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CONTENTS
--------
Electric Scotland News
Electric Scotland Community
The Flag in the Wind
Book of Scottish Story
Scottish Loch Scenery
Geikie's Etchings
Town Council Seals of Scotland
Historical Tales of the Wars of Scotland
Robert Chambers - Songs of Scotland
The Heather in Lore, Lyric and Lay
History of Moffat
Notes and Reminscences of Partick
Travel article
The Complete Scotland
History of the Gipsies
The Long Glen
Lays of the Covenanters
New Books in pdf format
The Scottish Reformation (New Book)
Essay's of Hugh Haliburton
MacPherson's Sword
History of Scotland (New Book)
Glencreggan: or A Highland Home in Cantire (New Book)
Clan Leslie Society of New Zealand & Australia
Poems by John Henderson
Electric Scotland News
----------------------
Well this was a bit of a mixed week between business and personal. On the personal side I got in the final quotes on my furnace and succeeded in getting a credit card which should arrive next week. That means I can take advantage of the Sears offer of a 0% interest payment plan for my furnace so that should also happen next week and hopefully the week after I'll get my furnace installed.
-----
On the business front I've been phoning Up business groups in Scotland to see if I can't turn my current Google advertising into "Educational Advertising". I have had some interest shown but more work to do. I just think there is a huge gap in our knowledge of Scottish companies so I'm hoping to persuade one of these groups to take on the challenge of educating us.
-----
I also got some feedback in asking about histories of the Police and Fire Brigade in Scotland so am busy hunting up some resources. I have in fact found some early history of the police from a book published in 1847 so I'll work on getting that up.
With that conversation I was also told that french fries originated in Belgium and that the first time chips were experienced in Scotland was through a Belgium man and his family coming to Scotland and he first started a "chip shop" in Dundee. There is a web page about this if you're interested at http://www.scotlandmag.com/magazine/.../12009609.html
-----
I've added a page for the Netherlands to our "Scots in the World" section. This is mostly because I have acquired a book about the Scots Brigade in the Netherlands where they were stationed in various numbers for over 2 centuries. You can see this new section at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/netherlands
I might add I've since found another couple of books about Scots in the Netherlands so will be adding these to the site in the weeks ahead.
-----
I'd like to get some hi-res pictures of Orkney and Shetland and also the Western Isles of Scotland. Should you live in any of these areas and can take some pictures for us we'd certainly appreciate it.
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/rss/whatsnew.php
Electric Scotland Community
---------------------------
Big on animals this week with a good video on Dogs and Polar Bears and also Top 10 Peeves Dogs Have With Humans. The video on "Beauty Basics: Threading Eyebrows" has had some 148 views :-) Also Kelly's post on "Excellent Dry Skin relief" got 178 views and so our Beauty and Fashion forum is getting busier.
Our community can be viewed at http://www.electricscotland.org/forum.php
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
Well not sure what happened but no new issue so far this week. Hopefully by the time some of you read this it will have appeared.
You can read the compilation at http://www.scotsindependent.org
But at least we have Christina McKelvie diary and I must say I was exhausted just reading it as it's been a very busy week for her. Also she talks about a couple of brilliant inventions for the disabled. You can view this weeks issue at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/101007.htm
Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
We've added "Black Joe o' the Bow" Part 1 which can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/book.../story132a.htm
The other stories can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
"Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life"
We've also added the story "The Omen" which can be got towards the foot of the index page above.
Scottish Loch Scenery
---------------------
From drawings by A F Lydon with descriptive notes by Thomas A Croal (1882)
This week we added "The Falls or Foyers" which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/pictures/lochs19.htm
The other entries can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/pictures/lochs.htm
Geikie's Etchings
-----------------
This week we've added more articles...
A Coast Scene
Haud Your Tae Still, Man
Douce Politicians
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ikie/index.htm
Town Council Seals of Scotland
------------------------------
Historical, Legendary and Heraldic by Alexander Posteous
Added this week...
Paisley To Prestwick
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/council/
Historical Tales of the Wars of Scotland
----------------------------------------
And of the Border Raids, Forays and Conflicts by John Parker Lawson (1839). This is a new publication we're starting on which is in 3 volumes. We intend to post up 2 or 3 stories each week until complete.
This week we've added...
Battle Of Poictiers - Escape Of Douglas - 1356
Revenge Of Herries - 1371
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/wars/
Robert Chambers
---------------
Robert Chambers is a famous author and publisher and we do carry a few of his publications on our site such as the 3 volume Domestic Annals of Scotland and his 4 volume Biographical Dictionary of Significant Scots.
