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^ yiy j (iD-lIEtt (IDOtUtni ? JT * "?
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There is no learned man but will confess he hath much-profited , by reading controversies , his senses Awakened , and his judgment sharpened . If , then , it be profitable for him to read , why should it not , at -fi ? asc be tolerable for his adversary to write ?—Mii / ton
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" CANDIDE" ON SCOTLAND . ( To the Editor of the Leader . * ) gIB —Althoug h my wallet of English odds and ends is by no means exhausted—for what bounds are there to the rare excellencies peculiar to this favoured land ?—I must not presume too far on the patience of your readers or of yourself . And yet I cannot take leave of your columns without bearing spontaneous testimony to the delig htful climate , the elegant and musical language , and the exemplary morals that characterize fair Scotia . Hail , Caledonia ! Land of tunnels and hotel charges ! Land of short petticoats and Pactolian hair ! Land of red noses ! The delicate flavour of thy " whusky" still lingers on my palate , and inspires my pen to celebrate thy praises .
It was in the afternoon of a close , muggy , premature spring day that I placed myself in a railway carriage at one of the midland towns of England , and that same evening found myself in the full enjoyment of the bracing climate of Auld Reekie . The westerlj' winds , which are there usually accompanied by fertilizing showers , had changed that morning for a fine breeze from the eastward , which brought with it beautiful flakes of snow and delicious hailstones as large and as hard as sugarplums , but free from the whitelead and saccharine matter that occur in those popular edibles . These two winds reign alternately throughout the year in the Scottish metropolis , with only rare exceptions , when they allow a hearing to the blustering railing of
rude Boreas . This in variableness has the great advantage that the inhabitants are thus always prepared for raia or snow , and the city has been expressly built to allow fair play to the declamations of these hearty sons of JEolua . Another advantage is that the spring and summer are not forced on with injudicious haste , as in the southern part of the island . The too fortunate dwellers in the north have snow in April , snowdrops in May , primroses in June , green gooseberries in July , kidney potatoes in August , and in September they would have cherries did not the winter set in about that time . I have not mentioned the blossoming of the
hawthorn , because I believe there is only one in the country , originally introduced from France by Mary Quaen of Scots . There are no hedges , as is well known it T ) eing thought useless to give them the trouble of coming into leaf for only a few weeks—and stone walls without mortar , to allow free passage to the wind , hav been considerately substituted in their stead . And it is a fine sight to observe the hardy patriotism of the very thermometers . At a degree of cold when the effeminate instruments of this metropolis would be making themselves smig somewhere below zero , their northern brethren boldly hold their own , and disdain to descend even to the freezing point .
Although the temperature is delightfully free from the exhausting heat of the tropics , and the sun has no power to scorch and blacken the golden hair , there is evidently a very remarkable degree of warmth in the ground , probably from subterranean fires . At least in no other way can I account for the difficulty experienced by the unaffected classes—especially by the bean sexe , that is , the 80 x that is fond of beaux—in keep ing their feet encased in shoos and stockings . I had previously heard from the lips of young mothers that there is no part of the
human frame more exquisitely beautiful than the " tootles" of an infant . And now that I have had the privilege of gazing unrebuked on the untrammelled feet of Scotia ' s lovely daughters , I can well appreciate the matornal enthusiasm aforesaid . Imag ine , sir , a Jennie Deans hurrying across a treeless moor , her symmetrical foot , ten inches by eight , flapping the soft oozy ground like two boavora' tails , and you will understand the treat that awaits my mind ' s eye when I again rend the " Heart of Midlothian . "
I was also much struck by the tasto displayed by the ladies in the harmony of colours , and in the general arrangement of their costumo . In no other metropolis , not even in Paris , would you behold a green bonnet , trimmeil with black lace , and surmounted by a scarlet feather , while a more or loss ronl cushmoro shawl full in angles over a brown merino gown . It is strange that those fashions havo not yot reached London , for tho plumod mushroom hats havo already been introduced into KdUnburgh . Such , indeed , arc the grandest triumphs of tho electric telegraph , which thus makes one miiiuto hand do for all mankind .
