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Bonn, November 23—We are still walking in sleep here. I keep thinking of this old poem:
Quhen Alexandre our kynge was dede
That Scotland lede in lauch and le,
Away was sons of alle and brede,
Of wyne and wax, of gamyn and gle.
Our golde was changit into lede.
Crist, borne into virgynitie,
Succoure Scotlande and ramede
That is stade in perplexite.
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More by Neal Ascherson
December 19, 2019 issue
October 24, 2019 issue
April 18, 2019 issue
More by Neal Ascherson
December 19, 2019 issue
October 24, 2019 issue
April 18, 2019 issue
Neal Ascherson is the author of Black Sea, Stone Voices: The Search for Scotland and the novel Death of the Fronsac. He is an Honorary Professor at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. (December 2019)
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