Reminiscences of Scottish Life & Character Part 32

The greater facility of producing books, prints, and other articles which tend to the comfort and embellishment of domestic life, must have considerable influence upon the habits and tastes of a people. I have often thought how much effect might be traced to the single circ.u.mstance of the cheap production of pianofortes. An increased facility of procuring the means of acquaintance with good works of art and literature acts both as cause and effect. A growing and improved taste tends to stimulate the _production_ of the best works of art. These, in return, foster and advance the power of forming a due _estimate_ of art.

In the higher department of music, for example, the cheap rate not only of _hearing_ compositions of the first cla.s.s, but of _possessing_ the works of the most eminent composers, must have had influence upon thousands. The princ.i.p.al oratorios of Handel may be purchased for as many s.h.i.+llings each as they cost pounds years ago. Indeed, at that time the very names of those immortal works were known only to a few who were skilled to appreciate their high beauties. Now a.s.sociations are formed for practising and studying the choral works of the great masters.

We might indeed adduce many more causes which seem to produce changes of habits, tastes, and a.s.sociations, amongst our people. For example, families do not vegetate for years in one retired spot as they used to do; young men are encouraged to attain accomplishments, and to have other sources of interest than the field or the bottle. Every one knows, or may know, everything that is going on through the whole world. There is a tendency in mankind to lose all that is peculiar, and in nations to part with all that distinguishes them from each other. We hear of wonderful changes in habits and customs where change seemed impossible.

In India and Turkey even, peculiarities and prejudices are fading away under the influence of time. Amongst ourselves, no doubt, one circ.u.mstance tended greatly to call forth, and, as we may say, to _develop_, the peculiar Scotch humour of which we speak--and that was the familiarity of intercourse which took place between persons in different positions of life. This extended even to an occasional interchange of words between the minister and the members of his flock during time of service. I have two anecdotes in ill.u.s.tration of this fact, which I have reason to believe are quite authentic. In the church of Banchory on Deeside, to which I have referred, a former minister always preached without book, and being of an absent disposition, he sometimes forgot the head of discourse on which he was engaged, and got involved in confusion. On one occasion, being desirous of recalling to his memory the division of his subject, he called out to one of his elders, a farmer on the estate of Ley, "Bush (the name of his farm), Bush, ye're sleeping." "Na, sir, I'm no sleeping--I'm listening." "Weel, then, what had I begun to say?" "Oh, ye were saying so and so." This was enough, and supplied the minister with the thread of his discourse; and he went on. The other anecdote related to the parish of c.u.mbernauld, the minister of which was at the time referred to noted for a very disjointed and rambling style of preaching, without method or connection. His princ.i.p.al heritor was the Lord Elphinstone of the time, and unfortunately the minister and the peer were not on good terms, and always ready to annoy each other by sharp sayings or otherwise. The minister on one occasion had somewhat in this spirit called upon the beadle to "wauken my Lord Elphinstone," upon which Lord Elphinstone said, "I'm no sleeping, minister." "Indeed you were, my lord." He again disclaimed the sleeping. So as a test the preacher asked him, "What I had been saying last then?" "Oh, juist wauken Lord Elphinstone." "Ay, but what did I say before that?" "Indeed," retorted Lord Elphinstone, "I'll gie ye a guinea if ye'll tell that yersell, minister." We can hardly imagine the _possibility_ of such scenes now taking place amongst us in church. It seems as if all men were gradually approximating to a common type or form in their manners and views of life; oddities are sunk, prominences are rounded off, sharp features are polished, and all things are becoming smooth and conventional. The remark, like the effect, is general, and extends to other countries as well as to our own. But as we have more recently parted with our peculiarities of dialect, oddity, and eccentricity, it becomes the more amusing to mark _our_ partic.i.p.ation in this change, because a period of fifty years shows here a greater contrast than the same period would show in many other localities.

I have already referred to a custom which prevailed in all the rural parish churches, and which I remember in my early days at Fettercairn; the custom I mean, now quite obsolete, of the minister, after p.r.o.nouncing the blessing, turning to the heritors, who always occupied the front seats of the gallery, and making low bows to each family.

Another custom I recollect:--When the text had been given out, it was usual for the elder branches of the congregation to hand about their Bibles amongst the younger members, marking the place, and calling their attention to the pa.s.sage. During service another handing about was frequent among the seniors, and that was a circulation of the snees.h.i.+n-mull or snuff-box. Indeed, I have heard of the same practice in an Episcopal church, and particularly in one case of an ordination, where the bishop took his pinch of snuff, and handed the mull to go round amongst the clergy a.s.sembled for the solemn occasion within the altar-rails.

Amongst Scottish reminiscences which do not extend beyond our own recollections we may mention the disappearance of Trinity Church in Edinburgh, which has taken place within the last quarter of a century.

