Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 2 1884.djvu/38

 30 and wisdom of a nation." The lecturer then showed that it was in the more ancient proverbs that were to be found the first genus of religious science and philosophy, as well as of political economy. He also pointed out that every nation had its own proverbs, which often corresponded to those of other nations, although different in words, such as the English one "carrying coals to Newcastle," which in Scotland was rendered "carrying salt to Dysart." In Scotland, up to a recent date, proverbs had been very common in conversation, but an abundant education had now turned them into the lumber-room of the past for the study of the antiquary and the investigation of the curious. Mr. Boyd then proceeded to give a number of illustrations of proverbs applied to different classes in Scotland, many of them highly amusing by their quaint drollery. He stated that, notwithstanding the characteristic religious sentiment of Scotland, there were comparatively few of her proverbs that touched on sacred things, this being accounted for by two reasons (1) the profound reverence with which the Scotch have always regarded things pertaining to religion; and (2) the doctrinal form in which we received our religion under the Reformation regime. The reverend gentleman quoted several Scottish proverbs in illustration of this and other points as he proceeded, and went on to say that there was no class of people with whom the proverbs of Scotland dealt more largely than with the clergy. For instance, "Maiden's stockins and ministers' stipends are aye less than they're ca'd," and "Corbies and clergy are little shot," and one, exceedingly good in its way, though rather libellous in its nature—

His "gruesome majesty," it was stated, seemed rather a favourite with the Scottish people, for the purpose of "pointing a moral and adorning a tale," as appeared from many other proverbs (quoted by the lecturer), as, for instance, "The Deil is a busy bishop in his ain diocese," "He needs a lang-shankit spoon that sups kail wi' the Deil," and "The Deil's aye guid tae his ain." Several very humorous proverbs concerning lawyers were also quoted, and reference was made to the numerous proverbs relating to and arising out of the excesses