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CONTENTS
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Electric Scotland News
What's new on ElectricCanadian.com
The Flag in the Wind
Through the Long Day
Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language
Scottish Poets in America
History of the Burgh and Parish Schools of Scotland
Memories Grave and Gay
Chronicles of Gretna Green
A Scots Boy's World Sixty Years Ago
Homespun
Life Jottings of an Old Edinburgh Citizen (New Book)
Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland
Electric Scotland News
----------------------
Took a wee break this week to rest my eye after the operation but still managed to get some new content up despite it being a wee bit of a struggle reading the screen.
-----
We've had our new leased lines installed today (Thursday) which hopefully means we'll have our servers moved over by the end of the year.
Now this does have some implications as when you re-locate your servers with a new Telco you are given new IP addresses. That automatically means we'll be down until the DNS's get changed at the main site on Network Solutions. And then it needs to propigate around the world. Most major DNS hubs will update at least every 3 hours but others can take up to 24 hours. This means at some point between now and the end of the year we won't be accesible for a wee while or up to a day depending on where you are coming in from in the world.
Our initial testing of the lines show a dramatic increase in speed so that is great news. And of course once the servers are in their new location it means Steve can work on them at any time. Right now he has to get bundled up in warm clothes to do anything on our servers and that is not good.
We were trying to get some new Christmas games up in the Arcade and we have actually added a lot of them today but we'd also hoped to do an upgrade of the arcade to go along with that but didn't manage to get that done. Steve does tell me he'll try to do it tomorrow so we'll see it he manages it. However the new games should work but of course please advise us if you find ones that don't work properly and as long as you give us the name of the games we'll remove it or find a fix.
I should add that once we're all settled on the new Telco and all is working as it should then next year should see a lot of new facilities appearing both in our community and on the web site. We've been completely stalled on things since the fire.
Also while we do want to move as fast as possible the Christmas season is not the best time to work on new things due to family commitments and of course Christmas holidays. However we at least hope to have us settled down and working on the new system before the end of the year.
----
My plan for 2012 is to work mostly on the history of places in Scotland. I've been busy finding such histories and have found quite a few so will be working on them from now on. Hopefully they'll become an excellent tourism resource as anyone visiting one of those towns or areas can learn about its history before heading there. This will hopefully let you find good places to visit that you otherwise won't have know about. Right now I'm working on Dunkeld which is a very beatiful part of Scotland.
when I start on a new book on the site I'm also going to see if there are any YouTube videos of the place and if I find one will embed it on the page. I also plan to embed a Google map of the town as well so that will give you a street plan to look at.
I might add that as always I'm more than happy to receive any sugestions on what you'd like me to add to the site.
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the link in our "What's New" section in our site menu and at http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm and also http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm
ElectricCanadian.com
--------------------
http://www.electriccanadian.com
As you may note I've seen fit to move my Canadian Journal from ElectricScotland.net to this site. And so I've now added my journal entry for October, November, December 2011 which you can read at http://www.electriccanadian.com/canada_93.htm
For those that haven't read it before it was an arrangement I did with Canadian Immigration to document my efforts to obtain permanent landed status and then onto Canadian citizenship. It was intended to show how I lived in Canada and the benefits and problems that I encountered on the way. While I did get Canadian Citizenship I decided just to continue it as I thought it might be a useful resource for histrorians to read in the future. And so it's a kind of diary on my own activities but of course a public one. These are the kind of mundane every day activities that most people go through but never document and thus it can be a bit of a tresure trove for historians as this kind of information is very hard to find from an historical point of view.
----
I found an article about Canada being at the top of the world in MacLean's magazine so thought I'd scan it in for the site and created a pdf file to hold it which you can read at http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...ans1201091.pdf
----
Bkejwanong Territory, Walpole Island First Nation
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist.../bkejwnong.htm
I hit copyright issues with this web page but I had found some new information about them from old microfilmed archives so have now got that up to replace what was there previously which I had to take down.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
This weeks Flag was compiled by Jim Lynch where he has given us a poem to read as due to sheduling problems it appears this was a last minute addition. There are however some interesting articles in the Synopsis.
You can get to the Flag at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Chrinita McKelview MSP has also sent in a Christmas diary entry which will complete her contribitions for this year. You can read he diary at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/111222.htm
Through the Long Day
--------------------
Or Memorials of a Literary Life during half a century by Charles MacKay LL.D. (1887)
This week have added...