John Henderson found his 2 volume Songs of Scotland which we both agree is a fabulous resource and so we are going to add this to the site in small chuncks in pdf format for you to enjoy.
This week we added...
Pages 230 to 242
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
The Heather in Lore, Lyric and Lay
----------------------------------
By Alexander Wallace (1903)
We already have up a large page on Heather but when I discovered this book I thought it would be a good one for folk to dip into as it were.
This week we now have up...
Economics of the Heather
Miscellaneous Use
Peat Making
Heather Ale
Heather Burning
Heather Bells in Scottish Scenery
The Magic of the Heather
Heather, the Martyr's Friend
On Heather Ale it starts...
PROBABLY nothing in Heather history has created more discussion, or given rise to more traditionary lore concerning the plant, than Heather ale. There is abundant evidence in the literature concerning Scotland to convince us that a potable liquor of some kind, and a very agreeable one, was obtained from the Heather plant, and that up to very recent times.
The statement of Hector Boethius, one of the earliest Scottish historians, regarding this phase of the Heather, as it appears in a volume published in 1526, and entitled "Scotorurn Regni, Fol. XIII.," Linen LXX et seq., is as follows: "Per loca inculta & sterilitate infcciida sponte sua enascitur, cfi ouibus, capris & omni pecudum generi utilissima, Ut Columella inqt Cytisus, turn apibus in prirnis gratissima. Florem enim fert mense Iulio purpurei colons mellitissimf.i: unde Picti ohm potus genus cöficiere solebàt, ut ex Iiterari monimentis accepima, no mine salubre quam delectabile. Cterü quia eius faciendi artem (ne ea vulgata aut potus ipse minoris fieret, aut materia eius pluris) celauerüt, ipsis postea a Scotis deletis, usus eius potus idem qui & gentis finis extitit." (Columella was a Roman writer on husbandry, and the name cytisus, according to old Latin dictionaries, signifies a shrubby kind of clover; in modern botanies Cytisus scoparius is known as Scotch broom. The old Latin Erice signifies heath, broom, ling.)
Hector Boethius, or Boece, was a Canon of Aberdeen, and his "Latin Cosmography and History of Scotland" was translated by his contemporary, John Bellenden, Archdeacon of Moray and Canon of Ross. Bellenden thus gives the passage relative to the Heather in his chapter on "A Description of Albion:"
"Attoure in all the desertis and muris of this realme growis ane herbe, namit hadder, but ony seid, richt nutritive baith to beistis and fowlis; specialie to beis. This herbe, in the moneth of July has ane floure of purpure hew, als sweit as huny. The Pichtis maid of this herbe, sum time, ane richt delicius and hail-sum drink. Noctheless, the maner of the making of it is perist, be exterminioun of the said Pichtis out of Scotland; for they schew nevir the craft of the making of this drink bot to thair awin blud."
You might want to watch the video at
The rest of this chapter can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/gardening/heather18.htm
The other chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/gardening/heather.htm
History of Moffat
-----------------
With frequent notices of Moffatdale and Annandale by W Robertson Turnbull (1871)
We now have up...
Chapter VIII
Burghs of Barony and Regality.—Dr Whitefurde. —Charter of 1662, and the Ratification of 1669.—Mr Johnstone's Charter of 1831—The Commonlands. - Market - Place and Meal House.—Magistrates.
Chapter IX
Moffat in 1704.—Hartfell Spa.—Moffat House.—The Town in 1770.—Moffat as a Market Town. —Trade.—Ecclesiastical Notes, continued.
Chapter X
Opening of the Caledonian Railway— Good derived from it.
Chapter XI
Eminent Men connected with the Town and Parish.
Chapter XlI
Summary of Events from 1848 to 1871.
Appendix
... and this completes this book.
These chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/moffat/
Notes and Reminscences of Partick
---------------------------------
By James Napier (1873)
This is another of those books that don't have any chapters and is around 300 pages. We're splitting this book up into a logical sequence of pdf files for you to read and will be easier to download. Partick is now a suburb of Glasgow.
We have up...
Part 5 (Pages 96 - 111)
This can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/partick/
Travel Article
--------------
We have been getting in some wee articles from Holiday Cottages and you can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/holidayndx.htm
The article this week is about Selkirk - The Scenic town in the Scottish Borders.
