|
 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. In the event the link is not clickable
simply copy and paste the link into your browser.
See our Calendar of Scottish Events around the world and add your
own at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/calendar_help.htm
CONTENTS
--------
Electric Scotland News
The Flag in the Wind
Poetry and Stories
Book of Scottish Story
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
Social Life in Scotland
The Writings of John Muir
Home and Farm Food Preservation
Poenamo
Fraser's Scottish Annual
The Autobiography of Dr. Alexander Carlyle of Inveresk
Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend
Freemasonery
Robert Burns Lives!
ELECTRIC SCOTLAND NEWS
----------------------
Homecoming Scotland Leadership Conference “Scotland and Her Diaspora
– Partners for the Future”. Monday July 27, 2009. Queen Margaret
University, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland.
Should you be interested in attending this conference in Scotland
you can learn more at
http://www.electricscotland.com/packet-2009.pdf
-----
This week I added a couple of books in pdf files...
Ledger of Andrew Halyburton
Conservator of the Privileges of the Scotch Nation in the
Netherlands (1492-1503)
This book is the oldest known book that details business
transactions done by Scots with Holland and is often referenced in
other antiquarian publications. I've actually had a copy of this
book for several years but each time I picked it up to put it on the
site the task just looked so great I decided to defer to a later
date. I was thus very pleased to find a pdf file of the book and so
have made this available at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/pdf/halyburton.htm
Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition
By Lord Archibald Campbell (1889) in 5 volumes
I did consider doing this set as normal ocr'ing but there is a great
deal of Gaelic in these volumes. For example in Volume II a lot of
the stories have the Gaelic version on one page and the English
translation on the next one. As I really wanted these volumes on the
site I ended up deciding to put them up as pdf files.
From my personal point of view these volumes give us something of
the old folklore and traditions that the Scots had well back in time
and some say back to BC. It is to be regretted that hundreds of
these old tales have now been lost to us for ever. This makes these
volumes even more important as they provide a glimpse into our past.
These are the kind of books you can download and just dip into when
you get the time.
You can get to these 5 volumes at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/waifs/index.htm
I might add that other pdf files I've provided on the site can be
found at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/pdf/index.htm
-----
I should also explain that while looking for books to put up on the
site I sometimes come across a book about a clan or family. When I
do spot such I will add it to the site and place a link to it from
the appropriate clan history page. I don't always remember to tell
you about this so it might be worth checking your clan history page
out to see if I have added a link to one :-)
The clan pages can be found at
http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/index.html
-----
I got in a copy of the Clan MacIntyre newsletter today and when
reading the Message from the President he made a lot of sense. For
example, he noted the hard times that a lot of us are facing and
suggested that being a member of your local clan society can be yet
another way of networking. He also made the point that as many will
not be able to take a holiday this year there can be lots to do
locally including attending your local Highland Games. He also noted
with surprise that his local St Patrick's Day event had been a huge
success both in attendance and income. He then noted that many
families spend thousands of dollars for their annual holiday and so
by not spending that it meant that people actually had more to spend
on local events.
Should you have time on your hands you might consider helping out at
a local clan tent or other event in your locality. It's also a good
time to start writing down some of your own family history and
getting your family involved. You might say that this is all part of
social networking and who knows what might come out of that :-)
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 who talks about Labour
dirty tricks and also explores the nuclear issue.
In Peter's cultural section he tells us about the Beltane Fire
Festival...
Growing daylight and increased heat from the sun must have been a
great boon to our ancestors. No wonder they celebrated it in style
and the ancient Celtic festival of Beltane on 1st May must have been
a red-letter day in all communities. A reminder of days langsyne
will once again take place on Calton Hill on 30 April 2009, as the
annual Beltane Fire Festival will once again spectacularly herald
the coming of Beltane. Visit
http://www.beltane.org for full details of the Fire Festival.
Some 12,000 people are expected to share the sight and thrill of the
spectacular procession.
The 21st Century Fire Spectacle is a vivid reminder that our
ancestors used Beltane as a symbol of rebirth and the coming growing
season. The fires kindled on 1st May have very ancient origins,
leading back to early Sun worshiping. Beltane was marked until
Victorian times, particularly by hill shepherds, who would meet in a
secret place, on some high hillside, to remember a festival which
stretched back into the mist of history. At Beltane shepherds cut a
circular trench and lit a fire of sacred wood. They made a caudle of
eggs, butter, oatmeal and milk, spilling some on the ground to
ensure the safety of their flock in the coming season and to placate
the old Gods. They drank it with beer and whisky. Often an oatcake
was baked with nine knobs dedicated to various deities and each
shepherd broke off a piece and said, "This to thee, preserve my
sheep."