Chapter XI - An Adventure in Montreal
Chapter XII - Mr Jefferson Davis
You can get to this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mackay/
Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language
----------------------------------------------
We've added more to this disctionary...
Scottish Language Letter G
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...eson/index.htm
Scottish Poets in America
-------------------------
With Biographical and Critical Notices by John D, Ross (1889)
Now added...
Latto, Thomas C.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...rica/index.htm
History of the Burgh and Parish Schools of Scotland
---------------------------------------------------
By James Grant M.A. (1876).
Added this week...
Part II - Schools after the Reformation
Chapter V - Economy of the Schools
Chapter VI - Appointment of Masters
Chapter VII - Tenure of Office of Masters
Chapter VIII - Removal of Masters from Office
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/educ...urgh/index.htm
Memories Grave and Gay
----------------------
Forty Years of School Inspection by John Kerr LL.D.
Have added Chapters 21 - 25 in pdf format this week...
Chapter XXI.
Professor Blackie—His versatility, vitality, and disregard of convention—Dinners at Blackie's and Calderwood's —The Hellenic Club presentation on his eightieth birthday— His ingenuousness—Masson—Maclagan—Christison—Norman Macleod—His breadth, force, humanity, and humour—The late Lord Inverclyde.
Chapter XXII.
Infant-teaching much improved—When should it begin—"D—n the cat I"—Great improvement in reading-
books—Reading the most valuable school product—Corporal punishment—Dr Melvin—Leather—Thomas Fraser of Golspie—An equestrian incident.
Chapter XXIII.
Not to be imposed upon — Praying for Queen Caroline — Rounds of toasts — Humorous certificates — A Nathaniel—Yon—Wattle Dunlop—Advice based on Biblical example—Providence and limited liability—"A divinity that shapes our ends".
Chapter XXIV.
Joint University and Normal School training—Necessary to maintain the tradition of the old parish school—Progress most satisfactory—Training College curriculum widened and raised—Attitude of Edinburgh Board towards practice in singing—Visits to English Training Colleges — Students' dinner scheme —Secondary schools—Organisation improved—Edinburgh Merchant Company set the example of reform—Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Endowed School Commission—Splendid results.
Chapter XXV.
The bitters latitude — Give it a good name — Sudden meteorological change — Bibulous Scotland — "He put too much water in his whisky"—Its preservative qualities—Spontaneous combustion—An awful risk— A Highland funeral — Roman Catholic rag-gatherers—The most dangerous form of drunkenness—Sabbath observance in the Highlands—Men—Superstitions.
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/educ...ries/index.htm
Chronicles of Gretna Green
--------------------------
By Peter Orlando Hutchinson (1844)
We're now up to Chapter XIX in which we start reading...
Spottiswood, one of the most especial historiographers of Scottish affairs in the sixteenth century, relates how a matter befel which well nigh put both kingdoms in a flame; but besides him, we have an old ballad on the subject, which has been sung by glee-man and minstrel ever since, not only on the hills of Gretna, but in distant regions also; —and again, besides these authorities, we have still another far more authentic, in a most unerring tradition, which so far supersedes all other that we cannot now do better than found this chapter mainly upon it.
The Lord Scroop, Warden of the Western Marches, and the great Laird of Buccleuch, keeper of Liddesdale, established a truce, for the purpose of arranging some trifling things between them in an amicable manner ; and to this end they met, or rather their agents met, at a place ycleped Dayholme of Kershop, where a small brook divided England from her northern sister, and more particularly the dale of Liddel from Bawcastle. The deputy for Queen Elizabeth's warden was Mr. Sakelde, or Salkeld, of a powerful family of Cumberland, possessing, amongst other manors, that of Corby, before it came into the possession of the Howards in the seventeenth century. When truce had been proclaimed by sound of trumpet, as the custom then was, the commissioners met in friendly sort, and arranged their grievance to satisfaction, after which they parted courteously.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter19.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...etna/index.htm
A Scots Boy's World Sixty Years Ago
-----------------------------------
By George Ernest Philip (1922)
We've now completed this book by adding...
Chapter X. Winter Evening Pastimes,
Chapter XI. Mid-Victorian Memories,
Chapter XII. A City Congregation,
Chapter XIII. Pulpit and other Oratory,
I thought it appropriate to give you a wee bit from Winter Evening Pastimes...
Looking back over the years one cannot but note the changed interests and outlook of the modern boy. That these are more varied and exciting than formerly need not be denied; that they are more strenuous or purposeful may well be doubted. Let me recall some actual episodes of far-off days, which, nevertheless, still loom large in emory.
