|
 Electric
Scotland's Weekly Email Newsletter
Dear
Friend
It's your
Electric Scotland newsletter meaning the weekend is nearly here :-)
You can view what's new this week on Electric Scotland at
http://www.electricscotland.com/rss/whatsnew.php and you can
unsubscribe to this newsletter by clicking on the link at the foot
of this newsletter.
See our Calendar of Scottish Events around the world at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/calendar_help.htm
CONTENTS
--------
Electric Scotland News
The Flag in the Wind
The Scottish Nation
Scottish Clans and Families
Poetry and Stories
Book of Scottish Story
History of Glasgow
The Scottish Historical Review
Statesmen and Politicians, from Scots in America
Old Time Customs
MacKenzie, Selkirk, Simpson
Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland (New Book)
Among the Women, from The Scot in America
A Chat with Jim Osborne
This Is What Christmas Is All About
Ebenezer Bain (New Book)
ELECTRIC SCOTLAND NEWS
---------------------
Well I confess my enthusiasm is not high right now due to getting a
cold. It's been many years since I last had a cold and forgot all
about the general misery involved in dealing with it. Hacking cough
and sore ribs, running nose, etc.
The other day despite the cold I had to get some groceries in and it
was amazing that when I went into the Grocery store is was all clear
outside only to find when I came out the car totally covered in
snow. As fast as I cleared the windows they were being covered
again.
Anyway... got in lots of things to drink fortified with vitamin c
and soups as I don't have much of an appetite right now.
-----
A note from Steve...
As many have noticed the Message Boards have been down for a bit. I
was working on it and ran into a few problems that were a bit
unexpected. After some review it was decided that it would be a good
time to bring up all the newest vBullettin software, as well as all
the extras, and run it thru some in-depth testing BEFORE bringing
the system into a Production Model. In addition we planned on
instituting the $5.00US one-off fee for the system to offset all the
time for the Spam Control on the system (as was previously
discussed).
In a nutshell I will be spending the next week or so doing a
complete rebuild of the system and I will be coming to a few of you
to do some testing and such with me while I Crash the system on
purpose and ensure it can be rebuilt without any problems. This
entire process should take a week or less unless I run into any
problems.
I apologize for the problems and make a note that anyone who wishes
to volunteer to be a Scottish Guinea Pig should drop me a note at
innkeeper@electricscotland.org
-----
On the same subject... I am of the opinion that I'd prefer our
community system to be smaller but safe so I'm completely in accord
with a one off charge of $5.00 as this makes it highly unlikely that
a spammer will pay anything let alone give out their credit card
details just to spam the system. I'm perfectly aware that there are
many free systems out there and hugely bigger that we are. They do
however have a large staff to monitor spam and such like but we
don't.
Also... having had some discussions with Steve we want to ensure
that should the system ever go down we will have it fully backup
within 24 hours. Being down for weeks is just not acceptable and
hence this testing that Steve is going through.
When back up we will be enabling features that were disabled due to
the bandwidth problems so hopefully this will make the service even
better :-)
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do
check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the
link in our "What's New" section at the link at the top of this
newsletter or on our site menu.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
This weeks Flag is compiled by Mark Hirst. As usual he gives us a
couple of in-depth articles one of which cover the current
Israel/Gaza situation.
In Peter's cultural section he's telling us what Robert Burns is
worth to Scotland...
Possibly the last thing on anyones mind when sitting down to enjoy a
Burns Supper is just how economically valuable Robert Burns is to
his native land. But thanks to Lesley Campbell, an economist with
the World Bank, we know that the continuing appeal of our National
Bard is worth some £157 million to the Scottish economy. A
remarkable figure when you consider that the Bard, on his death in
1796, left £14 in debt. But like the Elvis industry which has grown
up around Gracelands, from his death onwards, the Burns cottage at
Alloway became a shrine to his memory and is still a mecca to his
world-wide admirers. The Burns connection is worth some £100 million
to his native Ayrshire economy alone with a further £50 million or
so being generated Scotland-wide through visitor spending and Burns
Night fare. Supply of haggis comes into its own over the Burns
season. With the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns birth this year,
his annual worth to the Scottish economy should be on a steeply
rising curve, giving Scots yet another good reason to Toast the
Immortal Memory of Robert Burns.
