I imagine the first question anyone will ask is what is a column called "Scottish Flotsam". I guess we will have to begin with what is "flotsam". Among the definitions of the word are "things washed ashore" or "miscellaneous trifles". Well, we believe you can find some great treasure on the ocean shore. But -- you will never know what you will find or its value. So we decided that is what this column is - flotsam. We wanted a place to put things that didn't fit anywhere else and might be of interest. Each item could be a column itself and might be some day but for now it will be the flotsam, which washes our way.

Now lets look at a Scottish King:

Duncan was the first of the royal House of Dunkeld. He added Strathclyde to his grandfather's kingdom, thereby being the first monarch of a united Scotland. The hereditary right to the throne of his two sons, Malcolm Canmore and Donald Ban was threatened by his cousin Macbeth who claimed the kingdom on the grounds of tanistry. The matter was settled in 1040 near Elgin when Macbeth killed Duncan in battle.

Source: http://www.nwlink.com/~scotlass/houseof.htm

It is time to stop combing the library but we can not quit without some quotes from The Pocket Book of Scottish Quotations another great History bookshelf resident. Let's see what quotes we can find.

This month we continue with the subject of love.

So it was she knew she liked him, loved him as they said in the soppy
English books, you were shamed and a fool to say that in Scotland.
Lewis Grassic Gibbon (fames Leslie Mitchell, 1901-1935), Sunset Song

So ferre I falling into lufis dance,
That sodeynly my wit, my contenance,
My hert, my will, my nature and my mynd,
Was changit clene rycht in ane other kind.
King James I (1394-1437), ), The Kingis Quair

At lufis lair gif thou will lear,
Tak there ane a b c:
Be heynd, courtass, and fair of feir,
Wyse, hardy and free
Robert Henryson (c. 1425 - c. 1500), Robene and Makyne

Give me the highestjoy
That the heart o' man can frame:
My bonnie, bonnie lassie,
When the kye come hame.
James Hogg (1770-1835), When the Kye Come Hame

But O, her artless smile's mair sweet,
Than hinny or than marmalete.
James Hogg (1770-1835), My Love She's But a Lassie Yet