It was founded by Mary of Gueldres, queen of James II. of Scotland, in 1446, and liberally endowed for a provost, prebendaries, choristers, etc. It was never completed, but the portions built--viz., choir, transept, and central tower--were amongst the finest specimens of later Gothic work in Scotland. The pious founder had placed it at the east end of what was then the North Loch. She chose her own church for the resting-place of her remains as a sanctuary of safety and repose. A railway parliamentary bill, however, overrides founder's intentions and Episcopal consecrations. Where once stood the beautiful church of the Holy Trinity, where once the "pealing organ" and the "full-voiced choir"

were daily heard "in service high and anthems clear"--where for 400 years slept the ashes of a Scottish Queen--now resound the noise and turmoil of a railway station.

But we have another example of the uncertainty of all earthly concerns, and one which supplies a Scottish reminiscence belonging to the last seventy years. Wilhelmina, Viscountess Glenorchy, during her lifetime, built and endowed a church for two ministers, who were provided with very handsome incomes. She died 17th July 1786, and was buried on the 24th July, aged 44. Her interment took place, by her own direction, in the church she had founded, immediately in front of the pulpit; and she fixed upon that spot as a place of security and safety, where her mortal remains might rest in peace till the morning of the resurrection. But alas for the uncertainty of all earthly plans and projects for the future!--the iron road came on its reckless course and swept the church away. The site was required for the North British Railway, which pa.s.sed directly over the spot where Lady Glenorchy had been buried. Her remains were accordingly disinterred 24th December 1844; and the trustees of the church, not having yet erected a new one, deposited the body of their foundress in the vaults beneath St. John's Episcopal Church, and after resting there for fifteen years, they were, in 1859, removed to the building which is now Lady Glenorchy's Church.

In our reminiscences of many _changes_ which have taken place during fifty years in Scottish manners, it might form an interesting section to record some peculiarities which _remain_. I mean such peculiarities as yet linger amongst us, and still mark a difference in some of our social habits from those of England. Some Scottish usages die hard, and are found still to supply amus.e.m.e.nt for southern visitors. To give a few examples, persons still persist among us in calling the head of a family, or the host, the _landlord_, although he never charged his guests a halfpenny for the hospitality he exercises. In games, golf and curling still continue to mark the national character--cricket was long an exotic amongst us. In many of our educational inst.i.tutions, however, it seems now fairly to have taken root. We continue to call our reception rooms "_public_ rooms," although never used for any but domestic purposes. Military rank is attached to ladies, as we speak of Mrs. Lieutenant Fraser, Mrs. Captain Scott, Mrs. Major Smith, Mrs.

Colonel Campbell. On the occasion of a death, we persist in sending circular notices to all the relatives, whether they know of it or not--a custom which, together with men wearing weepers at funeral solemnities, is unknown in England[189]. Announcing a married lady's death under her maiden name must seem strange to English ears--as, for example, we read of the demise of Mrs. Jane d.i.c.kson, spouse of Thomas Morison. Scottish cookery retains its ground, and hotch-potch, minced collops, sheep's head singed, and occasionally haggis, are still marked peculiarities of the Scottish table. These social differences linger amongst us. But stronger points are worn away; eccentricities and oddities such as existed once will not do now. One does not see why eccentricity should be more developed in one age than in another, but we cannot avoid the conclusion that the day for real oddities is no more. Professors of colleges are those in whom one least expects oddity--grave and learned characters; and yet such _have_ been in former times. We can scarcely now imagine such professors as we read of in a past generation. Take the case of no less distinguished a person than Adam Smith, author of the _Wealth of Nations,_ who went about the streets talking and laughing to himself in such a manner as to make the market women think he was deranged; and he told of one himself who e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, as he pa.s.sed, "Hech, sirs, and he is weel pat on, too!" expressing surprise that a decided lunatic, who from his dress appeared to be a gentleman, should be permitted to walk abroad unattended. Professors still have their crotchets like other people; but we can scarcely conceive a professor of our day coming out like Adam Smith, and making fishwives to pa.s.s such observations on his demeanour.

Peculiarities in a people's phraseology may prove more than we are aware of, and may tend to ill.u.s.trate circ.u.mstances of national _history_. Thus many words which would be included by Englishmen under the general term of Scotticisms, bear directly upon the question of a past intercourse with France, and prove how close at one time must have been the influence exercised upon general habits in Scotland by that intercourse.

Scoto-Gallic words were quite differently situated from French words and phrases adopted in England. With us they proceeded from a real admixture of the two _peoples_. With us they form the ordinary common language of the country, and that was from a distant period moulded by French. In England, the educated and upper cla.s.ses of late years _adopted_ French words and phrases. With us, some of our French derivatives are growing obsolete as vulgar, and nearly all are pa.s.sing from fas.h.i.+onable society. In England, we find the French-adopted words rather receiving accessions than going out of use.