This recipe makes a tasty, thick oatcake without the need for a
griddle!
Thick Oatcakes
Ingredients: 8 oz oatmeal; 1/2 teasp salt; 4 oz self-raising flour;
1 teasp sugar; 2-3 oz cooking fat; cold water
Method: Mix the dry ingredients. Rub in the fat, and add sufficient
cold water to form a stiff dough. Turn out on to a board which has
been lightly sprinkled with oatmeal. Knead lightly, and roll out to
a quarter of an inch in thickness. Cut into small rounds or into
quarters of a large round. Place on a greased tray and bake in a
slow oven for 20 minutes. Mark 3 or 350 deg F.
You can read the Flag, listen to the Scots Language, enjoy the Scots
Wit and lots more at
http://www.scotsindependent.org
Christina McKelvie MSP's Weekly diary is available at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mckelvie/090423.htm
Poetry and Stories
------------------
John sent in another poem this week...
"Fell Wedder" at
http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerel313.htm
You can also read other stories in our Article Service and even add
your own 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 a new story...
Legend of the Large Mouth
by Robert Chambers
Here is how it starts...
Arriving one evening at an inn in Glasgow, I was shown into a room
which already contained a promiscuous assemblage of travellers.
Amongst these gentlemen—‘commercial’ gentlemen chiefly—there was one
whose features struck me as being the most ill-favoured I had ever
beheld. He was a large pursy old man, with forehead “villanous low,”
hair like bell-ropes, eyes the smallest and most porkish of all
possible eyes, and a nose which showed no more prominence in a
side-view than that of the moon, as exhibited in her first quarter
upon a freemason’s apron. All these monstrosities were, however, as
beauties, as absolute perfections, compared with the mouth—the
enormous mouth, which, grinning beneath, formed a sort of rustic
basement to the whole superstructure of his facial horrors. This
mouth—if mouth it could be called, which bore so little resemblance
to the mouths of mankind in general—turned full upon me as I
entered, and happening at the moment to be employed in a yawn,
actually seemed as if it would have willingly received me into its
prodigious crater, and consigned me to the fate of Empedocles,
without so much as a shoe being left to tell the tale.
The company of a traveller’s room is generally very stiff, every man
sitting by his own table in his own corner, with his back turned
upon the rest. It was not so, however, on the present occasion. The
most of the present company seemed to have been so long together in
the hotel as to have become very gracious with each other; while any
recent comers, finding themselves plumped into a society already
thawed and commingled, had naturally entered into the spirit of the
rest. Soon discovering how matters stood, I joined in the
conversation, and speedily found that the man with the large mouth
was one of the most polite and agreeable of mankind. He was one of
those old, experienced gentlemen of the road, who know everything
that is necessary to be known, and are never at a loss about
anything. His jokes, his anecdotes, his remarks, were all excellent,
and kept the rest bound, as it were, in a chain. The best of him
was, that he seemed quite at ease on the subject of his mouth.
The rest of this story can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/story84.htm
The other stories can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
The Concise Household Encyclopaedia
-----------------------------------
Added four more pages including Cough, Counterbore, Counter
Irritant, Counterpoise, Countershaft, Countersink, Countess Pudding,
Course, Court Plaster, Cover, Coverlet, Covert Coating, Cowheel,
Cowpox, Cowslip, Cox's Orange Pippin, Crab, Crab Apple, Cracker,
Crackle Ware, Cradle, Crambo, Cramp, Cramp: The Tool, Cranberry,
Crane Fly, Crane's Bill, Crank, Crankcase, Crankshaft, Crape, Crash,
Crassula.
You can read about these at
http://www.electricscotland.com/household/c.htm
Social Life in Scotland
-----------------------
From Early to Recent Times by Rev. Charles Rogers in 3 volumes
(1884)
Have now started the third and final volume of this publication
with...
Chapter XVII.
An Eighteenth Century Correspondence
Here is how it starts...
