Hugh MacDiarmid Quotes
Hugh MacDiarmid writes vivid, Scottish-flavored reflections on identity and culture that stir the soul.
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I amna fou' sae muckle as tired - deid dune. It's gey and hard wark coupin' gless for gless Wi' Cruivie and Gilsanquhar and the like, And I'm no' juist as bauld as aince I wes.
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I'll ha'e nae hauf-way hoose, but aye be whaur Extremes meet - it's the only way I ken To dodge the curst conceit o' bein' richt That damns the vast majority o' men.
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The number of people who can copulate properly may be few; the number who can write well are infinitely fewer.
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If there's a sword-like sang That can cut Scotland clear O a' the warld beside Rax me the hilt o't here. For there's nae jewal till Frae the rest o earth it's free, Wi the starry separateness I'd fain to Scotland gie.
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The rose of all the world is not for me. I want for my part Only the little white rose of Scotland That smells sharp and sweet - and breaks the heart.
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It is time we in Scotland put England in its proper place and instead of our leaning on England and taking inspiration from her, we should lean and turn to Europe, for it is there our future prosperity lies.
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Scotland small? Our multiform, infinite Scotland SMALL?
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Football fanaticism and high intellect seldom go together.
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Our principal writers have nearly all been fortunate in escaping regular education.
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There are plenty of ruined buildings in the world but no ruined stones.
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In spite of all their kind some elements of worth With difficulty persist here and there on earth.
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“And until that day comes every true man's place/ is to reject all else and be with the lowest,/ the poorest - in the bottom of that deepest of wells/ in which alone is truth; in which is truth only - truth that should shine like the sun,/ with a monopoly of movement, and a sound like talking to God.”