The racist, British nationalist, and anti-Scottish anthem

May by thy mighty aid

Victory bring,

May he sedition hush,

And like a torrent rush,

Rebellious Scots to crush,

God save the King.

Confound their politics

And curse their knavish tricks . . . etc.

This was sung in Drury Lane Theatre whenever King Geordie entered the royal box, and other theatres throughout England. The British/English Government was in a state of confusion over the Jacobite army's advance into England. Despite the fact that most of Cherlie's paramilitary, anti-Parliamentary, Scots sojers had no wish to be on English soil. They were content to stay at hame and have him dissolve the Parliamentary, 1707 - but not the regal, 1603 - Union, upon landing in Scotland and then taking Edinburgh by storm.

His faither, Jimmy VIII, made the same declaration upon landing at Peterheid in 1715: unfortunately for him, as in the Scottish republican rebellion of 1797 and the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745, the French reinforcements had trouble with the English Navy and weather. King Geordie, and others, had a fast ship in the Thames laden with goods ready to flee the advancing ''Sweaty Socks''. The London banks and clearance hooses tried to stem the panic run by paying out in sixpenny pieces.

There was no need. The Scots were only too glad to return home and dance a Heilan fling, to dry their plaidies, when they safely recrossed the Tweed.

The so-called Parliamentary Union, when the Scottish people were not consulted by a double referendum, was signed by most of the ''nobility'', succumbing to bribes and threats. Some received even less than a modern-day cooncillor's odd freebie, a Labourite peerage, or threat of career blockage.

Daniel Defoe, the English Unionist spy, who helped to bribe the original North British ''Unionists'', described them thus: ''The great men are posting to London for places and Honours, every man full of his own merit and afraid of everything near him: I never saw so much mean trick, sham, pride, jealousy, and cutting of friends' throats as there is among the noblemen.''

Sound familiar? For those political prostitutes the only worthy anthem would be:

Oh Hooer o' Scotland,

When will we see yer Clypes again,

Who Cringed and Lived for,

Westminster Bung and Big Ben?

Donald Anderson,

22 Southampton Drive, Glasgow.

January 22.

EVER since I discovered that God Save the Queen contains a verse about ''crushing rebellious Scots'' I have refused to acknowledge it as my national anthem. A nation's anthem should not encourage genocide against a part of that nation, or even the slaughter of another nation. It is not polite.

That would rule out our adoption of the rousing song Flower of Scotland as our anthem for international purposes. It is a song of the struggling underdog, suffering the oppression of a powerful neighbour, and as such has its place in the nation's heart, and on the rugby field. But it is not the image of our country which we want to promote internationally for evermore. Any serious contender should avoid racist overtones which could offend others.

We should be looking for a song which projects Scotland as a modern European nation, with an ancient past and culture, which will hold out the hand of friendship to all our brother nations across the world, aye, and even across the Border.

The song which will do that for us is Auld Lang Syne, with a couple of the original verses by Burns, and a couple specially written, modern verses from our modern poets.

I am disappointed that your poll has been dominated by introspective songs of the past, overlooking the new future about to dawn on us. Perhaps it is a mistake to count the votes so soon, while the debate is still taking place.

Alasdair Sutherland,

8 Langbank Rise, Kilmacolm.

January 22.