We stay in Ayrshire for this week's recipe - Ayrshire Shortbread - a
delicious shortbread which has the added delight of cream. Very
appropriate as Ayrshire is famous for its milk production.
Ayrshire Shortbread
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) flour; 1 tbsp rice flour; 4 oz (100 g)
butter; 4 oz (100 g) caster sugar; yolk of egg; 2 tbsp cream
Method: Preheat the oven to 350 deg F/ 180 deg C or gas mark 4
Sieve the flour and rice lour together into a bowl. Rub in the
butter and add sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the egg yolk
and cream. Knead together lightly to make a fairly stiff dough.
Divide into three pieces and roll into sausage-shapes about
one-and-a half inch (4 cm) in diameter. Put into a cool place and
leave for several hours or overnight. Cut into rounds a quarter inch
thick ( 1/2 cm), place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-15
minutes.
You can read the Flag, listen to the Scots Language, enjoy the Scots
Wit and lots more at
http://www.scotsindependent.org
Christina McKelvie's Weekly diary is available at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mckelvie/090108.htm
The Scottish Nation
-------------------
My thanks to Lora for transcribing these volumes for us.
Since the last newsletter we've added...
Crooks, Davidson, Dennistoun and Denoon.
An interesting account of Crooks which you can read here...
CROOKS, a surname peculiarly Scottish. A gentleman of this name, a
native of Scotland, Mr. Ramsay Crooks, latterly president of the
American Fur Company, New York city, formed one of the celebrated
expedition to the north-west coast of North America, in the years
1811, 1812, 1813, and 1814, conducted under the auspices of Mr. John
Jacob Astor, an enterprising merchant of New York, and of which Mr.
Washington Irving has given an account in his Astoria. He had
previously been a trader with the Indians of the south, and had
business relations with Mr. Astor. Fuller and more correct details
are contained in a work by M. Gabrielle Franchere of Montreal, one
of those employed by Mr. Astor in founding his colony, a translation
of which was published at New York in 1854. In it the name of Mr.
Ramsay Crooks, as one of the most active of the adventurers, finds
honourable mention. After enduring all sorts of fatigue, dangers,
and heir-breadth escapes, he, as well as Messrs. R. M’Lelland and
Robert Stuart, who were also engaged in the expedition, finally
reached St. Louis and New York. Mr. Crooks was dead previous to Nov.
20, 1860. His son, also named Ramsay Crooks, was long a merchant of
high standing in New York. For some details relative to the
expedition above referred to, see life of Donald Mackenzie, post.
You can read all these entries at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nation/index.htm
Clan and Family Information
---------------------------
Got in the Clan Ross newsletter for November 2008 at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/newsletters/ross/index.htm
Of interest to MacIntyre's we have a small review of "A Snowball in
Summer". A poetry book by Lorn MacIntyre in which he had provided
his poem "A Snowball in Summer" for us to enjoy. You can read this
at
http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/m/macintyre/snowball.htm
Poetry and Stories
------------------
John also sent in another poem, "Hogmanay an Ne'erday" at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel297.htm
And of course more articles in our Article Service at
http://www.electricscotland.com/article
Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
Our thanks to John Henderson for sending this in for us.
This week have added...
Bowed Joseph
and
Part 1 of The Laird of Wineholm
Here is how Bowed Joseph starts...
A Last-Century Edinburgh Character
BY ROBERT CHAMBERS, LL.D.
