Scottish rights
Sir: Mrs Ewing's pronouncement (November 1) "A Scotsman is not English" betrays an abysmal ignorance of the history of Scotland. The population of the Lothians are of English origin and have never been, racially or culturally, "Scots", whatever their political status.
The Anglo-Saxons settled in the Lothians in the fifth century and their culture and language subsequently spread to others parts of the Lowlands. They were conquered by the Gaelicspeaking Scots in the eleventh century and, ironically, the defeated English adopted "Scottish" nationality. The "Scots" language is merely a variant of Old English and was called "Inglis" until the end of the Middle Ages.
The Lowlanders are not a separate group from the English and, if the "Scots" had not subjugated them it is highly probable that the Lowlands wOuld have been incorporated into England.
J. L. East 133 Old Tovil Road, Maidstone, Kent
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