This summer I had the amazing fortune to travel around the British Isles. As I spent time in the cities as well as the pastoral landscapes, I absolutely loved the rich history and deep culture. One of my favorite stops was Edinburgh, Scotland; what a beautiful city. It seemed that with every step I was taking a historic journey and no matter where I stood I could always look up and see Edinburgh Castle standing like a sentinel above the city.It did not take long exploring the streets to realize the importance Edinburgh had in literature. There is clearly something about those cobblestone steps that inspired so many to greatness. A list of some of the most prominent includes Robert Louis Stevenson, Walter Scott, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Burns, Adam Smith, David Hume, Alistair MacLean and James Hogg.While all these writers deserve their rightful due and have given the world so much, I want to highlight three. The oldest is Adam Smith (1723-1790), an economist and philosopher who is considered the father of capitalism. His book “The Wealth of Nations” teaches that free markets, driven by self-interest and competition, naturally regulate themselves to create wealth and improve society’s overall wellbeing through the “invisible hand” of supply and demand.Next is Robert Burns (17591796), who is considered Scotland’s national poet. While many of his poems are written in English, he also composed many in the Scottish language. He is considered a pioneer of the Romantic movement by emphasizing the importance of emotion, individualism, and a deep connection to nature and rural life. His poetry celebrated the beauty of the natural world, the dignity of common people, and the value of personal expression, which resonated with the Romantic movement’s ideals. While his poems are not too familiar in America today, his Scottish language poem is still sung every year on New Year’s Eve when we sing “Auld Lang Syne.”Finally, there is Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). A historian, poet and novelist, his books like “Rob Roy” and “Ivanhoe” reminded the Scots of their traditions and made historical novels popular. In many ways he is responsible for the return of traditional Scottish culture and deserves the large monument dedicated to him in Edinburgh.If we jump forward a couple of hundred years, and if we can ever rid ourselves of the scourge of cancel culture and political correctness, there is another author who deserves a monument ...