The Complete Scotland
---------------------
We are now onto the Central belt of Scotland with...
Stirling to Callander and the Trossachs
Callander to Killin, Crianlarich and Aberfeldy
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/scotland/
History of the Gipsies
----------------------
By James Simson (1866)
All these chapters are a substantial read but certainly most interesting. There are a huge amount of footnotes in this publication so have done my best to incorporate them into the text.
This week we have added...
Chapter IV - Linlithgowshire Gipsies
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gipsies/
The Long Glen
-------------
This is a story I found in old copies of the Celtic Magazine so I extracted it over a number of issues and now bring you the story.
This week we've added...
Chapter V - Lochan-Na-Larig
Chapter VI - Blazing the River
Chapter VII - Remorse and Ghost
Chapter VIII - The Scorners' Seat
Chapter IX - Sneezing Sunday
Chapter X - Am Fuadach
Chapter XI - The Corpse-Light Watch
Chapter XII - The Worship of Baal
The chapter on Lochan-Na-Larig starts...
SO it was agreed to do wickedly that Diarmad might be reconciled to goodness. And, according to their agreement, the three young men that night, after supper, retired, not to bed, as their people supposed, but back to the smearing house, where they lighted a candle held in a cleft stick, whose other end was stuck in the wall, and set hard to work splitting up resinous bog pine for torches, or leusan, three of which were fashioned in no time.
Salmon gaffs and leisters—surviving proofs of the sporting liberties of tenants and commons in the times not long gone by—were to be found in almost every house. The old custom was to let the fishings with the farms. These salmon implements were useless of course for trout killing but Diarmad managed to convert a light leister with a short shaft, into a weapon fit for his purpose, by weaving willow twigs in the prongs down to their barbs.
No jeering or argument could convince Ewan that the sharp iron spade in which he rejoiced to believe was not as suitable a weapon as it was handy. Angus armed himself with the wooden shovel of the potato house, and the elder's John, wisest of them all, crept from the outer darkness into the dim light of the sputtering candle, with a long narrow-mouthed grain creel strapped on his back. He was immediately nicknamed the Hen Pedlar's pony, but that he did not mind a straw, being, as he was, a good-natured, rosy-faced youth full of merriment and mischief, notwithstanding the demure look he could readily assume, when occasion required.
The four issued forth on their marauding expedition, an hour before midnight. Their destination was a tarn or lakelet situated in a pocket of one of the highest ridges of the Grampians, and guarded in close embrace by crowning peaks which usually retained rust-edged wreaths of snow throughout the whole summer.
The long, narrow, whistling, craggy and heath-clad side glen, with its many voiced burns, by which they made their way to Lochan-na-larig, was weird and lonesome indeed at night's dead hour. Although, until past midnight, there should be a moon somewhere behind the dark-rolling clouds, it refused to shed a gleam of its silvery light on the path of the evil-doers. They had no fear of man before their eyes, but as much could not be said in regard to fear of ghosts.
You can read the rest of this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/longglen05.htm
The other chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/longglenndx.htm
Lays of the Covenanters
-----------------------
By James Dodds (1880)
This is another book we're starting in pdf format and this week we've added...
Sharpe Offering a Bishopric to Robert Douglas
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/covenanters/
New Books in pdf format
-----------------------
This week I found...
A study of the diet of the labouring classes in Edinburgh carried out under the auspices of the town council of the city of Edinburgh (1901)
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/books/pdf/ where you'll find the link at the foot of the page.
The Scottish Reformation
------------------------
A Historical Sketch by Peter Lorimer D.D. (1860)
As some of you will know there is to be a special celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation during November in Scotland. I thought that this would be a good time to make this book available so you can read up on it.
Here is what the Preface has to say...
This Illustrated Book is offered as a contribution to the celebration of the Tricentenary of the Scottish Reformation, which falls in the present year.
The Author congratulates himself on having been able to secure the co-operation of his gifted friend, Mr. Birket Foster, and it is hoped that the many charming products of his pencil which the volume contains, may not only prove highly acceptable to Scottish readers but .may also induce many of the artist's English countrymen, with whom he is a great favourite, to peruse with attention a-portion of Scottish history which in many of its parts, as well as in its general tendency and effects, had an important English as well as Scottish interest
The reader will not expect in an outline the fulness of detail which is proper to an extended history. But the author has aimed to make this outline as comprehensive as possible ; and the work, though confined to moderate limits, will be found to contain a good many new facts and features. Several blanks in our common histories have been filled up; literary history is interwoven with the narrative of events; and particular attention has been given to the numerous Protestant exiles who were early driven out of Scotland, and settled in England, Germany, and Denmark. Many of these exiles were men of learning and ability; they were living links of connexion between the Scottish Reformation and the other Protestant churches of Europe; and the important services by which they repaid the hospitality they received, bring out to view the influence which the Reformers of Scotland exerted upon the Reformation of other lands.
