The Statistical Accounts for the west highland area are great reading. The writers are all local pastors, and as such as interested in the morals of the populations as they are in the plants and mountains and history of their parishes.
One thing has occurred to me, morality-wise: the comments reflect a continuing concern with the locals' over-indulgence with whiskey. The role of whiskey in the life of the Gael is well known, of course.
However, there is one human weakness NEVER mentioned by these pastors: gambling. Fighting, yes. Drunken brawls, yes. Petty crime and even major crime, yes. Immorality, yes.
But gambling, never.
I wonder why??
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