The mobs of Edinburgh have ever been celebrated as among the
fiercest in Europe. The one which accomplished the death of Porteous,
as narrated in the tale of the Heart of Midlothian, was a most
surprising instance of popular vengeance, almost surpassing the
bounds of belief; though it must sink considerably in our
admiration, when we reflect upon the power and ferocity which at all
periods have characterised the actions of this monstrous and
danger-fraught collective. The time has been, when, in the words of
the old song, "all Edinburgh" would "rise by thousands three," and
present such a strength to the legal authorities, that all
opposition to their capricious will would be in vain. In the younger
days of many now living, even the boys of the High School, and of
Heriot’s Hospital, could erect themselves into a formidable body,
equally resistless and indomitable. It is a fact, ludicrous enough
too, that when the lads of these different schools were engaged in
any of those squabbles, formerly so frequent and fatal, between
them, they always showed a singular degree of political sagacity
when assailed by the town-guard, in immediately joining their
strengths, and combining against the common foe, when for the most
part they succeeded in driving them from the scene of action. When
such was the power of boys and striplings in this ill-protected
city, and such the disorderliness of holiday assemblies, there is
little left for wonder at the ravages committed by a mob formed of
adults, actuated by violent feelings of jealousy, bigotry, and
revenge.
Of this uncontrollable omnipotence of the populace, the annals of
Edinburgh present many fearful records. At the various periods of
the Reformation and the Revolution, the Chapel of Roslin was
destroyed by a mob, whose purpose neither cooled nor evaporated
during a walk of eight miles. James the Sixth was besieged and
threatened in his courts, and in the midst of his Parliaments, by a
rabble of mechanics, who, but for the stout walls of the Tolbooth,
might perhaps have taken his life. The fine chapel of Holyrood-house
was pillaged of not only its furniture and other valuables, but also
of the still more sacred bones which lay within its precincts, by a
mob which rose at the Revolution, and did such deeds of violence and
rapine as fanaticism and ignorance alone could have excited. At the
unfortunate issue of the Dover expedition, at the execution of
Captain Green, at the Union, and at many other events of less
importance, the populace of Edinburgh distinguished themselves by
insurrection and acts of outrage, such as have alone found
parallels, perhaps, in the various transactions of the French
Revolution. Even so late as 1812, there happened a foray of a most
appalling nature; the sports of an occasion of rejoicing were
converted into scenes of frightful riot, unexampled as they were
unlooked for. The fatal melancholy catastrophe of this event, had,
however, the good effect of quenching the spirit of licentiousness
and blackguardism in the Edinburgh youth, and finally undermined
that system of unity and promptitude in action and in council by
which its mobs had so often triumphed in their terrible resolutions.
In this fierce democracy, there once arose a mighty leader, who
contrived, by means of great boldness, sagacity, and other personal
merits, to subject the rabble to his will, and to elect himself
dictator of all its motives and exploits. The person who thus found
means to collect all the monstrous heads of the hydra within the
grand grasp of his command was a little decrepit being, about four
feet high, almost deprived of legs, and otherwise deformed. His name
was Joseph Smith, or more commonly, "Bowed Joseph”. He lived in
Leith Wynd, and his trade as a private citizen was a buff belt
maker. This singular being—low, miserable, and contemptible as he
appeared—might be said to have had at one time the complete command
of the metropolis of Scotland. Whenever any transaction took place
in the Town Council which Joseph considered to be of very improper
tendency ; whenever meal rose to whatever Joseph considered to be an
improper price; whenever anything occurred in the city which did not
accord with Joseph’s idea of right and wrong; in short, "when they
werna gude bairns,” this hero could, in the course of an hour,
collect a mob of ten thousand persons, all alike ready to execute
his commands, or to disperse at his bidding. For this purpose, he is
said to have employed a drum; and never surely had " fiery cross "
of the Highland chieftain such an effect upon the warlike devotion
of his clan, as "Bowed Joseph’s drum" had upon the finder spirits of
the Edinburgh rabble.
The rest of this story can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/story73.htm
The other stories can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
The History of Glasgow
----------------------
By Robert Renwick LL.D. and Sir John Lindsay L.D. in 3 volumes
(1921)
We have now completed this account with...
Chapter LI
The Last Years of the Old Regime
Chapter LII
Reform
Here is how Chapter LI starts...