For twenty years our growing family of brothers and sisters remained unscattered, and it was assuredly one of the happiest on earth. Yet our enjoyments were of the simplest, not without a touch of austerity, and marked by a certain self-containedness arising rather from sufficiency of numbers than from any spirit of exclusiveness.
With long school and home hours preparations on a scale unthinkable to the present generation, we had, indeed, but little time at our disposal, yet we were wisely encouraged to many varieties of cheerful recreation in the winter evenings, always assuming that the lessons for next day had been faithfully attended to. Two hereditary hobbies possessed us. Father had preserved, from the days of his boyhood, an old-fashioned magic lantern, the very smell of whose clotted wick was dear to our nostrils, and also a miniature panorama of his own construction. Our fixed ambition was to emulate or surpass these. My earliest savings were twice depleted in order to secure a lantern one degree better than the paternal model, and a real mahogany paint box by Rowney, stocked with gamboge, ultramarine, burnt umber and China ink, which we reckoned of primary importance in the production of a good-going panorama. Of course, these were merely the tools of our craft. Everything else had to be made by ourselves. Lantern slides we designed and painted on lengths of glass cut by the glazier's diamond, projecting the pictures on any available blank wall or damp sheet as quickly as produced.
Panoramas were more elaborate works of art, evolved] through weeks and months with what secrecy we could maintain until launched on an expectant public during the Christmas holidays. My own masterpiece set forth the story of " Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp," depth of colour and emphasis of outline doing something to atone for lack of perspective. Whenever an educative diorama came to town we were taken to see it, hence an early familiarity with the crunching car of Juggernaut, the filthy ablutions of Benares, and the funeral pyre of the Hindoo widow. The finale usually consisted of some super-resplendent scene such as the Holy Sepulchre illuminated for Easter, so I accordingly closed mine with an architectural drawing from "The Illustrated London News," which readily lent itself to coloured transparency. But the effect which most completely fetched my audience was the realistic presentation of a smiling Swiss village suddenly overwhelmed by an avalanche. To produce this, gas had to be simultaneously manipulated before and behind the canvas, while an empty tin or metal tray was rattled, crescendo - wise, at the moment of catastrophe.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter10.htm
You can read other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/boys/index.htm
Homespun
--------
A Study of a Simple Folk by Annie S. Swan (1894)
This week have added...
Chapter II. Big Sandy Loses
Chapter III. Nanse's Weird
Chapter IV. Marget Broon's News
Chapter V. Taking Counsel
Chapter VI. Dod Cries Off
In Chapter III we learn...
RIGHT up at the west end of the Beild, on the edge of the peat moss, stood a row of five cottages, known as the Whins. They were all inhabited by weavers, and had no crofts, but only "yairds" attached, which yairds sloped down from the back door to the edge of the moss. The windows, however, looked the other way, which was certainly a mistake, for the prospect seen from the yaird was one of great beauty, which changed with every season. The moss was a wide stretch quite three miles across, and was then hemmed in by the first soft, swelling ridges of the Corbie Hills. The wideness and lonely stillness on the moss give it a strange beauty of its own, and in clear, amber evenings the peat-stacks stand out against the sky, their even outlines transfigured into many graceful shapes. There are green spots here and there on the dull brown expanse, and little grassy paths edged with bluebell and colt's-foot and yellow primrose; and then when autumn comes there are patches of glowing purple where the heather grows. Once even I found a patch of white heather, but that is a rare find. You never saw finer sunsets than I have seen on the Beild moss, and I have often thought that if the colours were reproduced on canvas they would at once be pronounced unnatural and exaggerated. Sometimes the crimson has such a touch of flame, and the gold so fiercely burnished, and the ragged edges of the clouds resting on the Corbie crests so vividly outlined, that it has a look of weirdness denied to softer colourings and outlines. And then the beauty of the soft summer mornings on the treeless moss—the exquisite blendings of light and shade on its variegated breast, blendings created nobody knows how—and the great stillness, save for the continuous twitterings of birds, and the wide, wide freshness of the scene ! Oh, Beild folks have a treasure in their moss, and some of them, even dwelling in their humble cottages, appreciate its beauty in every aspect: In wintry weather it is a wild, desolate, uncanny place, with the sea-birds screaming and the curlews calling across the space, and the snow-patches making the dark, rich brown of the bogs seem almost black; the wonder to me has long been that no artist has sought to give its beauty to the world.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter03.htm
The other chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...spun/index.htm
Life Jottings of an Old Edinburgh Citizen
-----------------------------------------
By Sir J. H. A. MacDonald P.C., K.C.B., Lord Justice-Clerk.