Among the new facts contained in the work the author may be allowed to direct particular attention to the rectification which he has been able to give of the common account of George Wishart's recantation at Bristol in 1539; from which it appears that, instead of ignominiously recanting, on that occasion, an essential doctrine of Protestant truth, it was no truth at all which the Reformer recanted, but a serious error into which he had fallen while still groping his way out of Popish darkness into the light of the Gospel.
This book is available at http://www.electricscotland.com/bibl...tion/index.htm
Essay's of Hugh Haliburton
--------------------------
I am extracting some of his essay's that detail Scottish Life and Character from his various works. The first one I have up is about "Herds".
FIFTY years ago the herd was a familiar, picturesque, and important figure on all farms, but especially hill-farms, or those that to low ground for agriculture added some high land, such as a portion of a hill, for pasture. About thirty years ago he began to disappear, and now he is seldomer seen than a summer robin, and is far more scarce. You will traverse entire parishes, indeed whole shires, and never once come across him. The introduction of fencing, or of a more complete system of it, has enabled the farmer to dispense with his services, and, like Othello's, his occupation is gone.
The sloe or hawthorn hedgerow, the drystone dyke, the paling, and the wire-fence have superseded him; these now-a-days discharge the duties erewhile undertaken by the ubiquitous herd.
It is the object of this paper to recall the character and occupation of the herd, to indicate his position in the economy of the farm, and his relation to other departments of farm life and work, and generally to describe his condition before personal knowledge of the subject has quite passed away with living memory.
You can read this essay at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...rton/herds.htm
MacPherson's Sword
------------------
An interesting article from the Press and Journal sent in by Stan Bruce which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...rson_sword.htm
History of Scotland
-------------------
By Wm Robertson
This is part of the Works of Wm. Robertson and it's actually my intention to bring you all his works over time but to start we're doing his "History of Scotland" which got very favourable reviews at the time and so much so he was asked by the King to do a History of England.
The History is now going up and so far we have up...
Book 1
Book 2 Part 1
Book 2 Part 2
These can be read, along with a small biography of him at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...on_william.htm
Glencreggan: or A Highland Home in Cantire
------------------------------------------
By Cuthbert Bede (1861)
In the following pages I essay to guide my readers to new ground, even to "the Land's End" of Scotland, — for such is the English meaning of the Gaelic word Cantire, Ceantire, "the Land's End," which is the southern part of the county of Argyle, and is a peninsula only twelve miles removed from Ireland, washed by the Atlantic, and flanked by the Isles of Arran and the southern Hebrides. I venture to call Cantire new ground, for in truth it is somewhat of a terra incognita, and is but rarely visited, and has been but barely mentioned by the guide-books, some of which indeed do not bestow any description upon Cantire, evidently regarding it as a "Western Highland district which no tourist would desire to explore.
There is a lot more to this Preface and we have the first couple of chapters up at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glencreggan/
Clan Leslie Society of New Zealand & Australia
----------------------------------------------
We got in the October, November, December 2010 newsletter which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/fami...letters/leslie
Poems by John Henderson
-----------------------
John has sent in four poems this week...
Aberdeen
John mostly writes in the Dorric language but he sometimes does the odd English poem and even does the odd translation of his Dorric poems so well worth a gander.
You can read these poems at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htm
And to finish...
Well Done, Dad!
Jenny tells a tale about her elderly father who had never done the shopping, as that was
always her mum's job. Once, when her mum was a bit under the weather, her dad had to go,
but with him he took a carefully-numbered list of seven items she had written out.
That explained why he came back home feeling very pleased with himself, with ......
One bag of sugar,
Two boxes of detergent,
Three toilet rolls,
Four lettuces,
Five bananas,
Six steaks, and
Seven packets of porridge.
