Capital of the Mind, Edinburgh, & Submarines

James Buchan discusses Edinburgh during the enlightenment of the 1700s.  Beginning with a description of Edinburgh as it lead up to the 18th century, the selling of Scotland to England by the Lords, followed by the frightening, for some, 1745 rebellion.  Having been virtually broken by the Union Edinburgh was becoming a wasteland.  Charlie's appearance gave some hope for independence, not that Charlie would ever have returned, and struck fear of a Catholic revival if he did win in others.  Only then was action taken, all to slowly, to revive the city.

This book centres on the literature of the day, that is the writings of David Hume, Alexander Carlyle, Adam Smith and many others.  These 'freethinkers' in truth bored me as I trudged my way through their opinions, only Adam Smith offering any real touch of humanity.  Quite how Thatcher thought his book allowed her 'trickle down theory' is a wonder, Smith would not have encouraged 3 million unemployed!  These men all offered opinions based on 'reason,'  that is, their 'reason.'  That is where they went wrong.  Many good opinions are found, much support for helping the sick in aiding the founding of hospitals for instance and education, but in the end it is their limited outlook that counts.

It must be said that none of these people actually worked.  They had money, sometimes did legal or authority work, but none endured the long hours of struggle of the mass of poor around them.  And Edinburgh was full of the poor.

The smell of Edinburgh was not a delight in the 1700s.  Disease was rampant, houses cramped and badly lit, pigs roamed the streets often healthier than the people, with only the rich being able to move to the new housing to the south of the main city.  Edinburgh was not a romantic place when the 'Athens of the North' was being born.

It is a wee bit better now.

This book attempts to display Edinburgh as it was then, I confess I found it a wee bit tedious, though much research has been done.  The book became a slog for me while the author went over his favourites, but many will enjoy the in depth look at these giants who placed Edinburgh on the map.

These men certainly gave Edinburgh a certain place in the world, but surely it was what followed from this, scientific research, medicine, education and industry that really mattered?

Worth a look if you have time to spare.

Telegraph

The main armament of defence in the UK is the nuclear submarine.  The UK has several, based in Scotland far from Westminster, and most are broken.  Last year a trial of firing the Trident missile, at a cost of some £17 million failed.  The missile soared into the air and soon plopped back down into the sea.  It is to be hoped the firing was in a cleared area.  

Both the west coast of Scotland and the Forth of Forth near the Rosyth base where repairs are conducted on some submarines, have radioactive recordings in the water.  Westminster ministers have not noticed this yet.

The broken subs lie awaiting several million pound worth of repair, while it appears only one is actually out there deterring Mr Putin and his like.  Broken nuclear submarines, majority of RN ships in dock for repair, routine or otherwise, and two expensive badly designed and failing aircraft carriers with borrowed aircraft slowly draining the cash from the defence budget.

Maybe it is time for a review...?

The Bandwagon Rolls On.

David Hume (1711 - 1776) was famous as what they call a Philosopher, a man who 'thought, spouted his opinions, and appealed to the chattering classes.  One good thing about him was his love of books.  From them he gathered his ideas, annoyed the Kirk of the day, and from his base working in the library poured forth his own books.  He rose in prominence, restricted by his 'atheistic' views from many appointments but remains to this day a favourite among philosophy seeking thinkers.
Naturally all this has been put aside by the mob!
The mob has discovered he thought 'Negroes' to be 'naturally inferior,' an opinion shared by many at the time.  Especially by those who never met any or of they did came across only those native tribes round the coast of Africa.  His morals did not extend to Black men it appears.  This, to the youthful Edinburgh citizen, or student from outside, is anathema!  (If they know what 'anathema' means that is.)
Another who has had his Edinburgh statue graffitied (Is that a word?) is Henry Dundas, the 1st Viscount Melville. (1742 - 1811)  Dundas made use of his Lawyer training by becoming an MP in 1774, like so many of the others.  Climbing high he became Home Secretary, a position he made use of to oppose the end of the slave trade.  He served in several positions, some claimed he was 'King Henry the 9th of Scotland,' and was the last man to be impeached in the UK after money scandals in the Admiralty.  This led to acquittal but the end of his career.
The mob now wish his statue, 150 feet above the square, to be removed!  They can climb up and knock him down if they wish. 
Neither of these men appeal to me.  Their opinions, some forget, were forged in a different age, their attitudes shared by the vast majority.  The majority that bothered that is, like today.
We see now all sorts of men, ignored by most, their stories unknown also, being harangued because of an attitude from the past.  Statues will fall, reputations ruined, today's 'morality' (often unbalanced) imposed on the past.
If we seek out all who have had opinions we dislike, if we remove their statues, their pictures, their offerings and name from the towns, we may find we have nothing left!  Opposing abuse brings home to us how many benefactors were not always nice men.  Their wealth often provided by the work of another, the conditions of work terrible.  But will removing statues change things?
Indeed the danger is twofold.  On the one hand we forget the History of their deeds, that is, those who know their History, it was never taught in my school!  We also become Nazis burning books we do not like.  How far do we go with that?
Debate, certainly, discuss, teach, but let us avoid Mob Rule Bandwagons, there will always be another along in a minute, and we may be under that one.