BELONGING to the same race of sturdy borderers which afterwards
produced Thomas Carlyle, the illustrious essayist, Dr Alexander
Carlyle was born on the 26th January 1722. Ordained minister of
Inveresk at the age of twenty-six, he there ministered till his
death, which took place on the 25th August 1805 —his parochial
incumbency extending to fifty-eight years. His career was singularly
eventful. He witnessed the public execution at Edinburgh which led
to the Porteous mob. In his youth he met at dinner the vacillating
Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. He saw Prince Charles Edward enter
Edinburgh in September 1745, and from the church steeple at
Prestonpans watched the progress of the battle which was there
fought between the Prince and the royal troops under Sir John Cope.
With the gallant Colonel Gardiner, who fell in the conflict, he
dined on the day which preceded the engagement. Among those with
whom in early life he was brought in contact was the Honourable
James Erskine, Lord Grange. An heritor of Prestonpans parish, Lord
Grange had brought thither as its pastor Carlyle's father, who was
previously minister of Cummertrees in his native Annandale. As a
personal friend, Carlyle the elder was with Lord Grange frequently
in the evenings, and they often remained together till late hours.
Dr Carlyle believes that they were frequently occupied in prayer, or
in settling points of Calvinistic doctrine, for Lord Grange was as
remarkable for pious talk as he was notorious for social error.
According to Dr Carlyle, he erred and repented by turns. For a
season regular in attending religious ordinances, he for another
would occupy his Sundays in intemperate pleasures. Days which he
dedicated to prayer were followed by nights spent in debauchery.
Partially insane he certainly was, but in a lesser degree than his
wife, Rachel Cheislie, whom Dr Carlyle describes as in physique
realising the notion which in early life he entertained respecting
the aspects of the woman represented in Scripture as embodying the
impurities of Babylon.
Known to Robert Blair, author of "The Grave," Dr Carlyle enjoyed
with John Home, his successor at Athelstaneford, a life-long
intimacy. With several reverend brethren he was subjected to censure
for being present at a theatre in 1756, when Mr Home's tragedy of
"Douglas" was for the first time acted. He attained considerable
privileges and honours. In 1762 he was appointed almoner to the
King, in 1770 was elected Moderator of the General Assembly, and in
1785 was nominated one of the Deans of the Chapel Royal. Devoted to
the interests of his order, he procured for his brethren an
exemption from the window tax. Collins's "Ode on the Superstitions
of the Highlands," long lost, was through his instrumentality
recovered. Possessing a lofty mien and an urbane and gracious
manner, he attracted some by his demeanour—others by his
benevolence. A leader of the Moderate party, he exercised an
important influence in ecclesiastical affairs. At an advanced age he
prepared his autobiography, ["Autobiography of Dr Alexander Carlyle,
minister of Inveresk," containing memorials of the men and events of
his times. Edinburgh, 1860. 8vo.] but it was not printed till many
years subsequent to his death. This did not embrace his
correspondence, which, however, he had arranged with a view to
publication. For this purpose it was entrusted by members of his
family to his personal friend, Dr John Lee, latterly Principal of
the University of Edinburgh. Dr Lee was one of the most learned
persons of his time, but he lacked the virtue of application, and
what he eagerly undertook and fully intended to carry out, he
generally left untouched. At Dr Lee's death Dr Carlyle's
correspondence was secured by the University of Edinburgh. The more
interesting portions form the substance of the present chapter.
You can read lots more from this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/sociallife/chapter17.htm
You can get to the index page of the book at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/sociallife/index.htm
The Writings of John Muir
-------------------------
Continuing with Volume 3, Travels in Alaska with...
PART I. The Trip of 1879
Chapter XII. The Return to Fort Wrangell
Chapter XIII. Alaska Indians
PART II. The Trip of 1880
Chapter XIV. Sum Dum Bay
Chapter XV. From Taku River to Taylor Bay
Chapter XVI. Glacier Bay
PART III. The Trip of 1890
Chapter XVII. In Camp at Glacier Bay
Chapter XVIII. My Sled-Trip on the Muir Glacier
Here is how Chapter XVIII starts...
