Stirring anthem

Stephen Bunyan (Letters, 18 March) is correct about Lord Byron's maternal background but the point I was trying to make (Letters, 14 March) was that him being English-born would be a good reason to adopt Dark Lochnagar as our Murrayfield anthem.

He expressed a preference in the song's words for the rugged grandeur of Scotland to the pastoral beauty of England:

"Though Nature of verdure and flowers bereft you

Yet still art thou dearer than Albion's plain

England! thy beauties are tame and domestic

To one who has roved on the mountains afar

Oh for the crags that are wild and majestic..."

However, the positive theme, powerful lyrics and dramatic tune of Dark Lochnagar are what make it a stand out and any references to England could readily be excised in a shortened version or retained to remain faithful to the original.

BILL MACDONALD

Harmony Court

Bonnyrigg