Page:Studies in Lowland Scots - Colville - 1909.djvu/181

Rh the old man. Like most aged toilers of those days, he had suffered from rheumatism ; but now, he said, "I wud a been i' my grave ten year ago, but it hed been for that baths," using in "that" here the old Scottish and current Dutch form of the article. There is no grammatical blunder in it. I heard a Stonehaven fishwife, delivering an order and explaining her difficulty in finding the place, say, "I've been a' roond that hoossis." Reeently I heard an Aberdonian joiner in Glasgow tell his fellow-workman that he "could get up be that steps." The idiom is common in the Gothic Gospels of the fourth century.

Mr. Ross gave me the interesting story of his early life under his own hand. His narrative forms a valuable sidelight on rural culture, or rather the want of it, in a secluded corner during the first half of last century, all the more valuable as the vocal expression of a class among whom the rise of such another mouthpiece as Burns recorded time will never know. I present it exactly as I got it, and in this guise it is rudely eloquent, nay pathetic.

Here is an intelligent youth, reared in a parish which is supposed to have had its share in those educational advantages with which the half-informed credit John Knox, and this is how he had to educate himself. Those responsible for national education have the solemn duty imposed upon them of providing for intellectual destitution, of affording to obscure incipient talent the opportunities it is impossible for it to provide for itself. But, as it is, how often do we find it true that "to him that hath [monied parents, leisure, tutors, books] shall be given" [bursaries, prizes, honours]! In every form of the world's wealth, be it intellectual or material, the problem ever crying aloud for solution is distribution in the proper quarter, not accumulation.

"Immediatly after the second Reformation, which was effected in 1690, there was a great wunt of Ministers of the Presbitury. Persevaging hence (Following from this) a great meny Parishes had none in those days the People mead a play day of the Sabbeth they meat on the Abbey green (I refere to my Natife Glen Pluscarden neir Elgin) in the forenoon & Plaid at the Ball with Clubs: in the afternoon they meat in Grups & chaised Bees to get there Beiks; in winter thay gathered in