And they hope we can all take a few lessons from history before deciding where to put our crosses.

Three of the region’s most respected thinkers and writers will discuss the pros and cons of going it alone at a special debating meeting in Melrose.

Poet and translator Brian Holton will be joined by former Open University lecturer Colin Russell and the writer behind Scott-land and literary editor of the Scotland on Sunday, Stuart Kelly, And they all hope that their take on Scotland’s history can forge a clearer path to the polls in September.

Brian, who is a leading translator of Chinese poetry as well as famed historian, told us: “All we are looking for is good conversation and debate in the lead up to, what will be, an important date in Scotland’s history.

“The meeting will give people the chance to have an evening with three people who have spent most of their lives looking at how Scotland got to where it is today.

“It is important that in this year of the referendum that we look back and take some lessons.” The meeting will be held in the upstairs function suite of the Kings Arms Hotel on Thursday, August 14.

Mr Holton, who lives in Melrose, explained how the planned high-brow blether came about, He said: “I have known Colin for some time and he drove me up to an Aye Write event in Glasgow, where I was a last-minute substitute speaker.

“We started talking to Stuart, who was also speaking at the event in the Mitchell Library, and that’s where the idea came from. It is good to have honest debate.” Stuart, who is originally from Galashiels and now lives in Heriot, is one of Scotland’s most respected authors and literary critics.

Amongst his many works are the Sir Walter Scott biography, Scott-land, and his best-selling The Book of Lost Books.

Dr Colin Russell from Walkerburn is regarded as an authority on the Scottish Enlightenment. And published Princes of the Scottish Enlightenment, 1688-1832, earlier this year.

Colin said: “A lot of people are fed up with the current debate about how much we will lose or gain from independence - it is nice to offer something different.

“I will talk briefly about the Scottish Enlightenment - a time when Scotland was at the forefront of almost everything. This gradually diminished over the years due to the size of our neighbour, England. Our confidence also diminished - for me centralisation dragged confidence down in Scotland.

“None of us will be telling people how they should vote. What I will discuss could be construed either way.” The referendum discussion takes place at the Kings Arms Hotel, Melrose, on Thursday, August 14, from 7pm with doors opening an hour earlier.