A new book we're starting in which the Preface twll us...
LET not the reader suppose, as he opens this book, that he is invited to wade through an autobiography. What he will find Is but a quilt made up of patches from the shelf of memory. No diary has ever been kept to supply copious extracts, such as too often give anything but light reading, and too often fail to present true pictures of the diarist s life. 1 he aim has been to fit together presentable patches, giving a blend of natural colouring, as a well-pieced quilt, though made up of shreds, may not offend and possibly may give pleasure, and here and there be informing. If particular patches seem wear'isome, skipping may give relief. The compiler of these jottings would have satisfaction, were it possible for any reader to say that he—and still more were she—had reached the word Finis without having to resist temptation to turn down pages unread.
One earnest request, dear reader. Do not pass by the pages which speak of the conservation of our lovely Edina, in what of beauty is left to her, notwithstanding the evil days of the past. The most eager thought for our "own romantic town" has been to rouse, if possible, the Jotter's fellow-citizens from a passive condition, and to stimulate in them an active interest of love to her of the matchless face—that "Face which is her Fortune." Surely the past honourable disfigurements, of which all who have taste are ashamed, should be a warning. Our civic rulers are no longer vandals. They show earnestness to conserve amenity, and are glad of help from the citizens in considering what is good and what is bad. It will strengthen them greatly if more lively interest ia shown by the public—that active and concentrated interest which has telling influence, but which in the past has, alas, been so sadly wanting.
Of the stories here told many are chestnuts, Experience has proved that what ;s stale to one is fresh to another. Let those of jaded palate be generous, and pass by and pardon the chestnuts in which others may find a toothsome—because to them a novel--flavour.
A meed of hearty thanks «s due to friends who have assisted to stimulate memory, and especially to a kind friend, Lord Dundas, who has given great aid by his perusal of the MS., leading to Friendly and profitable suggestions.
END
There are many interesting wee stories and in the first chapter you can read...
When Her Majesty (Queen Victoria) visited Holyrood, she and the Prince inspected the historical rooms without any ceremony, dispensing with the attendance of their suite. They were duly shown the supposed stains of Rizzio's blood at the top of the staircase, down which his body was thrown. When the bed of Queen Mary was pointed out by the old woman who attended to visitors, the Queen put out her hand to examine the silk hangings, and was immediately rebuked by a voice saying," Yere noll to titch." "But," said the Queen, "you took it in your own hand just now." The sharp reply was, "Aam allooed to touch it, but naebuddy else is allooed to tiich it," so the Queen, smiling to the Prince, kept back her hand. I heard this detailed shortly after it occurred, with my "little pitchers ears, so can repeat it with a good conscience as a permissible bit of hearsay. One may wonder if the sour caretaker ever learned who it was that she had snubbed, and if so, how she felt.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ings/index.htm
Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland
--------------------------------------------------------
As is so often the case while searching for something on the Internet Archive I stumbled across a resource that I believe might be quite useful.
I download the 1911 directory and found it had a list of people who had residences in Scotland. I actually took a scan of the MacIntyre's which you can view at http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ntyre_dirs.htm
On that page I've provided a link to the search term which showed all the various directories that they provide back to 1855. So even if your name isn't MacIntyre you might find it useful to download a directory to see what it might offer. Note that the list I provide on the page are MacIntyre's that owned homes in Scotland so it won't include ones that just rented their home which would be the majority. Home ownership is a more recent phase in our existence and thus the sub prime mortgage hassle.
And finally...
As we're now heading for Chritmas I thought that you old uns might consider reading some Christmas stories to the wee uns and you can get to our Christmas story collection at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/stories/xmas.htm
There are tons of stories for the wee and not so wee ones and they can be got to on our Christmas page at http://www.electricscotland.com/index98.htm
And mind that over the years I've observed young children having more fun with the box that their presents arrived in than the actual presents themselves. It's their imagination that runs riot. So do read them a Christmas story or two or more!
And wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas and will see you after it's all over. And if you'd like to remember some of the fun we had this time last year visit http://www.electricscotland.org/show...erry-Christmas
Alastair
--------
Electric Scotland News
What's new on ElectricCanadian.com
The Flag in the Wind
Through the Long Day
Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language
Scottish Poets in America
History of the Burgh and Parish Schools of Scotland
Memories Grave and Gay
Chronicles of Gretna Green
A Scots Boy's World Sixty Years Ago
Homespun
Life Jottings of an Old Edinburgh Citizen (New Book)
Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland
Electric Scotland News
----------------------
Took a wee break this week to rest my eye after the operation but still managed to get some new content up despite it being a wee bit of a struggle reading the screen.