I STARTED off the morning of July 11 on my memorable sled-trip to
obtain general views of the main upper part of the Muir Glacier, and
its seven principal tributaries, feeling sure that I would learn
something and at the same time get rid of a severe bronchial cough
that followed an attack of the grippe and had troubled me for three
months. I intended to camp on the glacier every night, and did so,
and my throat grew better every day until it was well, for no
lowland microbe could stand such a trip. My sled was about three
feet long and made as light as possible. A sack of hardtack, a
little tea and sugar, and a sleeping-bag were firmly lashed on it so
that nothing could drop off however much it might be jarred and
dangled in crossing crevasses.
Two Indians carried the baggage over the rocky moraine to the clear
glacier at the side of one of the eastern Nunatak Islands. Mr.
Loomis accompanied me to this first camp and assisted in dragging
the empty sled over the moraine. We arrived at the middle Nunatak
Island about nine o'clock. Here I sent back my Indian carriers, and
Mr. Loomis assisted me the first day in hauling the loaded sled to
my second camp at the foot of Hemlock Mountain, returning the next
morning.
July 13. I skirted the mountain to eastward a few miles and was
delighted to discover a group of trees high up on its ragged rocky
side, the first trees I had seen on the shores of Glacier Bay or on
those of any of its glaciers. I left my sled on the ice and climbed
the mountain to see what I might learn. I found that all the trees
were mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), and were evidently the
remnant of an old, well-established forest, standing on the only
ground that was stable, all the rest of the forest below it having
been sloughed off with the soil from the disintegrating slate bed
rock. The lowest of the trees stood at an elevation of about two
thousand feet above the sea, the highest at about three thousand
feet or a little higher. Nothing could be more striking than the
contrast between the raw, crumbling, deforested portions of the
mountain, looking like a quarry that was being worked, and the
forested part with its rich, shaggy beds of cassiope and bryanthus
in full bloom, and its sumptuous cushions of flower-enameled mosses.
These garden-patches are full of gay colors of gentian, erigeron,
anemone, larkspur, and columbine, and are enlivened with happy birds
and bees and marmots. Climbing to an elevation of twenty-five
hundred feet, which is about fifteen hundred feet above the level of
the glacier at this point, I saw and heard a few marmots, and three
ptarmigans that were as tame as barnyard fowls. The sod is sloughing
off on the edges, keeping it ragged. The trees are storm-bent from
the southeast. A few are standing at an elevation of nearly three
thousand feet; at twenty-five hundred feet, pyrola, veratrum,
vaccinium, fine grasses, sedges, willows, mountain-ash, buttercups,
and acres of the most luxuriant cassiope are in bloom.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/muir/vol3_chapter18.htm
The rest of the chapters can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/muir/index.htm
Home and Farm Food Preservation
-------------------------------
By William V. Cruess (1918)
Have now completed this book with...
Chapter XXXV - Recipes for Dairy Products
142. Gouda Cheese
143. Cottage Cheese
144. The Preservation of Butter by Salt
Appendix
All the chapters can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/food/preservation/index.htm
Poenamo
-------
Sketches of the early days of New Zealand, Romance and Reality of
Antipodean life in the infancy of a New Colony by John Logan
Campbell (1881)
We now have up several more chapters...
BOOK THE FOURTH.
HOW A NEW COLONY IS BORN TO AN OLD NATION.
Chapter IV.
I Learn what Taihoa Means
Chapter V.
Waiting in Expectancy
Chapter VI.
My Maiden Venture in the Field of Commerce
Chapter VII.
The Capital is Born to Us.—The Flagstaff that never was Erected
Chapter VIII.
We Change the Current of our Lives.—We Visit our Newly-born Child
Chapter IX.
How we Shave a Pig
Chapter X.
We Adopt our Child
Here is how Chapter X starts...
The first month of summer was now drawing to a close. Christmas—not
white snow-clad Christmas as at home, but the bright and brilliant
floral Christmas of the sunny Great South Land, was at hand.
My last Christmas, and first one away from the parental roof, had
been spent where the "experienced surgeon" got eclipsed by the
"cow," and where I walked on shore to try my fortune wvith the
world.
The year which had elapsed had brought its experiences, and a
certain amount of my utter greenness had given way to a modicum of
that worldly wisdom without which no man can elbow his way beyond
the ordinary bread and butter of life.
Now I had the ambition to soar higher than this, and nothing less
than cakes and ale ad libitum was going to satisfy my youthful
aspirations.
The inexperienced youth of a surgeon had now thrown physic to the
dogs," and was with a still greater inexperience, and with a cool
self-reliance belonging only to the self-conceit of immature years,
going to boldly try his unfledged wings in the flight of commerce.
