden woman, of near one hundred years of age...I informed the persons about to set fire to the house of the circumstance and prevailed on them to stop until Mr Sellar came. On arrival, I told him of the poor old woman being in a condition unfit for removal. He replied: ‘Damn her, the old witch, she has lived too long. Let her burn.’ Fire was immediately set to the house, and the blankets in which she was carried were in flames before she could be got out…She died within five days.”
In his response to “Sunny Memories”, McLeod highlights the contrast between Beecher Stowe’s concern for slaves in the American south with her unwillingness to show any concern over what he saw during the Clearances. Where she dismisses his testimony as a “calumny”, he essentially responds by arguing that he was there and she wasn’t. He adds:
“I would agree with you that the Duchess of Sutherland is a beautiful accomplished lady, who would shudder at the idea of taking a faggot or a burning torch in her hand to set fire to the cottages of her tenants, and so would her predecessor…her good mother. Likewise would the late and present Dukes of Sutherland…Yet it was done in their name, under their authority, to their knowledge, and with their sanction.”
One noteworthy aspect to the book comes with its alternative title “A Faithful Picture of the Extirpation of the Celtic Race from the Highlands of Scotland.”. Most modern historians agree that finance was the main motivation behind the Clearances, but McLeod feels the motivation was primarily racial. Throughout the book he uses the term “aborigines” to describe the Gaelic speaking Highlanders. Of course the word is meant in its original sense, but it does convey the sense of separateness between Highlanders and the rest of British population. He also makes the following observation of James Loch MP, who acted as auditor to the Sutherland estate:
“I have read from speeches delivered by Mr Loch at public dinners among his own party that 'he would never be satisfied until the Gaelic language and the Gaelic people would be extirpated root and branch from the Sutherland estate; yes, from the Highlands of Scotland.”
I would say that McLeod is at his best as an eyewitness. His testimony around the Sutherland Clearances is extremely powerful. Whilst his response to HBS has bursts of eloquence, it is often long winded and repetitive. Nor is he free from the prevalent racism of his day. He condemns slavery but also assumes white people are superior to non-whites. Whatever its drawbacks, this book is probably the most important first-hand account of the Clearances, and often a very eloquent one.
Estate managers in Sutherland enforced the evictions by burning the tenants’ homes, and the first part of “Gloomy Memories” consists of a reprint of McLeod’s newspaper letters. In one he vividly describes the simultaneous burning of around 300 houses in 1814:
“The cries of the women and children…the roaring of the affrighted cattle…the yelling dogs of the shepherds amid the smoke and fire – altogether presented a scene that completely baffles description.”
Many instances of cruelty are described, but McLeod became best known through his description of perhaps the single most notorious incident in the Sutherland Clearances, which involved its most notorious villain, the Estate Under-Factor, Patrick Sellar:
“I was present at the pulling down and burning of the house of William Chisholm, Badinloskin, in which was lying his wife’s mother, an old bedridden woman, of near one hundred years of age...I informed the persons about to set fire to the house of the circumstance and prevailed on them to stop until Mr Sellar came. On arrival, I told him of the poor old woman being in a condition unfit for removal. He replied: ‘Damn her, the old witch, she has lived too long. Let her burn.’ Fire was immediately set to the house, and the blankets in which she was carried were in flames before she could be got out…She died within five days.”
In his response to “Sunny Memories”, McLeod highlights the contrast between Beecher Stowe’s concern for slaves in the American south with her unwillingness to show any concern over what he saw during the Clearances. Where she dismisses his testimony as a “calumny”, he essentially responds by arguing that he was there and she wasn’t. He adds:
“I would agree with you that the Duchess of Sutherland is a beautiful accomplished lady, who would shudder at the idea of taking a faggot or a burning torch in her hand to set fire to the cottages of her tenants, and so would her predecessor…her good mother. Likewise would the late and present Dukes of Sutherland…Yet it was done in their name, under their authority, to their knowledge, and with their sanction.”
One noteworthy aspect to the book comes with its alternative title “A Faithful Picture of the Extirpation of the Celtic Race from the Highlands of Scotland.”. Most modern historians agree that finance was the main motivation behind the Clearances, but McLeod feels the motivation was primarily racial. Throughout the book he uses the term “aborigines” to describe the Gaelic speaking Highlanders. Of course the word is meant in its original sense, but it does convey the sense of separateness between Highlanders and the rest of British population. He also makes the following observation of James Loch MP, who acted as auditor to the Sutherland estate:
“I have read from speeches delivered by Mr Loch at public dinners among his own party that 'he would never be satisfied until the Gaelic language and the Gaelic people would be extirpated root and branch from the Sutherland estate; yes, from the Highlands of Scotland.”
I would say that McLeod is at his best as an eyewitness. His testimony around the Sutherland Clearances is extremely powerful. Whilst his response to HBS has bursts of eloquence, it is often long winded and repetitive. Nor is he free from the prevalent racism of his day. He condemns slavery but also assumes white people are superior to non-whites. Whatever its drawbacks, this book is probably the most important first-hand account of the Clearances, and often a very eloquent one.
Displaying 1 of 1 review