And that's it for now and hope you all have a good weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com
--------
Electric Scotland News
Electric Scotland Community
The Flag in the Wind
Book of Scottish Story
Scottish Loch Scenery
Geikie's Etchings
Town Council Seals of Scotland
Historical Tales of the Wars of Scotland
Robert Chambers - Songs of Scotland
The Heather in Lore, Lyric and Lay
History of Moffat
Notes and Reminscences of Partick
Travel article
The Complete Scotland
History of the Gipsies
The Long Glen
Lays of the Covenanters
New Books in pdf format
The Scottish Reformation (New Book)
Essay's of Hugh Haliburton
MacPherson's Sword
History of Scotland (New Book)
Glencreggan: or A Highland Home in Cantire (New Book)
Clan Leslie Society of New Zealand & Australia
Poems by John Henderson
Electric Scotland News
----------------------
Well this was a bit of a mixed week between business and personal. On the personal side I got in the final quotes on my furnace and succeeded in getting a credit card which should arrive next week. That means I can take advantage of the Sears offer of a 0% interest payment plan for my furnace so that should also happen next week and hopefully the week after I'll get my furnace installed.
-----
On the business front I've been phoning Up business groups in Scotland to see if I can't turn my current Google advertising into "Educational Advertising". I have had some interest shown but more work to do. I just think there is a huge gap in our knowledge of Scottish companies so I'm hoping to persuade one of these groups to take on the challenge of educating us.
-----
I also got some feedback in asking about histories of the Police and Fire Brigade in Scotland so am busy hunting up some resources. I have in fact found some early history of the police from a book published in 1847 so I'll work on getting that up.
With that conversation I was also told that french fries originated in Belgium and that the first time chips were experienced in Scotland was through a Belgium man and his family coming to Scotland and he first started a "chip shop" in Dundee. There is a web page about this if you're interested at http://www.scotlandmag.com/magazine/.../12009609.html
-----
I've added a page for the Netherlands to our "Scots in the World" section. This is mostly because I have acquired a book about the Scots Brigade in the Netherlands where they were stationed in various numbers for over 2 centuries. You can see this new section at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/netherlands
I might add I've since found another couple of books about Scots in the Netherlands so will be adding these to the site in the weeks ahead.
-----
I'd like to get some hi-res pictures of Orkney and Shetland and also the Western Isles of Scotland. Should you live in any of these areas and can take some pictures for us we'd certainly appreciate it.
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/rss/whatsnew.php
Electric Scotland Community
---------------------------
Big on animals this week with a good video on Dogs and Polar Bears and also Top 10 Peeves Dogs Have With Humans. The video on "Beauty Basics: Threading Eyebrows" has had some 148 views :-) Also Kelly's post on "Excellent Dry Skin relief" got 178 views and so our Beauty and Fashion forum is getting busier.
Our community can be viewed at http://www.electricscotland.org/forum.php
THE FLAG IN THE WIND
--------------------
Well not sure what happened but no new issue so far this week. Hopefully by the time some of you read this it will have appeared.
You can read the compilation at http://www.scotsindependent.org
But at least we have Christina McKelvie diary and I must say I was exhausted just reading it as it's been a very busy week for her. Also she talks about a couple of brilliant inventions for the disabled. You can view this weeks issue at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...vie/101007.htm
Book of Scottish Story
----------------------
We've added "Black Joe o' the Bow" Part 1 which can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/book.../story132a.htm
The other stories can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/books/story/index.htm
"Lights and Shadows of Scottish Life"
We've also added the story "The Omen" which can be got towards the foot of the index page above.
Scottish Loch Scenery
---------------------
From drawings by A F Lydon with descriptive notes by Thomas A Croal (1882)
This week we added "The Falls or Foyers" which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/pictures/lochs19.htm
The other entries can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/pictures/lochs.htm
Geikie's Etchings
-----------------
This week we've added more articles...
A Coast Scene
Haud Your Tae Still, Man
Douce Politicians
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ikie/index.htm
Town Council Seals of Scotland
------------------------------
Historical, Legendary and Heraldic by Alexander Posteous
Added this week...
Paisley To Prestwick
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/council/
Historical Tales of the Wars of Scotland
----------------------------------------
And of the Border Raids, Forays and Conflicts by John Parker Lawson (1839). This is a new publication we're starting on which is in 3 volumes. We intend to post up 2 or 3 stories each week until complete.
This week we've added...
Battle Of Poictiers - Escape Of Douglas - 1356
Revenge Of Herries - 1371
You can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/wars/
Robert Chambers
---------------
Robert Chambers is a famous author and publisher and we do carry a few of his publications on our site such as the 3 volume Domestic Annals of Scotland and his 4 volume Biographical Dictionary of Significant Scots.
