Letters from a gentleman in the north of Scotland to his friend in London [by E. Burt]. With an intr. by R. Jamieson, Volume 21876 |
Common terms and phrases
Account appear arable Land asked Battle of Glenshiels believe Brogues called carried Cattle Chalders Chief chiefly Chieftain Clan Company Country Cows Custom Danger Declivity deep Distance Edinburgh England English esteemed Family Feet Fire Followers Foot Ford former Letter Garrons Gentleman give Glen Glengary Ground happened heard Heath Height Highlanders Hills Horses House Inhabitants Inverness Journey Kind Laird Lakes Land landers likewise Loch Lochy Loch-Ness Lochaber Low-Country Lowland Lowland Scots Manner mentioned Miles Minorca Mountains Natives never Night Number Oatmeal observed Occasion Officer ordinary particular Passage passed Place Plaid poor Precipice pretty Quelt Rain render Rent River River Ness Road Rocks rocky Scotland Scots seen Sheep Side Side the Tweed Sight Snow sometimes Space speak Spot steep Stones stony Strangers Strath suppose Thing thought tion told Town Tribe Usky Water whole Wind Woman
Popular passages
Page 107 - Highlanders in opposition to the people of the low country, whom they despise as inferior to them in courage, and believe they have a right to plunder them whenever it is in their power. This last arises from a tradition that the Lowlands in old times were the possessions of their ancestors. The chief exercises an arbitrary authority over his vassals, determines all differences and disputes that happen among them, and levies taxes upon extraordinary occasions, such as the marriage of a daughter,...
Page 184 - The Highland Dress consists of a Bonnet made of Thrum without a Brim, a short Coat, a Waistcoat, longer by five or six Inches, short Stockings, and Brogues, or Pumps without Heels. By the way, they cut Holes in their Brogues, though new made, to let out the Water, when they have far to go and Rivers to pass : this they do to preserve their Feet from galling. Few besides Gentlemen wear the...
Page 106 - And, lastly, they have an adherence to one another as Highlanders in opposition to the people of the low country, whom they despise as inferior to them in courage, and believe they have a right to plunder them whenever it is in their power. This last arises from a tradition that the Lowlands in old times were the possessions of their ancestors. The chief exercises an arbitrary authority over his vassals, determines all differences and disputes that happen among them, and levies...
Page 105 - The Highlanders are divided into tribes or clans, under chiefs or chieftains, and each clan is again divided into branches from the main stock, who have chieftains over them. These are subdivided into smaller branches of fifty or sixty men, who deduce their original from their particular chieftains, and rely upon them as their more immediate protectors and defenders.
Page 108 - This Power of the Chiefs is not supported by Interest, as they are Landlords, but as lineally descended from the old Patriarchs, or Fathers of the Families...
Page 189 - ... should be so fortunate as to reach some hospitable Hut, they must lie upon the Ground uncovered, there being nothing to be spared from the Family for that Purpose. And to conclude, a few Shillings will buy this Dress for an ordinary Highlander, who, very probably, might hardly ever be in Con^ dition to purchase a Lowland Suit, though of the coarsest Cloth or Stuff, fit to keep him warm in that cold Climate.
Page 239 - By God himself, and as I shall answer to God at the great day, I shall speak the truth: if I do not, may I never thrive while I live; may I go to hell and be damned when I die; may my land bear neither grass nor corn; may my wife and bairns never prosper; may my cows, calves, sheep, and lambs, all perish...
Page 65 - But I had like to have forgot a mischance that happened to me the next morning ; for rising early, and getting out of my box pretty hastily, I unluckily set my foot in the chamberpot — a hole in the ground by the bed-side, which was made to serve for that use in case of occasion.
Page 192 - ... the forehead like that of a wild colt. If they wear stockings, which is very rare, they lay them in plaits one above another, from the...
Page 51 - ... account, it might well be called fifteen. This, except about three quarters of a mile of heathy ground, pretty free from. stones and rocks, consisted of stony moors, almost impracticable for a horse with his rider, and likewise of rocky way, where we were obliged to dismount, and sometimes climb, and otherwhile slide down.