THE ten years which followed the visit of George IV. to Scotland
were the last of the old regime in the country and in Glasgow. With
the passing of the Parliamentary Reform Bill in 1832, and of the
Burgh Reform Bill in 1833, the system of government by aristocracy
came to an end, and the great experiment of government by democracy
was begun. It will be the business of the historian of the future to
compare the efficiency of the two systems, and to ascertain how far
the glowing hopes have been realized of the enthusiasts for the new
order who, like the poet Tennyson, foresaw a noble future of
"freedom broadening slowly down from precedent to precedent."
Meantime, so far as Glasgow was concerned, those last ten years, in
which the affairs of the city were managed by a "close corporation,"
a Town Council which elected its own successors without any popular
voting, were years of wise and steady administration. In those years
the Town Council rebuilt two of the city churches, St. Enoch's and
the Ramshorn, re-named from that time St. David's, at the request of
the minister, the Rev. Dr. Ranken; as a heritor in Gorbals it
contributed to the rebuilding of the parish church of Govan, and it
undertook an extensive repair of the Cathedral, towards which the
Government was induced to make a grant of £3000. [Burgh Records,
15th Feb., 28th Dec., 1827; 13th Jan., 1824; 8th Sept., 1825; 18th
Feb., 1827; 5th Mar., 1824.] It also erected a new stone bridge at
the foot of Saltmarket, and arranged for the rebuilding of the
bridge at the foot of Jamaica Street, this last at a cost of £27,979
5s. 8d. [Burgh Records, 4th Feb., 1825; 5th March, 1833; vol. xi. p.
686.] It took an active part in encouraging the development of
railways, which was presently to become one of the most outstanding
.features of the time. Though it refused to support the project of a
railway from the Monkland coalfields to Kirkintilloch, which lay in
reality outside its sphere of interest, [Ibid. 5th Mar., 23rd Mar.,
1824. This was the first successful locomotive railway line in
Scotland—(Mackinnon, Social and Industrial Hist., p. 132) and the
first instalment of the great North British system.] it petitioned
Parliament in favour of the Glasgow and Garnkirk line, the earliest
part of the great Caledonian Railway system, [Ibid. 4th May, 1827.]
and in favour of a railway and tunnel for conveying coal from the
north-east of the city to the Broomielaw [Ibid. 14th Jan., 13th
Feb., 1830; 2nd Feb., 1831.]; it opposed the scheme of the Glasgow
and Paisley Railway to cross the river and invade the city streets,
[Ibid. 2nd Feb.,1831.] a scheme which was nevertheless carried out
fifty years later; and it took action in Parliament against the
Pollok and Govan Railway Bill, which threatened to damage the
property of the city and of Hutcheson's Hospital on the south side
of the river. [Ibid. 22nd Sept., 1831 ; 18th Jan., 1832.] In this
last case the Town Council shrewdly foresaw that it would one day
wish to use, for an extension of the harbour, the Windmillcroft,
opposite the Broomielaw, which the railway projectors proposed to
convert into a coal terminus. At a later day the Kingston Dock,
Glasgow's earliest harbour basin, was constructed on the spot. At
the same time the city fathers were quick to realize the advantages
of a proposed railway between Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Leith, and
petitioned both the House of Commons and the House of Lords in
favour of the undertaking. [Ibid. 16th Mar., 1832.]
Among internal developments, the fashionable terrace, Monteith Row,
facing Glasgow Green and looking over the Clyde to the Cathkin
Braes, had been named in compliment to the Lord Provost, the great
mill-owner, Henry Monteith, and its area was steadily feued and
built upon by substantial citizens. [Ibid. 8th July, 1819; 21st
Aug., 1823; 6th Aug., 1824.]
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/glasgow3_51.htm
The index page of the book is at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glasgow/historyndx.htm
The Scottish Historical Review
------------------------------
I have added the last of the articles from these publications...