It would bo quite superfluous to oiler my humble word of praiso to tho graceful idioms with which tho language abounds . Who has over taken up a Scotch newspaper without being invited to a " public roup , " at which a " solf-coutained" house with all its " plonishing , " would bo offorcd for sale at tho " upset prico" of ao much ? Or if you drop in upon a friend at dinnor-timo ho will
probably ask you to " sit down and sup a few broth , " and then tell you he has a piece of land to " feu . " If you hear people talking about " flats , " you must not infer that their conversation is upon musical matters , or even about inexperienced young men . Xor need you be alarmed if , on asking a stranger some question he cannot himself answer , he should bid you " speer at thot indyveedjual , " pointing to some harmless person advancing towards you . And how beautiful are the Scottish ballads when
recited or sung by some venerable spinster , with a voice as sweet and as searching as the highest tones of a Highland bagpipe . The effect is positively thrilling . At the still , starry hour of supper-time , too , with what suggestive melody doe 3 that popular refrain " Cal-lero-o-o ! " pierce through the lamp-lighted air . But there was nothing more touching than the enthusiastic perseverance of a" puir daft body "—Scotch again , sir—in introducing a variation into one of Bobby Burns'spardon my familiarity , but I saw his farm — most characteristic songs . Thus the crone warbled through
her nose , " A mon ' s a mon for a' that , an' a' that , an' a' that , Aiblins a wumman ' s a wumman tae—ae . " As for morality , that is undoubted . So great is the value of a spoken word , that if in the presence of a witness you should call your , cook your wife , straightway you twain would become one flesh . Or it suffices to address a damsel in writing as " dear wife , " and the pains of bigamy stare you in the face if j'ou lead another bride to the hymeneal altar . In the same manner the fair maiden becomes your wedded spouse should she in loving phrase call you her " beloved " or " darling husband . " As Miss Parkea hath expressed it , you might almost ring her with a kiss—the vulgar ceremonial being very properly a matter of secondary
consideration . But there is nothing more cheerful , nothing more refreshing to the mind , nothing more harmlessly jocund , than the Seventh Day as it is observed north of the Tweed . On that day the grass grows in the very streets with gladness . An irascible but very particular friend of mine was sauntering along Queen-street , indulging in a shocking bad habit of half whistling through his closed teeth two bars—he never gets beyond that—of some popular air . It unfortunately -happened that the pious worshippers were at that moment hurrying home from church , in all haste , lest they should drop any part of the meenister ' s discourse by the way . A decently dressed mechanic ,
or small tradesman , overheard my very particular friend in his folly . Could he believe his own ears ? Alas ! there could be no doubt that hissing sound was a reminiscence of " Bobbing around . " But it might be owing to an accidental and momentary forgetfulness of self . So he tapped the shoulder of the irascible man , and sternly inquired , " D ' ye nae ken this is the Sawbeth ?"— " Confound it ! yes , of course I do . It ' s dull enough for two Sundays rolled into one . " The rebuker then rejoined , with solemn harshness— " Ye maunna whustle on the Sawbeth . "— " You be ! " exclaimed my very particular friend , with an impetuosity that might have appeared indelicate in a female . For an instant the worthy Sabbatarian stared at the wretched man with an
astonishment which presently turned into contemptuous pity , as he remarked to the by-standers who were gathering around , " Ech , sirs ! he ' s jist a Pawpist . " The same simplicity of manners , the same austerity of moral discipline , very properly constitute the standard by which is measured any candidate ' s fitness to represent his countrj'inen in Parliament . There is a very important town in the north of Scotland chiefly known to Englishmen for its manufacture of marmalade . At the recent election , a gentleman had the audacity to . solicit the votes ot the electors , though conscious that one of the most heinous ofToncea of which a man can be guilty would very likely be charged against him . It is asserted , and very generally believed , that this ungodly individual , moved directly by Satan , or one of his most potent ministers , actually pcrpotnitcd certain saltatory movements on tho Sabbath-day , while visiting a friend
in foroign parts . It is notorious to every cotter in the land that to danco at a siicrod festival is an abominablo and heathen practice . Tho poor bonighted pagans woro guilty of this grievous folly . And—alas for frail humanity!—even tho son of Jesac onco so far forgot himself as to assume tho character of n " master of capers gay , " and to dance to his own fiddling . But mark the consequences . His own wife despised him , and his spoiled child hurled him from his throne . Our Scottish coiifisuurs , however , would submit to run no such risks aa this in a year when a comet is closo at hand to punish such laxity of morals , and a murrnin on the cattle is only watching for such an opportunity to crosa tho ocean stream and do deadly despite upon our far beeves and lowing kino . All honour , thon , to those enlightened citizens , and may their marmalade over maintain its position on every breakfast-table in tho empire .