John Henderson found his 2 volume Songs of Scotland which we both agree is a fabulous resource and so we are going to add this to the site in small chuncks in pdf format for you to enjoy.
This week we added...
Pages 230 to 242
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ers_robert.htm
The Heather in Lore, Lyric and Lay
----------------------------------
By Alexander Wallace (1903)
We already have up a large page on Heather but when I discovered this book I thought it would be a good one for folk to dip into as it were.
This week we now have up...
Economics of the Heather
Miscellaneous Use
Peat Making
Heather Ale
Heather Burning
Heather Bells in Scottish Scenery
The Magic of the Heather
Heather, the Martyr's Friend
On Heather Ale it starts...
PROBABLY nothing in Heather history has created more discussion, or given rise to more traditionary lore concerning the plant, than Heather ale. There is abundant evidence in the literature concerning Scotland to convince us that a potable liquor of some kind, and a very agreeable one, was obtained from the Heather plant, and that up to very recent times.
The statement of Hector Boethius, one of the earliest Scottish historians, regarding this phase of the Heather, as it appears in a volume published in 1526, and entitled "Scotorurn Regni, Fol. XIII.," Linen LXX et seq., is as follows: "Per loca inculta & sterilitate infcciida sponte sua enascitur, cfi ouibus, capris & omni pecudum generi utilissima, Ut Columella inqt Cytisus, turn apibus in prirnis gratissima. Florem enim fert mense Iulio purpurei colons mellitissimf.i: unde Picti ohm potus genus cöficiere solebàt, ut ex Iiterari monimentis accepima, no mine salubre quam delectabile. Cterü quia eius faciendi artem (ne ea vulgata aut potus ipse minoris fieret, aut materia eius pluris) celauerüt, ipsis postea a Scotis deletis, usus eius potus idem qui & gentis finis extitit." (Columella was a Roman writer on husbandry, and the name cytisus, according to old Latin dictionaries, signifies a shrubby kind of clover; in modern botanies Cytisus scoparius is known as Scotch broom. The old Latin Erice signifies heath, broom, ling.)
Hector Boethius, or Boece, was a Canon of Aberdeen, and his "Latin Cosmography and History of Scotland" was translated by his contemporary, John Bellenden, Archdeacon of Moray and Canon of Ross. Bellenden thus gives the passage relative to the Heather in his chapter on "A Description of Albion:"
"Attoure in all the desertis and muris of this realme growis ane herbe, namit hadder, but ony seid, richt nutritive baith to beistis and fowlis; specialie to beis. This herbe, in the moneth of July has ane floure of purpure hew, als sweit as huny. The Pichtis maid of this herbe, sum time, ane richt delicius and hail-sum drink. Noctheless, the maner of the making of it is perist, be exterminioun of the said Pichtis out of Scotland; for they schew nevir the craft of the making of this drink bot to thair awin blud."
You might want to watch the video at
The rest of this chapter can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/gardening/heather18.htm
The other chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/gardening/heather.htm
History of Moffat
-----------------
With frequent notices of Moffatdale and Annandale by W Robertson Turnbull (1871)
We now have up...
Chapter VIII
Burghs of Barony and Regality.—Dr Whitefurde. —Charter of 1662, and the Ratification of 1669.—Mr Johnstone's Charter of 1831—The Commonlands. - Market - Place and Meal House.—Magistrates.
Chapter IX
Moffat in 1704.—Hartfell Spa.—Moffat House.—The Town in 1770.—Moffat as a Market Town. —Trade.—Ecclesiastical Notes, continued.
Chapter X
Opening of the Caledonian Railway— Good derived from it.
Chapter XI
Eminent Men connected with the Town and Parish.
Chapter XlI
Summary of Events from 1848 to 1871.
Appendix
... and this completes this book.
These chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/moffat/
Notes and Reminscences of Partick
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By James Napier (1873)
This is another of those books that don't have any chapters and is around 300 pages. We're splitting this book up into a logical sequence of pdf files for you to read and will be easier to download. Partick is now a suburb of Glasgow.
We have up...
Part 5 (Pages 96 - 111)
This can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/partick/
Travel Article
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We have been getting in some wee articles from Holiday Cottages and you can read these at http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/holidayndx.htm
The article this week is about Selkirk - The Scenic town in the Scottish Borders.