-----
We've had our new leased lines installed today (Thursday) which hopefully means we'll have our servers moved over by the end of the year.
Now this does have some implications as when you re-locate your servers with a new Telco you are given new IP addresses. That automatically means we'll be down until the DNS's get changed at the main site on Network Solutions. And then it needs to propigate around the world. Most major DNS hubs will update at least every 3 hours but others can take up to 24 hours. This means at some point between now and the end of the year we won't be accesible for a wee while or up to a day depending on where you are coming in from in the world.
Our initial testing of the lines show a dramatic increase in speed so that is great news. And of course once the servers are in their new location it means Steve can work on them at any time. Right now he has to get bundled up in warm clothes to do anything on our servers and that is not good.
We were trying to get some new Christmas games up in the Arcade and we have actually added a lot of them today but we'd also hoped to do an upgrade of the arcade to go along with that but didn't manage to get that done. Steve does tell me he'll try to do it tomorrow so we'll see it he manages it. However the new games should work but of course please advise us if you find ones that don't work properly and as long as you give us the name of the games we'll remove it or find a fix.
I should add that once we're all settled on the new Telco and all is working as it should then next year should see a lot of new facilities appearing both in our community and on the web site. We've been completely stalled on things since the fire.
Also while we do want to move as fast as possible the Christmas season is not the best time to work on new things due to family commitments and of course Christmas holidays. However we at least hope to have us settled down and working on the new system before the end of the year.
----
My plan for 2012 is to work mostly on the history of places in Scotland. I've been busy finding such histories and have found quite a few so will be working on them from now on. Hopefully they'll become an excellent tourism resource as anyone visiting one of those towns or areas can learn about its history before heading there. This will hopefully let you find good places to visit that you otherwise won't have know about. Right now I'm working on Dunkeld which is a very beatiful part of Scotland.
when I start on a new book on the site I'm also going to see if there are any YouTube videos of the place and if I find one will embed it on the page. I also plan to embed a Google map of the town as well so that will give you a street plan to look at.
I might add that as always I'm more than happy to receive any sugestions on what you'd like me to add to the site.
ABOUT THE STORIES
-----------------
Some of the stories in here are just parts of a larger story so do check out the site for the full versions. You can always find the link in our "What's New" section in our site menu and at http://www.electricscotland.com/whatsnew.htm and also http://www.electriccanadian.com/whatsnew.htm
ElectricCanadian.com
--------------------
http://www.electriccanadian.com
As you may note I've seen fit to move my Canadian Journal from ElectricScotland.net to this site. And so I've now added my journal entry for October, November, December 2011 which you can read at http://www.electriccanadian.com/canada_93.htm
For those that haven't read it before it was an arrangement I did with Canadian Immigration to document my efforts to obtain permanent landed status and then onto Canadian citizenship. It was intended to show how I lived in Canada and the benefits and problems that I encountered on the way. While I did get Canadian Citizenship I decided just to continue it as I thought it might be a useful resource for histrorians to read in the future. And so it's a kind of diary on my own activities but of course a public one. These are the kind of mundane every day activities that most people go through but never document and thus it can be a bit of a tresure trove for historians as this kind of information is very hard to find from an historical point of view.
----
I found an article about Canada being at the top of the world in MacLean's magazine so thought I'd scan it in for the site and created a pdf file to hold it which you can read at http://www.electriccanadian.com/life...ans1201091.pdf
----
Bkejwanong Territory, Walpole Island First Nation
http://www.electriccanadian.com/hist.../bkejwnong.htm
I hit copyright issues with this web page but I had found some new information about them from old microfilmed archives so have now got that up to replace what was there previously which I had to take down.
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
This weeks Flag was compiled by Jim Lynch where he has given us a poem to read as due to sheduling problems it appears this was a last minute addition. There are however some interesting articles in the Synopsis.
You can get to the Flag at http://www.scotsindependent.org
Chrinita McKelview MSP has also sent in a Christmas diary entry which will complete her contribitions for this year. You can read he diary at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/111222.htm
Through the Long Day
--------------------
Or Memorials of a Literary Life during half a century by Charles MacKay LL.D. (1887)
This week have added...
