Seton Gordon : The Life and Times of a Highland Gentleman

Raymond Eagle, 1991

A review by Joe Dorward

Seton Gordon : The Life and Times of a Highland Gentleman (1991)

I bought this 'biography' of Seton Gordon in the hope I’d learn more about his earliest expeditions into the Cairngorms than I already knew from reading his books.  I wanted to know something about how he worked up from (perhaps) a first casual visit, to expeditions over the summits, and Làirigs.  I also wanted to know more about his first encounters with the people who lived, and worked there - I was sadly disappointed. 

The period I was most interested in learning about - and the period most relevant to this website - is the decade before the war of 1914–1918, when Seton Gordon began roaming beyond hills around his home in Aboyne, and began getting to know the Cairngorms.  This 'biography' covers that period in the first two chapters, and in those first two chapters, it shows how easy it is to write bad-history.  I have no interest in criticising the style, nor the quality of anyone else's writing - that's obviously subjective, but in the first two chapters of this book - Raymond Eagle has committed the history-writing equivalent of capital offences.  

1st offence : unsupported assertions - in a biography there's less need to support assertions with references than in a standard history text, but there is still some-need to support assertions so readers know what form the supporting evidence is (a letter, or diary entry for example).  This is exactly the kind of thing David McCullough does in John Adams (2001), his biography of John Adams.  Picking a page at near-random - on page 253 David McCullough asserts that ''Adams had decided what he must do'', then subtly tells the reader the form of the evidence - writing :

By the time spring came, Adams had decided what he must do, no matter the diplomatic niceties. ''America ... has been too long silent in Europe,'' he wrote to Francis Dana. ''Her cause is that of all nations and all men, and it needs nothing but to be explained to be approved.''

- McCullough (2001) (p253)

Whether or not - this letter to Francis Dana actually supports the assertion is not my point - it's that the reader knows that David McCullough made the assertion based on his reading of this letter. 

In contrast - vague, unsupported assertions tumble from the pages of Eagle (1991) - for example :

Soon he was venturing into the Cairngorms. They are higher than the West Highlands, many summits above 4000 feet, whereas in the west only Ben Nevis exceeds this. Lochnagar, at 3786 feet, is closer to Aboyne. One day, at the end of May 1903, he was on its western slopes ...

- Eagle (1991) (p7)

My mind boggles - I don't understand the significance of the reference to Ben Nevis, or to 4,000 feet.  Raymond Eagle is also apparently unaware that Lochnagar isn't in the Cairngorms (it's in the Mounth), but I'd still like to know what the evidence is for the assertion that Seton Gordon was on Lochnagar ''One day, at the end of May 1903'', and I'd also like to know why Raymond Eagle gives us a vague ''One day, at end of May 1903'' rather than stating the actual date.

Many similar passages in the first two chapters alone, raised more questions than they answered, and little detail relating to who, when, where - left me with the disconcerting impression that Raymond Eagle knows little about either the Cairngorms, or the time Seton Gordon spent among them - an impression evidenced by his 2nd offence.

2nd offence : error of assumption - apparently in the January of 1910 Seton Gordon, and his friend Dick Crewe arrived at Derry Lodge after spending a week at Corrour Bothy.  Raymond Eagle refers to the arrival - writing :

When Seton and Crewe finally reached Donald Fraser's door, it was opened by his wife who after an astonished glance, broke into peals of laughter. This was very disconcerting until they saw themselves in a mirror - two unshaven faces, black from a week of peat smoke in the confines of the bothy!

- Eagle (1991) (p22)

The only source I've see recounting this arrival is in Seton Gordon's book Highlands of Scotland (1951), where Seton Gordon writes :

... and we reached, weary but intact, the hospitable home of Donald Fraser, who then lived at the Derry. I recall that when we knocked at the door, and Mary Fraser opened it, her first astonishment at seeing two wayfarers on a winter night was succeeded by mirth which surprised us. When we entered the house and stood before a mirror the cause of her merriment was apparent. We had not seen ourselves for a week and of course had not thought of shaving. We were impressive in our week's beards, but the colour of our faces was still more mirth-producing, for they were black as those of an African, from the peat smoke which had most of the time filled the bothy

- Gordon (1951) (p161)

Donald Fraser died in 1913 - and until his death, lived at at Derry Lodge with his wife Elizabeth, and daughter Mary.  Of course the widespread lack of references in this 'biography' makes it impossible to know if this error is a genuine error of assumption on the part of Raymond Eagle, or an error of memory on the part of Seton Gordon, but I've checked my facts - and there's no doubt Mary was Donald Fraser's daughter. 

That error of assumption was disconcerting enough, but my subsequent reading of the original source materials held by the National Library of Scotland revealed the 3rd offence, which compounds error of assumption with conceit.

3rd offence : error of assumption, conceit - apparently in reference to a letter written by Edward, Prince of Wales to Seton Gordon - on page 33 Raymond Eagle writes :

Another letter on 20 October provides an insight into the life at Balmoral and the bond that existed between the Royal family and their staff:

- Eagle (1991) (p33)

Raymond Eagle then apparently directly quoting the letter - writes :

... How I do envy you being still up in Scotland. I am glad to hear you were at the Derry the other day and saw Donald Fraser and Sandy McDonald. They are both such nice men & I am glad they liked the presents

- Eagle (1991) (p33)

The most disconcerting things about these two 'quotes' is - one - the letter referred to doesn't mention Balmoral - the Derry is Derry Lodge on Mar Estate - two - the actual letter written by Edward, Prince of Wales dated October 20th 1913 - reads :

How I do envy you being still up in Scotland ; I am glad to hear you were at the Derry the other day & saw the "goat" & McDonald. They are both such nice men & am glad they liked the presents

- Edward, Prince of Wales

Conventionally edits to direct quotes are indicated by square brackets, and the mishandling of this 'quote' staggers me.  The continued lack of references leaves me wondering what evidence led Raymond Eagle to conclude this letter refers to Donald Fraser and Sandy McDonald - other than geography.  His edited 'quote' appears to imply that Donald Fraser was known as the "goat", and if that's true I'd like to know about that story.

After reading 33 pages of this 308 page 'biography' - I was so disconcerted I'm unsure which, if any, of Raymond Eagle's assertions can be relied upon - including his assertion on page 10 that Seton Gordon first climbed Am Bràigh Riabhach in 1906. 

If, like me, your interest is narrowly focused on Seton Gordon in the Cairngorms - this 'biography' is a disconcerting, unsatisfying read.