The Complete Scotland
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We are now onto the Central belt of Scotland with...
Stirling to Callander and the Trossachs
Callander to Killin, Crianlarich and Aberfeldy
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/travel/scotland/
History of the Gipsies
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By James Simson (1866)
All these chapters are a substantial read but certainly most interesting. There are a huge amount of footnotes in this publication so have done my best to incorporate them into the text.
This week we have added...
Chapter IV - Linlithgowshire Gipsies
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/gipsies/
The Long Glen
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This is a story I found in old copies of the Celtic Magazine so I extracted it over a number of issues and now bring you the story.
This week we've added...
Chapter V - Lochan-Na-Larig
Chapter VI - Blazing the River
Chapter VII - Remorse and Ghost
Chapter VIII - The Scorners' Seat
Chapter IX - Sneezing Sunday
Chapter X - Am Fuadach
Chapter XI - The Corpse-Light Watch
Chapter XII - The Worship of Baal
The chapter on Lochan-Na-Larig starts...
SO it was agreed to do wickedly that Diarmad might be reconciled to goodness. And, according to their agreement, the three young men that night, after supper, retired, not to bed, as their people supposed, but back to the smearing house, where they lighted a candle held in a cleft stick, whose other end was stuck in the wall, and set hard to work splitting up resinous bog pine for torches, or leusan, three of which were fashioned in no time.
Salmon gaffs and leisters—surviving proofs of the sporting liberties of tenants and commons in the times not long gone by—were to be found in almost every house. The old custom was to let the fishings with the farms. These salmon implements were useless of course for trout killing but Diarmad managed to convert a light leister with a short shaft, into a weapon fit for his purpose, by weaving willow twigs in the prongs down to their barbs.
No jeering or argument could convince Ewan that the sharp iron spade in which he rejoiced to believe was not as suitable a weapon as it was handy. Angus armed himself with the wooden shovel of the potato house, and the elder's John, wisest of them all, crept from the outer darkness into the dim light of the sputtering candle, with a long narrow-mouthed grain creel strapped on his back. He was immediately nicknamed the Hen Pedlar's pony, but that he did not mind a straw, being, as he was, a good-natured, rosy-faced youth full of merriment and mischief, notwithstanding the demure look he could readily assume, when occasion required.
The four issued forth on their marauding expedition, an hour before midnight. Their destination was a tarn or lakelet situated in a pocket of one of the highest ridges of the Grampians, and guarded in close embrace by crowning peaks which usually retained rust-edged wreaths of snow throughout the whole summer.
The long, narrow, whistling, craggy and heath-clad side glen, with its many voiced burns, by which they made their way to Lochan-na-larig, was weird and lonesome indeed at night's dead hour. Although, until past midnight, there should be a moon somewhere behind the dark-rolling clouds, it refused to shed a gleam of its silvery light on the path of the evil-doers. They had no fear of man before their eyes, but as much could not be said in regard to fear of ghosts.
You can read the rest of this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/longglen05.htm
The other chapters can be read at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/longglenndx.htm
Lays of the Covenanters
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By James Dodds (1880)
This is another book we're starting in pdf format and this week we've added...
Sharpe Offering a Bishopric to Robert Douglas
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/covenanters/
New Books in pdf format
-----------------------
This week I found...
A study of the diet of the labouring classes in Edinburgh carried out under the auspices of the town council of the city of Edinburgh (1901)
You can read this at http://www.electricscotland.com/books/pdf/ where you'll find the link at the foot of the page.
The Scottish Reformation
------------------------
A Historical Sketch by Peter Lorimer D.D. (1860)
As some of you will know there is to be a special celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Scottish Reformation during November in Scotland. I thought that this would be a good time to make this book available so you can read up on it.
Here is what the Preface has to say...
This Illustrated Book is offered as a contribution to the celebration of the Tricentenary of the Scottish Reformation, which falls in the present year.