Chapter XI - An Adventure in Montreal
Chapter XII - Mr Jefferson Davis
You can get to this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/mackay/
Jamieson's Dictionary of the Scottish Language
----------------------------------------------
We've added more to this disctionary...
Scottish Language Letter G
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...eson/index.htm
Scottish Poets in America
-------------------------
With Biographical and Critical Notices by John D, Ross (1889)
Now added...
Latto, Thomas C.
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/poet...rica/index.htm
History of the Burgh and Parish Schools of Scotland
---------------------------------------------------
By James Grant M.A. (1876).
Added this week...
Part II - Schools after the Reformation
Chapter V - Economy of the Schools
Chapter VI - Appointment of Masters
Chapter VII - Tenure of Office of Masters
Chapter VIII - Removal of Masters from Office
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/educ...urgh/index.htm
Memories Grave and Gay
----------------------
Forty Years of School Inspection by John Kerr LL.D.
Have added Chapters 21 - 25 in pdf format this week...
Chapter XXI.
Professor Blackie—His versatility, vitality, and disregard of convention—Dinners at Blackie's and Calderwood's —The Hellenic Club presentation on his eightieth birthday— His ingenuousness—Masson—Maclagan—Christison—Norman Macleod—His breadth, force, humanity, and humour—The late Lord Inverclyde.
Chapter XXII.
Infant-teaching much improved—When should it begin—"D—n the cat I"—Great improvement in reading-
books—Reading the most valuable school product—Corporal punishment—Dr Melvin—Leather—Thomas Fraser of Golspie—An equestrian incident.
Chapter XXIII.
Not to be imposed upon — Praying for Queen Caroline — Rounds of toasts — Humorous certificates — A Nathaniel—Yon—Wattle Dunlop—Advice based on Biblical example—Providence and limited liability—"A divinity that shapes our ends".
Chapter XXIV.
Joint University and Normal School training—Necessary to maintain the tradition of the old parish school—Progress most satisfactory—Training College curriculum widened and raised—Attitude of Edinburgh Board towards practice in singing—Visits to English Training Colleges — Students' dinner scheme —Secondary schools—Organisation improved—Edinburgh Merchant Company set the example of reform—Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Endowed School Commission—Splendid results.
Chapter XXV.
The bitters latitude — Give it a good name — Sudden meteorological change — Bibulous Scotland — "He put too much water in his whisky"—Its preservative qualities—Spontaneous combustion—An awful risk— A Highland funeral — Roman Catholic rag-gatherers—The most dangerous form of drunkenness—Sabbath observance in the Highlands—Men—Superstitions.
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/educ...ries/index.htm
Chronicles of Gretna Green
--------------------------
By Peter Orlando Hutchinson (1844)
We're now up to Chapter XIX in which we start reading...
Spottiswood, one of the most especial historiographers of Scottish affairs in the sixteenth century, relates how a matter befel which well nigh put both kingdoms in a flame; but besides him, we have an old ballad on the subject, which has been sung by glee-man and minstrel ever since, not only on the hills of Gretna, but in distant regions also; —and again, besides these authorities, we have still another far more authentic, in a most unerring tradition, which so far supersedes all other that we cannot now do better than found this chapter mainly upon it.
The Lord Scroop, Warden of the Western Marches, and the great Laird of Buccleuch, keeper of Liddesdale, established a truce, for the purpose of arranging some trifling things between them in an amicable manner ; and to this end they met, or rather their agents met, at a place ycleped Dayholme of Kershop, where a small brook divided England from her northern sister, and more particularly the dale of Liddel from Bawcastle. The deputy for Queen Elizabeth's warden was Mr. Sakelde, or Salkeld, of a powerful family of Cumberland, possessing, amongst other manors, that of Corby, before it came into the possession of the Howards in the seventeenth century. When truce had been proclaimed by sound of trumpet, as the custom then was, the commissioners met in friendly sort, and arranged their grievance to satisfaction, after which they parted courteously.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter19.htm
You can read the other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...etna/index.htm
A Scots Boy's World Sixty Years Ago
-----------------------------------
By George Ernest Philip (1922)
We've now completed this book by adding...
Chapter X. Winter Evening Pastimes,
Chapter XI. Mid-Victorian Memories,
Chapter XII. A City Congregation,
Chapter XIII. Pulpit and other Oratory,
I thought it appropriate to give you a wee bit from Winter Evening Pastimes...