Cant Family
Inquiries have been made about the Scottish family of Cant in
connection with the parentage of Hans or John Cant or Kant of Memel,
who was grandfather of the philosopher Immanuel Kant and was (as
slated by Immanuel) a Scotsman. The name occurs in Scottish records
of the fifteenth century as connected with Edinburgh and Dunfermline.
Communion Tokens
During the past few years a great deal of interest has been taken in
the old Communion Tokens used in various Scotch churches.
You can read these articles at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/review
Old Time Customs
----------------
Memories and Traditions and Other Essays
By John Burgess Calkin, M. A. LL.D. (1918)
Have added further chapters...
Chapter VI
Cups that Cheer and yet Inebriate
Chapter VII
The Surprise Party
Chapter VIII
Fashions
Chapter IX
Signs and Charms
Chapter X
Disease and Remedy
Here is how the account of "Cups that Cheer and yet Inebriate"...
THE DESIRE for stimulants seems to be characteristic of the human
family in all ages and in all lands. Our immediate ancestors,
including all classes of society, were no exception. Indeed, the use
of intoxicants was more common in their day than it is at the
present time. It was the custom throughout the Province for dealers
in general merchandise to keep wines and rum which they sold by the
gal-on. In 1786, when Halifax had a population of about three
thousand, there were, according to reliable statement, "upwards of
one hundred Iicensed houses, and perhaps as many more which retailed
liquors without license; so that the business of one half of the
town was to sell rum and of the other half to drink it."
Rum was chiefly from the West Indies. It was rich in alcohol and was
usually diluted with water before being sold at retail. Nor was the
traffic considered at all disreputable. Nearly everybody used
it,--some as an every day beverage; others occasionally, as in
haying time, raising buildings and on social occasions to welcome a
friend. The clergyman, when calling on his people, was not thought
to be properly entertained without being offered "some thing to
drink."
It is related that in a certain part of the Province of Nova Scotia
a clergyman announced at the Lord's Day service that he intended to
visit a certain section of his congregation on the following day. On
Monday morning, meeting a boy on the street, he said to him, "Does
your father know that I will be at his house this afternoon to
catechise you children?" "O, yes," replied the lad, holding up a
bottle, "and I am now going to the store to get it filled."
The following story is told of the rum traffic in another part of
the Province. The rum cask was getting low and the dealer drove away
early in the morning to a neighboring seaport to see if new supplies
had arrived by a vessel that had just come in from the West Indies.
On his return home he asked his clerk how the rum had held out.
"Fine, I put several pails of water in it" was the reply. "Ah"
gruffly retorted the merchant "you've spoilt it. I put in as much as
it would stand before I went away."
Another story of the same merchant will show how the day's work
began. On entering his store in the morning his salutation was—`Have
you sanded the sugar?" "Yes, Sir." "Have you watered the rum?" "Yes,
Sir." "Come in to prayers."
You can the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/oldcustoms6.htm
You can read the others at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/oldcustoms.htm
MacKenzie, Selkirk, Simpson
---------------------------
The Makers of Canada, By Rev. George Bryce, D.D. (1910)
We're working at the MacKenzie biography and have added the
following chapters this week...
Chapter VI - A Wider Horizon
Chapter VII - Winter on Peace River
Chapter VIII - Over the Great Divide
Chapter IX - First to the Pacific and Return
Chapter X - Fame Achieved and the Ebbing Tide
Here is how "Winter on Peace River" starts...
HIS object in Great Britain having been gained, Alexander Mackenzie
returned during the summer in time for the great meeting at Grand
Portage in August; and the affairs of the traders being arranged for
another year, he hurried back to Athabaska to meet his cousin and
talk over future plans. His design, until then kept secret, was made
known. He had early in the season sent word to Fort Chipewyan that a
small party should be sent on to Peace River to cut square timber
for a house, go on with its construction, and surround it with
palisades.
This was not the first expedition to Peace River, for it will be
remembered Alexander Mackenzie sent, in 1788, trader Boyer to found
a post on the Peace River, where the soil is exceedingly fertile and
the climate mild enough to allow the growth of turnips, carrots,
parsnips, and potatoes. The spot selected by Boyer had in the four
intervening years already gained the name of the "Old
Establishment."
