Dear Bill, Ian and Cousins
Don't read this if you hate history. One of
the first publishers of Sir Walter Scott were a branch of the Bannatyne,
aka Ballantine, Ballantyne, Bellenden family. James Ballantine met Scott
in Kelso, recuperating from a recurring illness. They met again in
Edinburgh. Black's "Surnames of Scotland" lists the probable origin of
James' family as the Lanark area but by the turn of the 12 - 1300s the
Bannatyne Sept were highly placed with the Clan Campbell in Castle
Carrick and in Bute, they were a prominant Armigerous family whose
seat was Kames. They had a small Castle fortress there and the
family name was MacCamelyne in Gaelic. Of these I am a direct descendant
on my maternal side. The senior line was well represented on the west
coast and Highlands. My father's side were Caudles.
If any one is interested in the eastern Ballantynes, I found a
biography by A.G. Lockhart "The Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart." pub.
by Adam and Charles Black, London, in 1893, in a used bookstore.
Lockhart attributes a major factor in Scott's life as the eastern,
Lowland family of Bannatyne, blaming Scotts near bankruptcy
on the mismanagement of the younger son, John. James and Sir Walter
had formed the partnership which became the 'Ballantine Press', still
in existance, and an elite circle of literati, the 'Bannatyne Club'.
Scott was born in 1771, about 35 years after the brutal defeat and
subjugation of Scotland by the English and senseless slaughter at the
Battle of Culloden under the Duke of Cumberland, 'Billy the Butcher'.
Scott's family were for centuries a large clan of the Scotttish
Border Reivers or Riding Clans, Marchers, etc. who had their counter-
parts on the English side of the Border. They were a powerful clan
and while dangerous outlaws, they also had the Wardenship of one-third
of the Scottish border. (For more information, "The Steel Bonnets", by
George MacDonald Fraser is excellent). Essentially, Scotland contained
3 Socio-economic regions: The Highlands (powerful but scorned as
barbarians
by all of rest of the Island and parts of Europe) the Lowlands,
which became the standard of the nation of Scotland as civilized (and
most like the British ideal); until the ascendance to the throne of
both Scotland and England of James VI/I after Queen Elizabeth's death.
He was able to do what 300 years of both Scotland and English Monarchs
failed to do, pacify the Borderers. This was by outlawing, hanging and
otherwise executing, or transporting the clans and families of the
most powerful offenders. Others were able to escape to Ireland, these
included the Armstrongs, Nixons, Grahams, Johnsons (Johnstons), Elliots,
Scotts, etc.
Doesn't this sound like a list of successful poli
ticians and captains of industry. This chapter of Scottish history was
ended by 1640 and the former mauraders, cattle thieves, arsonists
rapists and kidnappers used their wits and strength for good in the
New World.
Sir Walter was not aware of his origins, tracing his family back to
a few generations of farmers and merchants. He had become a Lowlander in
all respects. Ironically, many of his writings were about the Highlands,
written from a romantic point of view. He had no clue of the very real
brutal living conditions that our own common ancesters, the Cawdors, and
Roses, Campbells and other highland Clans and families faced. The myth
of the well coordinated
tartans that Queen Victoria affected and wore on her visits to
Balmoral. The true hardships that existed from the earliest history of
the Highlanders crossed her mind no more than the misery and killings
that chased our people after Culloden and by the industrial revolution,
child laborers; proscription of any traditions of the Clansmen and their
septs were sanitized and colorized for tourists and romantics. Their
struggles to survive were the making of the USA and our strengths are
their genes still fighting, surviving and flourishing, cousins.
Still, to give the de'il his due, Scott was a fine writer and brought
our ancestors the attention of readers everywhere in the Western World.
I prefer Robert Burns,
though. Regards, Daphne
>
> I have found and purchased a hardbound copy of Vol XLI of XLVIII, Waverley Novels -
"Highland Widow..." by Sir Walter Scott,
> Cadell Edition, no date shown, New York, Knight & Brown, limited to 1000 copies,
(footnotes were dated in 1831).
Ian, from the info I have, Robert CADELL (1788 - 1849) of your family became sole
publisher of Scott's works. "In May 1847, Mr.
CADELL took upon himself all the remaining debts upon the estate, on the transfer to him
by the family of their remaining claim
over Sir Walter's writings...Mr. CADELL issued Scott's works in every
form
and shape. There was an edition suited to every class
of society...."
So far, what has interested me most is the historical references and
descriptions
of Highland life after the '45.
Bill
Ian Cadell wrote:
Hi Bill,
> Where (which one) do you want the CADDELL email >delivered?
ian(a)lantic.org is best for me
many thanks
Ian