I once laboured under the delusion that modesty was the one
beautiful trait in my character, but when I revise my past life I am
a little shaken in that belief, and now have more than a mere
suspicion that there was what other people would designate as
egregious conceit stamped on one or two passages of the early career
of my young manhood, or else how could I have had the presumption to
take the appointment of the "experienced surgeon?" And now I had
dubbed myself merchant without ever having "walked the hospitals" of
commerce.
Truly the boldness of ignorance is often bliss. Happy indeed that we
are not always wise before our wisdom teeth are cut—heaven is my
witness I was not—but as I never fell into any great mishaps I
suppose a kind Providence must have taken compassion on me and
bridged over the difficulties.
The time had at last arrived when I must make my new departure in
life and commence the role of merchant. The die was cast, for better
for worse I had taken the leap, and must risk whether I landed on my
feet or came ignominiously to the ground.
The tub Dart lay once again at anchor a few cables' length from the
shore, opposite our whare, and we were plying the canoe to and fro.
I was taking my departure for the capital to establish its first
mercantile firm! There in the hold of the schooner lay the now
historical little tent. You have seen it put to many various uses at
various places, but the climax of its history had now come; it was
about to be pitched at the embryo capital to represent the business
premises of the embryo firm, and therein I was to be representative
thereof. The senior partner could not be spared as yet from the
graver stake we had in pig-run, and as it had to be watched over by
the more experienced member of the firm, he had to remain on the
island for a time, looking forward to joining me when I had
succeeded in a Maori whare erected to replace the tent as more
befitting business premises.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nz/poenamo/book4-chapter10.htm
You can read the rest of the chapters at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/nz/poenamo/index.htm
Fraser's Scottish Annual
------------------------
These are articles from the 1900 - 1904 issues of Fraser's Scottish
Annual.
Antiquity of the Celtic Speech
Gaid Sir Gun Tur
A Scotsman in Early Canada
Notes on Canadian Banking
A Scotsman in Early Canada
By James Bain Jr, Toronto
The CHANGED conditions which existed in the Highlands of Scotland
after Culloden forced many of the inhabitants to look abroad for new
homes. Poverty stricken landlords, coal tax, salt tax, and many
other burdens were resting heavy on the people. The reports which
had been received from the new settlements in New York State, the
Carolinas, and also Georgia, had been favorable, and undoubtedly a
considerable emigration would have flowed into the colonies if the
revolutionary war had not broken out. The same spirit of loyalty,
however, which led them to follow Prince Charlie, turned them from
the now United States. The letters of those who had followed the
British flag to take up their residence in the newly explored lands
of Canada diverted attention in that direction, supplemented as they
were by the stories of many a returned Highland soldier. With
characteristic Scottish caution, however, Scotsmen were for many
years in the habit of coming to spy out the land and report upon its
possibilities and capabilities for settlement, and among the
earliest was a Mr. Campbell. From the title page of his book, which
was published in Edinburgh in 1793, we glean no information about
him, except that his Christian name commenced with S., but from
conversations reported in the text we gather that he had been in
charge of the deer forest of Mamlorn, and that he had given up his
position owing to some misunderstanding with the steward.
"I betook myself to farming, trading a little by sea and land, by
which I made out so well as now to be enabled to give up all
business and gratify a passion for travelling." A Scotsman of
Scotsmen, he marks his journey by the distance from one Scotsman's
home to another, he is of the opinion that if the revolutionary war
had been managed by Scotsmen, the result would have been different.
All the English generals failed, and the only successful officers
were Sir Archibald Campbell, Generals Campbell and M'Lean.
"Does it not verify what the great Lord Chatham said, 'That he
sought for merit everywhere, and found it in the healthy mountains
of the North?'" "'Tis a barren clime, but breeds a generous race." A
casual allusion gives us a hint as to his religious views. When
passing a Quaker settlement, he says: ''I suppose their religious
tenets, in point of morality and decency, to be the best in the
world, and they in that respect come nearer the Scotch Presbyterians
than any other class of men whatever."
The start was made on June 11th, 1791, from Fort William, arriving
at Greenock on 18th, where he took passage in the brig Argyle for
New Brunswick. The ship sailed on the 21d of July, but meeting with
a severe storm off the Mull of Kintyre, was forced to return to the
Fairly roads until the 8th. It was not till the 27th of August that
the traveller reached St. John's, after what he calls a fine passage
of fifty-six days.
