Grampian Club > Scotland, social and domestic

Social Customs. 89
Attachment to the ancient owners of the soil was
formerly cherished among the rural population with the
warmth of a passion. Clansmen acknowledged the Mac-
nab, or the Mackintosh, or Glengarry, long after these
chiefs had ceased to possess any territorial importance.
The Scottish lowlancler also was proud of the old families,
and rejoiced to uphold their importance. The departure of
a landed family from their possessions was a cause of deep
lamentation to the tenantry, even though the departing
owners had extorted rack-rents and possessed no
personal virtues. The successors of old families were
proportionately obnoxious. The most abundant benefi-
cence on the part of new comers did not propitiate the
favour of those who, remembering the old folks with a
species of loyalty, could only regard their successors as
intruders. Early in the present century Mr. Izzet,
an opulent hat manufacturer at Edinburgh, purchased
an estate in Perthshire, and proceeded to reside on his
possession. He was persecuted ; his windows were
broken ; he was assailed with threatening missives,
and was denounced as a trader who had no right to
occupy a manor-house. Old hats were thrown into his
policies and placed upon his gateposts. He sold the
property in disgust, and returned to the capital.
In 1 783, Mr. William Forbes, a prosperous trader in
London, purchased the estate of Callander, which had
formerly belonged to the noble house of Callander and
Linlithgow. Mr. Forbes was a person of most liberal
views, and at once indicated his intention to employ
many labourers on his demesne, to attend to the inte-
rests of his tenantry, and liberally to support the poor.
Weekly at Callander House a number of indigent per-
sons received a supply of clothes, food, and money. The