On October 10th, 1792, Mackenzie, having arranged to leave Fort
Chipewyan under his cousin Roderick's control, prepared to push on
to his winter quarters on Peace River. Steering west his two canoes,
which were laden with his men and the necessary articles for trade,
Mackenzie came to the Vail River, which afforded a passage to Peace
River, and in two days was on his way up the Peace River itself.
Peace Point was soon reached, this name having been given to a
portion of the bank of the river formerly in dispute between the
Kinistilicaux (Crees) and the Beaver Indians. Here the quarrel had
been settled, and the spot was henceforth memorable. The falls of
Peace River, twenty feet high, were avoided by a portage, and the
party soon came to the Old Establishment. Mr. Finlay, the Nor'-West
trader who had just reached the fort over which he was placed, was
overtaken by Mackenzie's party.
On the tenth day after his departure from Fort Chipewyan Alexander
Mackenzie reached Finlay's Fort, and was received with the firing of
guns and. much demonstration. About this fort, under Finlay's
charge, there was an Indian population of three hundred, sixty of
whom were hunters. Waiting for two or three days Mackenzie found
them coming in till their full numbers were well-nigh reached.
During the whole summer it was the custom of the Nor'-westers to
give no spirits to the Indians, but now on the approach of winter
they made known their desires to the great white chief. Mackenzie
thus describes his method of dealing with them:-
"As they very soon expressed their desire of the expected regale, I
called them together to the number of forty-two hunters, or men
capable of bearing arms, to offer some advice, which would be
equally advantageous to them and to us, and I strengthened my
admonition with a nine-gallon cask of reduced rum, and a quantity of
tobacco. At the same time I observed that as I should not often
visit them I had instanced a greater degree of liberality than they
had been accustomed to."
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/makers/mackenzie7.htm
You can read the other chapters at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/makers/
Guide to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
----------------------------------------------
By George Anderson and Peter Anderson of Inverness (1850)
This is a new book we're starting and here is the Preface for you to
read here...
The Authors having been induced to remodel this Guide, by commencing
the Routes between Inverness and the South, not at Inverness as a
central point, as in previous editions, but at the opposite
extremities, so as better to serve the purpose of the stranger
visiting the Highlands, necessarily had to rewrite these portions;
and they, with some confidence, anticipate that these alterations
produce a very material improvement in all respects. They have again
visited several parts of the country, and made personal acquaintance
with some other districts which they had not had previous
opportunity of inspecting for themselves—thus giving freshness and
novelty to the narrative. They have also subjected the whole work to
so thorough a revision, and have introduced so much new matter into
their pages, that they are encouraged to hope that it will now be
found not only a very complete Guide Book to the Highlands and
Islands, even in their most remote and sequestered byeways, but also
a readable, as well as comprehensive compilation, for the closet or
the fireside. To accommodate the Volume to the wants of Tourists
throughout the whole of Scotland, a condensed Sketch of the Lowlands
has been added, by which the Authors have endeavoured to direct the
Traveller's notice to the points of most interest, as well as to
promote his acquaintance with the subjects it passes in rapid survey
before him.
It is with much gratification the Authors acknowledge the prompt
attention they have received from the numerous parties they have
applied to for details of information, for this as of former
Editions. They have felt called upon already to express their
special sense of obligation to the Reverend Charles Clouston of
Stromness, in Orkney, for his description of the Orkney Islands—to
the late Mr. George Sutherland Taylor of Dornoch —and to Mr. Robert
Sutherland Taylor, sheriff-substitute of the eastern division of
Ross-shire, by whom the nucleus of the Branch Routes to the North
and West of Sutherlandshire was furnished ; and to the Reverend Dr.
