Everything heroic centered in him.

Sad was the day when a wicked big boy at school told me that England was far larger than Scotland.

I went to the uncle, who had the remedy.
"Not at all, Naig; if Scotland were rolled out flat as England, Scotland would be the larger, but would you have the Highlands rolled down ?" Oh, never! There was balm in Gilead for the wounded young patriot.
Later the greater population of England was forced upon me, and again to the uncle I went.
"Yes, Naig, seven to one, but there were more than that odds against us at Bannockburn." And again there was joy in my heart--joy that there were more English men there since the glory was the greater.
This is something of a commentary upon the truth that war breeds war, that every battle sows the seeds of future battles, and that thus nations become traditional enemies.

The experience of American boys is that of the Scotch.

They grow up to read of Washington and Valley Forge, of Hessians hired to kill Americans, and they come to hate the very name of Englishman.