The rest of this article can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/annual/article22.htm
The other articles can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/annual/
The Autobiography of Dr. Alexander Carlyle of Inveresk (1722 - 1805)
------------------------------------------------------
It is said that this is one of the top 5 books to read if you wish
to understand more about Scottish Life.
We now have up...
Chapter VII
Sketches of society — Lord Milton — Lady Hervey —Smollett's visit—Cu
lien's mimicries—Notices and anecdotes of David Hume, Adam Smith,
Adam Ferguson, Dr. Robertson, Dr. Blair, John Home—Foundation of the
Select Society—Completion of the tragedy of Douglas —Adventures of
its author and his friends in conveying it to London—Admiral Byng—The
Carriers' Inn.
Chapter VIII
Preparations for acting the tragedy of Douglas in Edinburgh—Carlyle
attends—A war of pamphlets—The "Libel" against Carlyle—The
ecclesiastical conflict—Characteristics of the combatants—The clergy
of Scotland and the stage—Conduct of Dundas and Wedderburn—Home and
his success—Archibald Duke of Argyle.
Chapter IX
Finds Robertson in London about his history — Home joins them—Their
friends and adventures—Chatham—John Blair the mathematician — Bishop
Douglas —Smollett and his levee of authors—A clay with Garrick at
his villa—Feats at golf there—The clergy of Scotland and the
Window-tax—Adam the architect—An expedition to Portsmouth—Adventures
by land and sea—Meeting with Lord Bute—The journey
home—Oxford—Woodstock—Blenheim—Birmingham—Lord Lyttleton —Shenstone
at the Leasowes.
Chapter X
Visit to Inverary—Charles Townshend and the hospitalities of
Dalkeith—A story of a haunch of venison—Wilkie of the Epigoniad — A
corporation row in Dumfries—Andrew Crosbie—Ossian Macpherson —The
militia pamphlet.
Chapter XI
His marriage—Adam Ferguson and Sister Peg—Death of George II. and
the Duke of Argyle—Change in the administration of Scotch
affairs—Newcastle and its society in 1760—The Edinburgh Poker
Club—Lord Elibank's sentimental adventures—Dr. Robertson and the
leadership of the Church of Scotland—Harrogate and the company
there—Andrew Millar the bookseller—Benjamin Franklin—Lord Clive.
Here is how Chapter X starts...
IT was in the month of August this summer that Robertson and I
passed two days at Minto with Sir Gilbert Elliot, who was very open
and communicative. About the middle of October I rode to Inverary,
being invited by the Milton family, who always were with the Duke of
Argyle, and who generally remained there till near the end of the
year. I got the first night to my friend Robin Bogle's, at
Shettleston, near Glasgow, where I found him very happy with his
wife and family. He was an honest, gentlemanly man, but had been
very dissipated before his marriage. From Glasgow I went all night
to Roseneath, where, in a small house near the castle, lived my
friend, Miss Jean Campbell of Carrick, with her mother, who was a
sister of General John Campbell of Mamore, afterwards Duke of
Argyle, and father of the present Duke. Next day, after passing Loch
Long, I went over Argyle's Bowling-Green, called so on account of
the roughness of the road. As my horses were not frosted, and the
ice was strong, I had to walk about six miles. This made me late in
getting to St. Catherine's, directly opposite to Inverary. I wished
very much to get across the loch, as it was but six in the evening;
but the mistress of the house, wishing to detain me and my servant
and horses all night, pretended that the boatmen were out of the way
and the oars a-seeking, and that I could not get across that night.
This vexed me, as it was a miserable house to sleep in; however, I
called for a mutchkin of whisky, and prevailed with the good woman
to taste it without water. As she became so familiar as to ask where
I was when I was at home, I told her I was a schoolfellow of
M`Callum More, and was much disappointed at not crossing the lake,
as I had letters of importance to deliver to his Grace. She stared,
and said I was a stalwart carl of such an age: my grisly undressed
hair favoured this deception. I added that, if I could cross the
loch, I intended to leave my servant and horses all night to her
care, to come round by the head of the loch in the morning; but if I
could not cross, I must venture to ride the nine miles round, dark
as it was. She took another sip of the whisky, and then left the
room. In five minutes she returned and told me that the boatmen had
appeared and were seeking for their oars, and would be ready in a
few minutes. This was good news to me, as I knew the inn at Inverary
to be pretty good, as I had been there two nights when I went to
their country, in 1754, with Jamie Cheap of Sauchie. I was very soon
summoned to the boat, and after recommending my man, John M'Lachlan,
to the care of the landlady, I bid her farewell. We got very soon
over, the night being calm, and the distance not much more than two
miles.