Examples of words such as we have referred to, as showing a French influence and admixture, are familiar to many of my readers. I recollect some of them in constant use amongst old-fas.h.i.+oned Scottish people, and those terms, let it be remembered, are unknown in England.

A leg of mutton was always, with old-fas.h.i.+oned Scotch people, a gigot (Fr. gigot).

The crystal jug or decanter in which water is placed upon the table, was a caraff (Fr. carafe).

Gooseberries were groserts, or grossarts (Fr. groseille).

Partridges were pertricks,--a word much more formed upon the French perdrix than the English partridge.

The plate on which a joint or side-dish was placed upon the table was an ashet (Fr. a.s.siette).

In the old streets of Edinburgh, where the houses are very high, and where the inhabitants all live in flats, before the introduction of soil-pipes there was no method of disposing of the foul water of the household, except by throwing it out of the window into the street. This operation, dangerous to those outside, was limited to certain hours, and the well-known cry, which preceded the missile and warned the pa.s.senger, was gardeloo! or, as Smollett writes it, gardy loo (Fr. garge de l'eau).

Anything troublesome or irksome used to be called, Scottice, fas.h.i.+ons (Fr. facheux, facheuse); to fash one's-self (Fr. se facher).

The small cherry, both black and red, common in gardens, is in Scotland, never in England, termed gean (Fr. guigne), from Guigne, in Picardy.

The term _dambrod_, which has already supplied materials for a good story, arises from adopting French terms into Scottish language, as dams were the pieces with which the game of draughts was played (Fr. dammes).

Brod is board.

A bedgown, or loose female upper garment, is still in many parts of Scotland termed a jupe (Fr. jupe).

In Kincardines.h.i.+re the ashes of a blacksmith's furnace had the peculiar name of smiddy-coom (Fr. ec.u.me, i.e. dross).

Oil, in common Scotch, used always to be ule,--as the uley pot, or uley cruse (Fr. huile).

Many of my readers are no doubt familiar with the notice taken of these words by Lord c.o.c.kburn, and with the account which he gives of these Scottish words derived from the French, probably during the time of Queen Mary's minority, when French troops were quartered in Scotland. I subjoin a more full list, for which I am indebted to a correspondent, because the words still lingering amongst us are in themselves the best REMINISCENCES of former days.

Scotch. English. French.

Serviter Napkin From Serviette.

Gigot (of mutton) ... " Gigot.

Reeforts Radishes " Raiforts.

Grosserts Gooseberries " Groseilles.

Gardyveen Case for holding wine " Garde-vin.

Jupe Part of a woman's dress " Jupe.

Bonnaille A parting gla.s.s with a " Bon aller.

friend going on a journey Gysard Person in a fancy dress " Guise.

Dambrod Draught-board " Dammes.

Pantufles Slippers " Pantoufles.

Haggis Hashed meat " Hachis.

Gou Taste, smell " Gout.

Hogue Tainted " Haut gout.

Grange Granary " Grange.

Mouter Miller's perquisite " Mouture.

Dour Obstinate " Dur.

Douce Mild " Doux.

Dorty Sulky " Durete.

Braw Fine " Brave.

Kimmer Gossip " Commere.

Jalouse Suspect " Jalouser.

Vizzy To aim at, to examine " Viser.

Ruckle Heap (of stones) " Recueil.

Gardy-loo (Notice well known in " Gardez-l'eau.

Edinburgh) Dement.i.t Out of patience, deranged " Dementir.

On my verity a.s.sertion of truth " Verite.

By my certy a.s.sertion of truth " Certes.

Aumrie Cupboard " Almoire, in old French.

Walise Portmanteau " Valise.

Sucker Sugar " Sucre

_Edinburgh Street Cry:_--"Neeps like sucker. Whae'll buy neeps?"

(turnips).

Petticoat-tails Cakes of triangular shapes " Pet.i.ts gatelles (gateaux).

Ashet Meat-dish " a.s.siette.

Fas.h.i.+ous Troublesome " Facheux.

Prush, Madame[190] Call to a cow to come " Approchez, forward Madame

I dwell the more minutely on this question of Scottish words, from the conviction of their being so characteristic of Scottish humour, and being so distinctive a feature of the older Scottish race. Take away our Scottish phraseology, and we lose what is our specific distinction from England. In these expressions, too, there is often a tenderness and beauty as remarkable as the wit and humour. I have already spoken of the phrase "Auld-lang-syne," and of other expressions of sentiment, which may be compared in their Anglican and Scotch form.

FOOTNOTES:

[160] After all, the remark may not have been so absurd then as it appears now. Burns had not been long dead, nor was he then so noted a character as he is now. The Scotsmen might really have supposed a Southerner unacquainted with the _fact_ of the poet's death.

[161] Choice.

[162] A vessel.