ANTIQUITY OF THE SCOTTISH TARTAN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 11, 28 January 1937, Page 14

ANTIQUITY OF THE SCOTTISH TARTAN

Of all things dear to the feminine heart the matter of dress takes prylc of place. The fair sex is always interested iu functions where dress makes an appeal, be the dress worn of a national character or of a new mode of fashion. One dress that always appeais is that of the Highlands, with its wide range of atriking tartans. The pipe band contest to take place next week will be looked forward to with interest to note the various tartans worn. Among the varied costumes worn by ' different nationals, none can stand coin- . parison with the Highland garb for gracefulness. The nice discernment and correct taste of Eustace preferred it to the formal and gorgeous drapery of the Asiatie costume. Its utility may be questioned, but it must be .admitted on all hands that a more.sui table dress for the times when it was used, could not have been invented. The antiquity of the tartan has been ealled in question by several writers, "who have maintained that it is of modfern invention; but they have given no proofs in support of their assertion. m author who wrote as f ar back a» ) the year fifteen hundred . and ninety- j Seven ment^ons this species of clothj' j and in the account of charge and discharge of John, Bishop of Glasgow, Ti^oasurer ,to ,King James III. in fourteen hundred and seventy-one, the following entries occur: "An elne and ane halve of blue tartane to lyne his g'owne of eloth of gold £1 10s 6d. "Pour elne and ane halve of tartane for a sparwurt aboun his credill, price ane elne, 10s £2 5s. "Halve ane elne of dubble tartane to lyne collars to, her lady the J Queen, price 8 shillings." , It is therefore absurd to say that ta^ tan is a inodern invention. When the great improvements in the process of dyeing by means of chemistry are considered, it will' appear surprising that without any knowledge of tliis art, and with out the substances now employed, the Highlanders a have been able, from the scanty materials, which their country affiorded, to produce the beautiful and lasting colours which distinguished the old Highland tartanj some specimens of v- th are understoo'd still to exist and which rctain much of their original brilliancy I of colour. I In dyeing and arranging the various colouss of their tartans they displayed ' no small art and taste, preserving at the same time the distinctive pattcrns . (or sets, as 'they were called) of the j diffcrcnt clans, tribes, families and dis- j tricts. Thus a Macdonald, a Campbell, a Mackenzie, etc., was known by ms plaid; and, in like manner, the Athole, ' Glenorchy, and other colours of different districts, were easily distinguishable. Besides those general divisions, industrious housewives had -patternCrs, distinguished by the set, superior quality and fineness of cloth, or brightness and variety of the colours. ENGAGEMENT The engagement is announced Constance Margaret, second daughter of Mr and 'Mrs J. O'Grady, of "Waipapa," Mohaka, to Donaid John, eldest son of Mr and Mrs D. Fraser, oi "llotokakarangu," Te Moai'i