The Author congratulates himself on having been able to secure the co-operation of his gifted friend, Mr. Birket Foster, and it is hoped that the many charming products of his pencil which the volume contains, may not only prove highly acceptable to Scottish readers but .may also induce many of the artist's English countrymen, with whom he is a great favourite, to peruse with attention a-portion of Scottish history which in many of its parts, as well as in its general tendency and effects, had an important English as well as Scottish interest
The reader will not expect in an outline the fulness of detail which is proper to an extended history. But the author has aimed to make this outline as comprehensive as possible ; and the work, though confined to moderate limits, will be found to contain a good many new facts and features. Several blanks in our common histories have been filled up; literary history is interwoven with the narrative of events; and particular attention has been given to the numerous Protestant exiles who were early driven out of Scotland, and settled in England, Germany, and Denmark. Many of these exiles were men of learning and ability; they were living links of connexion between the Scottish Reformation and the other Protestant churches of Europe; and the important services by which they repaid the hospitality they received, bring out to view the influence which the Reformers of Scotland exerted upon the Reformation of other lands.
Among the new facts contained in the work the author may be allowed to direct particular attention to the rectification which he has been able to give of the common account of George Wishart's recantation at Bristol in 1539; from which it appears that, instead of ignominiously recanting, on that occasion, an essential doctrine of Protestant truth, it was no truth at all which the Reformer recanted, but a serious error into which he had fallen while still groping his way out of Popish darkness into the light of the Gospel.
This book is available at http://www.electricscotland.com/bibl...tion/index.htm
Essay's of Hugh Haliburton
--------------------------
I am extracting some of his essay's that detail Scottish Life and Character from his various works. The first one I have up is about "Herds".
FIFTY years ago the herd was a familiar, picturesque, and important figure on all farms, but especially hill-farms, or those that to low ground for agriculture added some high land, such as a portion of a hill, for pasture. About thirty years ago he began to disappear, and now he is seldomer seen than a summer robin, and is far more scarce. You will traverse entire parishes, indeed whole shires, and never once come across him. The introduction of fencing, or of a more complete system of it, has enabled the farmer to dispense with his services, and, like Othello's, his occupation is gone.
The sloe or hawthorn hedgerow, the drystone dyke, the paling, and the wire-fence have superseded him; these now-a-days discharge the duties erewhile undertaken by the ubiquitous herd.
It is the object of this paper to recall the character and occupation of the herd, to indicate his position in the economy of the farm, and his relation to other departments of farm life and work, and generally to describe his condition before personal knowledge of the subject has quite passed away with living memory.
You can read this essay at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...rton/herds.htm
MacPherson's Sword
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An interesting article from the Press and Journal sent in by Stan Bruce which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/webc...rson_sword.htm
History of Scotland
-------------------
By Wm Robertson
This is part of the Works of Wm. Robertson and it's actually my intention to bring you all his works over time but to start we're doing his "History of Scotland" which got very favourable reviews at the time and so much so he was asked by the King to do a History of England.
The History is now going up and so far we have up...
Book 1
Book 2 Part 1
Book 2 Part 2
These can be read, along with a small biography of him at http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...on_william.htm
Glencreggan: or A Highland Home in Cantire
------------------------------------------
By Cuthbert Bede (1861)
In the following pages I essay to guide my readers to new ground, even to "the Land's End" of Scotland, — for such is the English meaning of the Gaelic word Cantire, Ceantire, "the Land's End," which is the southern part of the county of Argyle, and is a peninsula only twelve miles removed from Ireland, washed by the Atlantic, and flanked by the Isles of Arran and the southern Hebrides. I venture to call Cantire new ground, for in truth it is somewhat of a terra incognita, and is but rarely visited, and has been but barely mentioned by the guide-books, some of which indeed do not bestow any description upon Cantire, evidently regarding it as a "Western Highland district which no tourist would desire to explore.
There is a lot more to this Preface and we have the first couple of chapters up at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glencreggan/
Clan Leslie Society of New Zealand & Australia
----------------------------------------------
We got in the October, November, December 2010 newsletter which you can read at http://www.electricscotland.com/fami...letters/leslie
Poems by John Henderson
-----------------------
John has sent in four poems this week...
Aberdeen
John mostly writes in the Dorric language but he sometimes does the odd English poem and even does the odd translation of his Dorric poems so well worth a gander.
You can read these poems at http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htm
And to finish...
Well Done, Dad!
Jenny tells a tale about her elderly father who had never done the shopping, as that was
always her mum's job. Once, when her mum was a bit under the weather, her dad had to go,
but with him he took a carefully-numbered list of seven items she had written out.
That explained why he came back home feeling very pleased with himself, with ......
One bag of sugar,
Two boxes of detergent,
Three toilet rolls,
Four lettuces,
Five bananas,
Six steaks, and
Seven packets of porridge.
And that's it for now and hope you all have a good weekend :-)
Alastair
http://www.electricscotland.com