, Thoro is perhaps nothing nioro truly characteristic of tho modern Scot—whoso ancosfcors deserted Wallace niul for a long time rojoctod Bruco ( tho entomological " party" partial to npidors ) — than his disinterested patriotism . It is a matter of honest prido to observe how largo an amount of public work ia undertaken by private individuals working harmoniously together and dovetailed , into Hoards . Thoro is tho
General Prison Board , the Board of Trustees for Manufactures , the Fishery Board , the Bible Board , the Board of Supervision for Relief of the Poor , and I know not how many more Boards besides . And yet with all these onerous duties to fulfil , the hardy sons of the north can still find time to mix sociably with their fellows , and to grace the fashionable promenades with their manly presence . Their magnanimity , however , will be better appreciated , if , instead of indulging in generalities , I set before you the details of anyone board taken at random . Let us select that for the Supervision of Relief to the Poor . Here we find a President at 1200 / . a year , a Secretary at 800 / ., five clerks at salaries varying from 117 / . to 235 ? . each , a messenger at 40 / ., three sheriffs at 100 ? ., and five unpaid members . Now , let us mark the noble return made by these sixteen individuals for this mean and scanty remuneration . I copy from the Edinburgh Daily Express : —
"( 1 . ) Investigated charges against 18 inspectors , dismissed 1 , accepted the resignation of 4 , censured 7 , cautioned 2 , and found 4 riot guilty . ( 2 . ) Passed a minute making inspectors responsible for the proper relief of the poor within their parishes . ( 3 . ) Issued a circular , explaining the duties of inspectors in regard to elections of local boards . ( 4 . ) Sanctioned change in the mode of assessment in 29 parishes , and refused to sanction change in 4 . ( 5 . ) Increased the number of elected members of board in parish of Elgin . ( 6 . ) Approved the erection of poorhouses in 6 parishes , and combinations of parishes . Approved plans and sites for poorhouses in 2 parishes , and alterations or additions in 5 . ( 7 . ) Prohibited the use of double beds for adult
paupers (!) in Aberdeen Poorhouse . ( 8 . ) Inquired into the state of the Kirkaldy Poorhouse , and intimated that , until altered , an offer of admission could not be recognised as a legal offer of relief . ( 9 . ) Sanctioned or refused to sanction rates for boarding paupers in certain parishes . ( 10 . ) Arranged for the eighth distribution of the grant of 10 , 000 / . in aid of medical relief . ( 11 . ) Decided whether it was necessary that certain fatuous paupers ( 290 in all ) should be sent to asylums or not . ( 12 . ) Called attention of inspectors to the necessity of attending to certain legal forms in the case of fatuous paupers . ( 13 . ) Decided 549 complaints of inadequate relief ; of these 300 were dismissed on the information contained in the mere schedule of application . "
All this for a beggarly 4000 / . a year . The case of the Fishery Board is even yet more striking . For the small yearly sum of 1500 / . its members actually take the trouble to dispense 12 , 000 / . annually . Yet one more note of admiration , and I have done . In the olden times the wisdom of our ancestors—wise , according to their lights—was content to regard the agricultural counties as efficiently , or rather sufficiently , represented by the peers whose estates were almost coequal and synonymous with those counties . The proportion of county to burgh members was consequently very small , and thus the influence of the great Lords was in some measure restricted to their own House . In these liberal times we have , of course , changed all that , and
in our well-directed attempts to give all parties fair play , have very considerately opened the Lower House also to the aristocracy . In a commercial and industrial country it is clear that the best judges of what is beneficial to trade and manufactures must be that impartial class which looks down serenely from its pride of place upon the toils and turmoils of the hewers of wood and drawers of water . It would be strange if this truth were not thoroughly understood by the intelligent , sensible , independent electors of Scotland . Accordingly , out of fifty-three constituencies , twenty-four did themselves infinite honour by returning representatives who bear titles or social distinctions . A Scotch paper , the Herald , thus classifies tho chosen delegates of tho people : — __ _ _ _
" There is one Peer , the Earl of Fife , who by virtue of being purely an Irish peer , can , like Lord Palmorston , do that which no British or , perhaps , no Scotch Poor can , viz ., ait as a Commoner . In every other rospect Scotch Peers are entitled to tho privileges of British or United Kingdom Pcora ns regards precedence , froedom from personal arrest in civil action , &c . An Irian , as contrasted with a Scotch peer ( out of tho sixteen Kopresentativo Poors ) , has still tho extra right , if so inclined , to sit in the House of Commons . Thon wo havo the two eldost sons ( Earl of Dalkoith and Marquis of Stafford ) , and hence hcira apparent to tho great ducal houses
of Bucclcuch and Sutherland ; thoro are four prospective Earls , viz ., Lord Haddo , Lord Melgund , Lord Duncan , and Lord Elcho . In addition , to make up this glittering bead-roll of twonty-four , wo have the younger aona of Marquises , Earls , Viscounts , and Barons—also sovoral Baronots , and one Knight , being our own worthy and highly-respected citizen Sir James Anderson . To descend , iu one sense , in tho scale , thoro tiro nineteen members returned for Scotland , all more or less of aristocratic lineage , such as Mr . Ilopo Johnstono , Mr . Sterling of Kcir , &a , who can point to several descents , idontifiod with tho long possession of castlos , mansion * , nnd broad ncres . " . '
Thia leaves just ten inombors to bo olectod fro m among tho coimnoreinl nnd industrial classes , and if you , nir , consider thut an unfair proportion , you need not o .-fpccl ; again to hear from , sir , Your obedient aorvnnt , Canimiw .
^ Yiy J (Id-Liett (Idotutni ? Jt * "?
( D | im ComtriL —*—
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m i-tris DEPAKTMENT , A 3 ALL OPINIONS , HOWKVBR EXTItKMK , AKH CW 1 IinLn AS BXl-BBSSIOM . TUB KIMTOIt NBCKSSAltlLY HOLDS lllll-SbIf KESrONSIBLK FOB KOJJK . J
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May 16 , 1857 . 1 THE LEADER , 469
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 16, 1857, page 469, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2193/page/13/
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