Looking back over the years one cannot but note the changed interests and outlook of the modern boy. That these are more varied and exciting than formerly need not be denied; that they are more strenuous or purposeful may well be doubted. Let me recall some actual episodes of far-off days, which, nevertheless, still loom large in emory.
For twenty years our growing family of brothers and sisters remained unscattered, and it was assuredly one of the happiest on earth. Yet our enjoyments were of the simplest, not without a touch of austerity, and marked by a certain self-containedness arising rather from sufficiency of numbers than from any spirit of exclusiveness.
With long school and home hours preparations on a scale unthinkable to the present generation, we had, indeed, but little time at our disposal, yet we were wisely encouraged to many varieties of cheerful recreation in the winter evenings, always assuming that the lessons for next day had been faithfully attended to. Two hereditary hobbies possessed us. Father had preserved, from the days of his boyhood, an old-fashioned magic lantern, the very smell of whose clotted wick was dear to our nostrils, and also a miniature panorama of his own construction. Our fixed ambition was to emulate or surpass these. My earliest savings were twice depleted in order to secure a lantern one degree better than the paternal model, and a real mahogany paint box by Rowney, stocked with gamboge, ultramarine, burnt umber and China ink, which we reckoned of primary importance in the production of a good-going panorama. Of course, these were merely the tools of our craft. Everything else had to be made by ourselves. Lantern slides we designed and painted on lengths of glass cut by the glazier's diamond, projecting the pictures on any available blank wall or damp sheet as quickly as produced.
Panoramas were more elaborate works of art, evolved] through weeks and months with what secrecy we could maintain until launched on an expectant public during the Christmas holidays. My own masterpiece set forth the story of " Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp," depth of colour and emphasis of outline doing something to atone for lack of perspective. Whenever an educative diorama came to town we were taken to see it, hence an early familiarity with the crunching car of Juggernaut, the filthy ablutions of Benares, and the funeral pyre of the Hindoo widow. The finale usually consisted of some super-resplendent scene such as the Holy Sepulchre illuminated for Easter, so I accordingly closed mine with an architectural drawing from "The Illustrated London News," which readily lent itself to coloured transparency. But the effect which most completely fetched my audience was the realistic presentation of a smiling Swiss village suddenly overwhelmed by an avalanche. To produce this, gas had to be simultaneously manipulated before and behind the canvas, while an empty tin or metal tray was rattled, crescendo - wise, at the moment of catastrophe.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter10.htm
You can read other chapters at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/boys/index.htm
Homespun
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A Study of a Simple Folk by Annie S. Swan (1894)
This week have added...
Chapter II. Big Sandy Loses
Chapter III. Nanse's Weird
Chapter IV. Marget Broon's News
Chapter V. Taking Counsel
Chapter VI. Dod Cries Off
In Chapter III we learn...
RIGHT up at the west end of the Beild, on the edge of the peat moss, stood a row of five cottages, known as the Whins. They were all inhabited by weavers, and had no crofts, but only "yairds" attached, which yairds sloped down from the back door to the edge of the moss. The windows, however, looked the other way, which was certainly a mistake, for the prospect seen from the yaird was one of great beauty, which changed with every season. The moss was a wide stretch quite three miles across, and was then hemmed in by the first soft, swelling ridges of the Corbie Hills. The wideness and lonely stillness on the moss give it a strange beauty of its own, and in clear, amber evenings the peat-stacks stand out against the sky, their even outlines transfigured into many graceful shapes. There are green spots here and there on the dull brown expanse, and little grassy paths edged with bluebell and colt's-foot and yellow primrose; and then when autumn comes there are patches of glowing purple where the heather grows. Once even I found a patch of white heather, but that is a rare find. You never saw finer sunsets than I have seen on the Beild moss, and I have often thought that if the colours were reproduced on canvas they would at once be pronounced unnatural and exaggerated. Sometimes the crimson has such a touch of flame, and the gold so fiercely burnished, and the ragged edges of the clouds resting on the Corbie crests so vividly outlined, that it has a look of weirdness denied to softer colourings and outlines. And then the beauty of the soft summer mornings on the treeless moss—the exquisite blendings of light and shade on its variegated breast, blendings created nobody knows how—and the great stillness, save for the continuous twitterings of birds, and the wide, wide freshness of the scene ! Oh, Beild folks have a treasure in their moss, and some of them, even dwelling in their humble cottages, appreciate its beauty in every aspect: In wintry weather it is a wild, desolate, uncanny place, with the sea-birds screaming and the curlews calling across the space, and the snow-patches making the dark, rich brown of the bogs seem almost black; the wonder to me has long been that no artist has sought to give its beauty to the world.