I did not go that night to the Duke's house, as I knew I could not
have a bed there (as he had not yet got into the Castle), but I went
in the morning, and was very politely received, not only by the
Milton family, but by the Duke and his two cousins, the present
Duke, and his brother Lord Frederick, who were there. His Grace told
me immediately that Miss Fletcher had made him expect my visit, and
that he was sorry he could not offer me lodging, but that he would
hope to see me every day to breakfast, dinner, and supper.
It would be quite superfluous to say anything here of the character
of Archibald, Duke of Argyle, as the character of that illustrious
person, both as a statesman and an accomplished gentleman and
scholar, is perfectly known. I was told that he was a great humorist
at Inverary, and that you could neither drink his health nor ask him
how he did without disobliging; but this was exaggerated. To be
sure, he waved ceremony very much, and took no trouble at table, and
would not let himself be waited for, and came in when he pleased,
and sat down on the chair that was left, which was neither at the
head nor foot of the table. But he cured me of all constraint the
first day, for in his first or second glass of wine he drank my
health and welcomed me to Inverary, and hoped that as long as I
stayed, which he wished to be all the week at least, I would think
myself at home. Though he never drank to me again, I was much more
gratified by his directing much of his conversation to me. His
colloquial talent was very remarkable, for he never harangued or was
tedious, but listened to you in your turn. We sat down every day
fifteen or sixteen to dinner; for besides his two cousins and the
Fletcher family, there were always seven or eight Argyleshire
gentlemen, or factors on the estate, at dinner. The Duke had the
talent of conversing with his guests so as to distinguish men of
knowledge and talents without neglecting those who valued themselves
more on their birth and their rent-rolls than on personal merit.
After the ladies were withdrawn and he had drunk his bottle of
claret, he retired to an easy-chair set hard by the fireplace:
drawing a black silk nightcap over his eyes, he slept, or seemed to
sleep, for an hour and a half. In the mean time, Sandie M'Millan,
who was toast-master, pushed about the bottle, and a more noisy or
regardless company could hardly be. Milton retired soon after the
ladies, and about six o'clock M'Millan and the gentlemen drew off
(for at that time dinner was always served at two o'clock), when the
ladies returned, and his Grace awoke and called for his tea, which
he made himself at a little table apart from that of the company.
Tea being over, he played two rubbers at sixpenny whist, as he did
in London. He had always some of the ladies of his party, while the
rest amused themselves at another table. Supper was served soon
after nine, and there being nobody left but those with whom he was
familiar, he drank another bottle of claret, and could not be got to
go to bed till one in the morning. Jack Campbell of Stonefield,
[John Campbell of Stonefield was raised to the Bench as a judge in
1763, and took the title of Lord Stonefield. He married Lady Grace
Stuart, fourth daughter of James, second Earl of Bute, and sister of
John, third Earl.] who had lately married his niece, Lady Grace
Stuart, came to us on the second day. I may add that the provisions
for the table were at least equal to the conversation; for we had
sea and river fish in perfection, the best beef and mutton and fowls
and wild game and venison of both kinds in abundance. The wines,
too, were excellent.
I stayed over Sunday and preached to his Grace, who always attended
the church at Inverary. The ladies told me that I had pleased his
Grace, which gratified me not a little, as without him no preferment
could be obtained in Scotland.
You can read the rest of this chapter at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/carlyle/chapter10.htm
You can get to this book for the other chapters at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/carlyle/index.htm
Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend
------------------------------------------
By Donald A MacKenzie
We now have up a number of stories from this book...
Chapter I. Beira, Queen of Winter
Chapter II. The Coming of Angus and Bride
Chapter III. Combats they never end
Chapter IV. The Princess of Land Under Waves
Chapter V. Nimble Men, Blue Men, and Green Ladies
Chapter VI. Conall and the Thunder Hag
Chapter VII. Story of Finlay and the Giants
Chapter VIII. Heroes on the Green Isle
Chapter IX. A Vision of the Dead
Chapter X. The Story of Michael Scott
Chapter XI. In the Kingdom of Seals
Here is how "In the Kingdom of Seals" starts...