M`Intosh Mackay of Dunoon, who has kindly supplied the greater part
of the description of Islay. But they cannot with propriety continue
to avail themselves of the labours of these gentlemen without
renewed acknowledgment. Through the kindness of Mr. Thomas Fraser,
sheriff-substitute of Skye, several gaps in the delineation of the
scenery of that island will now be found to be filled up; and the
Authors are indebted to Mr. George May, resident engineer of the
Caledonian Canal, for the amended lucid history and account of that
national undertaking—the most full and complete yet presented to the
public. The details of the Roman Camps at Ardoch, and other
particulars regarding Strathearn, were communicated by a gentleman
conversant with the antiquities of the neighbourhood—Mr. Thomas
Soutar, writer, Crieff.
Though the plan of the first Edition led to greater use being made,
than in subsequent Editions, of the benefits of the scientific aid,
which the kindness of Drs. Hibbert, Sir W. J. Hooker, Sir Roderick
Impey Murcheson, and the Reverend George Gordon of Birnie, put at
their command, the Authors would again tender their grateful
acknowledgments to these gentlemen. This Edition is enriched with a
valuable synopsis of the Geology of Morayshire by Alexander
Robertson, Esq., of Elgin.
In conclusion, the Authors would repeat their request, that any
inaccuracies or defects may be pointed out to them, in order to
future correction.
INVERNESS,
6h August 1850.
We now have up the first 3 chapters which can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/guide/
Among the Women
---------------
A chapter from the book "The Scot in America".
The chapter starts...
IN the course of the present work we have several times mentioned
the name of women who have, for some laudable reason or other,
acquired publicity or deserved remembrance. But even with the
mention of these, scant justice has been done to the claims of "the
lassies" to a share in all that has made the Scottish name honorable
in America. It may not therefore be inappropriate to make the ladies
the text for one chapter in this book, and in the few names we will
mention we are sure it will be seen that the fair sex has not been
behind the other in good deeds and kindly ways. It is, of course,
difficult to get information regarding women's work, for most of
them prefer to do what good they can without attracting publicity,
and in the quiet of the domestic circle many matters have been
suggested and planned and projected which have done grand work in
the world. The Scotch-woman is naturally a housewife, bending her
energies to the care of the home in which she is recognized as
queen, and planning and contriving day out and day in for the
comfort of those who look to her for all the pleasures which are
associated with domestic life. If she be blessed with children her
whole heart goes out to them, and in the development of their minds,
their physical and mental progress, as well as their material
welfare, she devotes herself with a degree of self-abnegation which
is one of the highest and grandest tributes to the real majesty of
her sex. But for having been left a widow, with a young family
totally unprovided for, it is questionable if Mrs. Grant of Laggan
would ever have aspired to the honors of authorship or emerged from
the happy obscurity of her own fireside. That wonderful and
irrepressible production of nature and art generally called "a woman
with a mission" has her representatives in and out of Scotland, but
as a general rule Scotswomen who have become famous have become so
by force of circumstances bringing into action their innate
sentiments of patriotism, charity, and love. Outside of the people
of the stage and concert platform, and, of course, outside of the
woman with the aforesaid mission whose vanity is the cause of all
her silliness, we never yet heard of a Scotswoman who started out in
life or cut out a career for herself with the idea of becoming
famous or of even acquiring undue publicity. The fame which has come
to so many of them has been the result of work well (lone, of
service to God and humanity faithfully rendered, and of simple,
trustful devotion to duty in whatever sphere and circumstances they
happened to be placed.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/scotinamerica_chap11.htm
A Chat with Jim Osborne
-----------------------
By Frank Shaw. Due to the authors death Frank has interviewed a good
friend of the author of "Burns Illustrated" at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/frank/osborne.htm
This Is What Christmas Is All About
-----------------------------------
I really enjoyed this story which was emailed into me and thought I
would post it up on the site for others to enjoy and it can be read
at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/christmas_story.htm
Ebenezer Bain
-------------
Quite an amazing character who late in life wrote a small book of
poems. He was born and brough up in Scotland and later moved to
Canada. This entire book was scanned in for by John Henderson for
which many thanks. You can read this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/bainndx.htm
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
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