Two main objects have been kept in view in the preparation of the
present volume.
The first was to render generally accessible some of those beautiful
but comparatively unknown examples of old tartans represented in family
portraits, miniatures, and relics, as well as in the few collections
of tartans which exist in the country, and to set forth all that could
be definitely ascertained regarding their origin and history. To carry
this out efficiently, it was necessary to obtain the permission of
the families possessing representations and examples of the tartans
to inspect them, and to visit the different localities in Scotland
in which they are preserved, for the purposes of examination and
illustration. By the courtesy of the owners every facility and aid was
given in the work of recording and identifying the setts, and in no
case where permission was asked to reproduce a tartan was it refused.
This preliminary work extended over a period of several years, in the
course of which the Editor believes he allowed few collections to
escape his notice. From the great number of setts now in his note-books
he found the utmost difficulty in making the selection for the present
work, and the exigencies of space alone have compelled him, to his
regret, to omit many rare, beautiful, and historic examples he would
willingly have included.
Having arranged as to the examples of tartan to appear in the volume,
it became necessary to decide on the form of illustration. Hitherto
the modes adopted in works of this description have been admittedly
unsatisfactory, it being impossible, by the highest exercise of skill
in colour printing, to render the shades correctly, particularly in
those portions of the setts where the colours are crossed. Solid
colours are generally rendered adequately by lithography, but when
the most important and intricate portion of the design—viz., the
representation of the interweaving of different shades—is in question,
none of the processes of colour printing yet invented does justice
to the great beauty of the actual fabric. The method adopted in the
present work has been to weave the tartan to be represented in its
proper colours in fine silk. The shades required for each specimen
having been dyed, the weaving was executed by the hand-loom in exact
proportion to the original. To ensure permanency the mounting was
arranged so that no portion of the silk forming the illustration should
come into contact with the adhesive.
The second object kept in view in the preparation of the work was
to examine and present, in something like chronological order, the
references in old writers to tartan and the Highland dress. The only
attempt of the kind hitherto made was that by Donald Gregory and W.
F. Skene, included in the _Transactions of the Iona Club_. Since that
valuable work was published a great deal of interesting and original
material has been discovered. But what may be termed the literature of
the subject is so widely diffused, and contained in works so difficult
of access to the general reader—many of them being in MS., and others
rare and costly—that it seemed to be of importance to present these
notices in a form which would render easy comparison between different
ages and authors. Something of this kind the Editor has endeavoured
to carry out in the Introduction. Particular attention has been paid
to the accuracy of the extracts, which have been carefully verified
by comparison with the authorities. One result has been the discovery
of serious errors in quotations by previous writers, and the more
important of these are pointed out. The Editor trusts that, considering
the importance of the objects he had in view, the length to which
several of the extracts have unavoidably run will be pardoned by his
readers. He has omitted many references which he regarded as of minor
consequence, while several of much importance are given for the first
time.
There remains the pleasant duty of thanking those by whose aid the
Editor has been enabled to produce the work.
Her Majesty the Queen permitted the Balmoral Tartan as used by the
Royal Family to be reproduced, and communicated an account of its
origin. Miss Dick Lauder placed at the disposal of the Editor the
unique copy of the _Vestiarium Scoticum_ made by her father at
Relugas in 1828-29 from the manuscript in possession of the Messrs
Hay, and also the correspondence between Sir Walter Scott and Sir
Thomas Dick Lauder, so fully referred to in the Introduction. Mrs
Charles Elphinstone Dalrymple kindly supplied transcripts of notes on
tartans and the Highland dress made by the late Mr Charles Elphinstone
Dalrymple, and lent several paintings and drawings, as well as a
collection of tartans made by the Highland Society of London and the
late Dr. W. F. Skene. To Mr Alexander Donald Mackenzie, Edinburgh, the
Editor has been indebted for many valuable suggestions from the first
inception of his work; and the fruits of Mr Mackenzie’s study of Gaelic
literature and customs were freely placed at his disposal.
Opportunities of inspecting paintings and taking notes of the tartans
depicted were kindly granted by His Grace the Duke of Sutherland,
the Right Hon. the Earl of Eglinton, the Right Hon. the Earl of
Ancaster, the Right Hon. the Countess of Seafield, the Right Hon. Lord
Macdonald of the Isles, the Right Hon. Lord Donington, Macleod of
Macleod, Cluny Macpherson, The Mackintosh of Mackintosh, the Hon. Mrs
R. Baillie-Hamilton, Mr and Mrs Nisbet-Hamilton-Ogilvy, John Alastair
Erskine Cunninghame, Esquire of Balgownie, Captain W. Home Drummond
Moray of Abercairney, and Frederick Granville Sinclair, Esquire of
Barrogill.
The collections of tartans preserved by several families were also
placed at the disposal of the Editor.
Information and assistance on various points connected with the
subject were accorded by the Most Hon. the Marquis of Ailsa, the Most
Hon. the Marchioness of Breadalbane, Lord Archibald Campbell, Sir
Arthur Halkett of Pitfirrane, Bart., Miss Fraser of Abertarff, Walter
Douglas Campbell, Esquire of Blythswood, James Campbell, Esquire,
representative of the Campbells of Craignish, Mr Godwin, Librarian to
the Marquis of Bute, Mrs Tilly, London, and others.
To Dr. Thomas Dickson, Curator of the Historical Department H.M.
Register House, and to Mr Andrew Ross, Marchmont Herald, the Editor is
indebted for valuable direction in regard to many points contained in
the Introduction.