The sea fairies have grey skin-coverings and resemble seals. They
dwell in cave houses on the borders of Land-under-Waves, where they
have a kingdom of their own. They love music and the dance, like the
green land fairies, and when harper or piper plays on the beach they
come up to listen, their sloe-black eyes sparkling with joy. On
moonlight nights they hear the mermaids singing on the rocks when
human beings are fast asleep, and they call to them: "Sing again the
old sea croons; sing again!" All night long the sea fairies call
thus when mermaids cease to sing, and the mermaids sing again and
again to them. When the wind pipes loud and free, and the sea leaps
and whirls and swings and cries aloud with wintry merriment, the sea
fairies dance with the dancing waves, tossing white petals of foam
over their heads, and twining pearls of spray about their necks.
They love to hunt the silvern salmon in the forests of sea-tangle
and in ocean's deep blue glens, and far up dark ravines through
which flow rivers of sweet mountain waters gemmed with stars.
The sea fairies have a language of their own, and they are also
skilled in human speech. When they come ashore they can take the
forms of men or women, and turn billows into dark horses with grey
manes and long grey tails, and on these they ride over mountain and
moor.
There was once a fisherman who visited the palace of the queen of
sea fairies, and told on his return all he had seen and all he had
heard. He dwelt in a little township nigh to John-o'-Groat's House,
and was wont to catch fish and seals. When he found that he could
earn much money by hunting seals, whose skins make warm winter
clothing, he troubled little about catching salmon or cod, and
worked constantly as a seal-hunter. He crept among the rocks
searching for his prey, and visited lonely seal-haunted islands
across the Pentland Firth, where he often found the strange
sea-prowlers lying on smooth flat ledges of rock fast asleep in the
warm sunshine.
In his house he had great bundles of dried sealskins, and people
came from a distance to purchase them from him. His fame as a
seal-hunter went far and wide.
One evening a dark stranger rode up to his house, mounted on a
black, spirited mare with grey mane and grey tail. He called to the
fisherman who came out, and then said: "Make haste and ride with me
towards the east. My master desires to do business with you."
You can read the rest of this at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/myths/chapter11.htm
The other chapters can be read at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/myths/index.htm
Freemasonary
------------
Got in a couple of articles on Freemasonary by Kelly D. Whittaker...
"Freemasonry from an Outsider’s View" at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/kt7-15.htm
"1000 Years of Freemasonry in Scotland" at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/kt7-16.htm
Robert Burns Lives!
-------------------
By Frank Shaw
In this article "Address to the Burns Club of Atlanta by Bill
Dawson" you'll be interested to know that Bill is President of The
Robert Burns World Federation.
You can read his address at
http://www.electricscotland.com/familytree/frank/burns_lives47.htm
And finally, while working on the Waifs and Strays of Celtic
Tradition I came across a wee word picture of what croft life might
have been like in the old days and so thought I'd share it with
you...
LET the reader picture to himself a winter night in a Highland
cottage seventy years ago. The fire is in the middle of the floor,
and the smoke rising from it escapes through a short funnel of
wicker-work stuck in an opening in the roof. In a corner, called the
peat corner, is a pile of peats, from which the fire is from time to
time replenished. Over the fire hangs a pot, which is attached to a
chain suspended from one of the cross-beams. On one side of the room
is a box-bed, and on the other is a dresser fitted with racks in
which plates stand on edge with their hollow sides outwards.
Elevated on a table, with the shell-like lamp or the torch-like grey
candle near him, sits a tailor cross-legged, who, while he plies his
needle, recites one of the popular tales of the country. Every
chair, and stool, and chest, and even the box-bed, are occupied by
eager listeners, many of whom have gathered in from the neighbouring
cottages. The night is often well advanced before the tale is
finished, and if it be too long to be finished at a single sitting,
it is resumed on the following night. This scene is repeated night
after night during the tailor's stay in the township. Such is the
manner in which the winter nights were wont to be spent in the
Highlands within the memory of men still living. [As this was
written in 1890 it would have referred to a period around 1820]
And that's it for now and hope you all have a good weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
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