You can read the rest of this chapter at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist.../chapter03.htm
The other chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...spun/index.htm
Life Jottings of an Old Edinburgh Citizen
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By Sir J. H. A. MacDonald P.C., K.C.B., Lord Justice-Clerk.
A new book we're starting in which the Preface twll us...
LET not the reader suppose, as he opens this book, that he is invited to wade through an autobiography. What he will find Is but a quilt made up of patches from the shelf of memory. No diary has ever been kept to supply copious extracts, such as too often give anything but light reading, and too often fail to present true pictures of the diarist s life. 1 he aim has been to fit together presentable patches, giving a blend of natural colouring, as a well-pieced quilt, though made up of shreds, may not offend and possibly may give pleasure, and here and there be informing. If particular patches seem wear'isome, skipping may give relief. The compiler of these jottings would have satisfaction, were it possible for any reader to say that he—and still more were she—had reached the word Finis without having to resist temptation to turn down pages unread.
One earnest request, dear reader. Do not pass by the pages which speak of the conservation of our lovely Edina, in what of beauty is left to her, notwithstanding the evil days of the past. The most eager thought for our "own romantic town" has been to rouse, if possible, the Jotter's fellow-citizens from a passive condition, and to stimulate in them an active interest of love to her of the matchless face—that "Face which is her Fortune." Surely the past honourable disfigurements, of which all who have taste are ashamed, should be a warning. Our civic rulers are no longer vandals. They show earnestness to conserve amenity, and are glad of help from the citizens in considering what is good and what is bad. It will strengthen them greatly if more lively interest ia shown by the public—that active and concentrated interest which has telling influence, but which in the past has, alas, been so sadly wanting.
Of the stories here told many are chestnuts, Experience has proved that what ;s stale to one is fresh to another. Let those of jaded palate be generous, and pass by and pardon the chestnuts in which others may find a toothsome—because to them a novel--flavour.
A meed of hearty thanks «s due to friends who have assisted to stimulate memory, and especially to a kind friend, Lord Dundas, who has given great aid by his perusal of the MS., leading to Friendly and profitable suggestions.
END
There are many interesting wee stories and in the first chapter you can read...
When Her Majesty (Queen Victoria) visited Holyrood, she and the Prince inspected the historical rooms without any ceremony, dispensing with the attendance of their suite. They were duly shown the supposed stains of Rizzio's blood at the top of the staircase, down which his body was thrown. When the bed of Queen Mary was pointed out by the old woman who attended to visitors, the Queen put out her hand to examine the silk hangings, and was immediately rebuked by a voice saying," Yere noll to titch." "But," said the Queen, "you took it in your own hand just now." The sharp reply was, "Aam allooed to touch it, but naebuddy else is allooed to tiich it," so the Queen, smiling to the Prince, kept back her hand. I heard this detailed shortly after it occurred, with my "little pitchers ears, so can repeat it with a good conscience as a permissible bit of hearsay. One may wonder if the sour caretaker ever learned who it was that she had snubbed, and if so, how she felt.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ings/index.htm
Slater's Royal National Commercial Directory of Scotland
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As is so often the case while searching for something on the Internet Archive I stumbled across a resource that I believe might be quite useful.
I download the 1911 directory and found it had a list of people who had residences in Scotland. I actually took a scan of the MacIntyre's which you can view at http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...ntyre_dirs.htm
On that page I've provided a link to the search term which showed all the various directories that they provide back to 1855. So even if your name isn't MacIntyre you might find it useful to download a directory to see what it might offer. Note that the list I provide on the page are MacIntyre's that owned homes in Scotland so it won't include ones that just rented their home which would be the majority. Home ownership is a more recent phase in our existence and thus the sub prime mortgage hassle.
And finally...
As we're now heading for Chritmas I thought that you old uns might consider reading some Christmas stories to the wee uns and you can get to our Christmas story collection at http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/stories/xmas.htm
There are tons of stories for the wee and not so wee ones and they can be got to on our Christmas page at http://www.electricscotland.com/index98.htm
And mind that over the years I've observed young children having more fun with the box that their presents arrived in than the actual presents themselves. It's their imagination that runs riot. So do read them a Christmas story or two or more!
And wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas and will see you after it's all over. And if you'd like to remember some of the fun we had this time last year visit http://www.electricscotland.org/show...erry-Christmas
Alastair