the farmers, shepherds, and hinds of that primitive district. A work of this sort, which is clearly at first-hand, is not only interesting to its readers but highly creditable to its author. Unquestionably, Dr. Henderson has preserved many interesting sayings relating to the County of Berwick, which, but for his painstaking diligence, might have been irretrievably lost. Unfortunately, the work is altogether wanting in method. It would almost appear as if the Doctor had just written down the sayings as he picked them up, and then sent the MS. off to the printer, without any attempt at arrangement whatever. It is therefore extremely difficult to find the saying you wish to see, small though the book is, and the inquirer, who has frequently to run over the greater part of the volume before he discovers what he is seeking, cannot help lamenting that Dr. Henderson has omitted any systematic arrangement, even an index, from his otherwise admirable work. Any notice of the works which have from time to time appeared relating to the popular sayings of Scotland would be incomplete without a reference to the scholarly collection of Gaelic Proverbs and Familiar Phrases, edited by the late Sheriff Nicolson, and published at Edinburgh in 1881. The Sheriff's work is based on a collection formed by the Rev. Donald Macintosh, published at Edinburgh in 1785. The later work, however, is much more comprehensive, and in every way superior to its decessor. The number of sayings in the first edition of Macintosh's collection was 1305, in the second, published in 1819, 1538, while in Mr. Nicolson's work the number exceeds 3900. In preparing the present collection, I decided, from the first, to follow the alphabetical arrangement, as any other method of procedure is certain to lead to inextricable confusion, from the fact that many sayings are capable of being classified under a variety of headings. An index, however, is added, in which the contents of the volume are grouped under their appropriate subjects. While it is not claimed that this work has attained to perfec tion, or anything like perfection, in the treatment of this important and deeply interesting branch of folklore, yet I trust it will be found fuller and more accurate, both as regards the sayings themselves and also with reference to the notes and parallel phrases, than any of the collections which have hitherto been published. It is, I think, satisfactory that in this work the Popular Rhymes of Scotland and the Proverbial Expressions current in the country have, for the first time, been included in a collection of Scottish Proverbs. I shall be obliged if any readers of this volume, who may be acquainted with popular sayings omitted from this collection will kindly communicate with me on the subject, and should a new edition of the work be called for by the favour of the public, their suggestions will receive careful attention and due recognition. It only remains for me to add that the greatest care has been taken in the preparation of this collection for the Press, but should any mistakes have inadvertently crept in, I trust my readers will pardon such sins either of omission or commission, for amidst such a multiplicity of details absolute accuracy is almost impossible. March, 1896. A. C. PROVERBS. A. A BAD servitor ne'er made a gude maister. Male imperat qui parere nescit.-L. A BARLEY sugar kiss. i.e., a stick of sugar candy. A BASTARD may be as gude as a bowstock by a time. Bastard kail are a sort of cabbage that never close; those that close are called bowstocks. The meaning is that a bastard may prove as worthy a person sometimes as the full begotten.Kelly. A BAWBEE. According to a Fifeshire tradition, one of the infant kings was exhibited to the public on a payment proportioned to the rank of the spectator, the humbler classes being admitted to see the juvenile monarch on the presentation of a small coin equal to the English halfpenny, and which was consequently called a bawbee, i.e., baby. "A BEGUN turn is half ended," quo' the wife when she stuck her graip in the midden. A jocular beginning of work which if it went no further would be long enough ere it were finished.-Hislop. Compare, Weel saipet is hauf shaven. A BELLENDAINE. The slogan of the Scotts of Buccleuch, from Bellendean, at the head of the Borthwick Water in Roxburghshire, the gathering place of the clan. A BELTLESS bairn cannot lie. A very young child has not the cunning required by liars. Children and fools cannot lie.-E. So Dutch and Fr. A BIT but and a bit ben maks a mim maiden at the board end. A jocose reflection upon young maids when they eat almost nothing at dinner, intimating that if they had not eaten a little in the pantry or kitchen, they would eat better at the table.-Kelly. A BIT is often better gien than eaten. Better apple given nor eaten.-Fergusson. An apple may happen to be better given than eaten.-E. A BLACK beginning maks aye a black end. In 1620 a memorable snow-storm, still spoken of as "the thirteen drifty days," almost annihilated the sheep in the south of Scotland. On one large farm in Selkirkshire, on the estate of Sir Patrick Scott of Thirlestane, all the flock died except one black ewe, from which the farmer had high hopes of preserving a breed, but unfortunately this sole remnant of a good flock was chased by some idle boys into a lake and drowned. When John Scott, the farmer-commonly called "Gouffin' Jock"-heard of this, he is reported to have said, "Ochon! ochon ! an' is that the gate o't. A black beginning maks a black end."— Hogg, "Storms. A BLATE cat maks a proud mouse. Compare, Weel kens the mouse that the cat's oot o' the house. A BLAW in my lug. A flatterer." St. Ronan's Well," ch. 2. A BOASTER and a liar are near akin. A boaster and a liar are cousins-germain.-E. A BODY'S no broke while they hae a gude kail stock. When all is not lost, all may be recovered. A good kail stock means a good kitchen garden. A BONNY bride is sune buskit, and a short horse is soon wispit. The second part corresponds to the English proverb-A thin meadow is soon mow'd. A BONNY grice (young pig) makes an ugly auld sow. A BREWSTER wife. In Scotland the wives of the publicans used to brew the ale consumed in the taverns, and as the occupation would seem to have thriven with them, "a brewster wife" became a description for any female who was enormously fat. A BROKEN clan. "The Abbot," ch. 34, and footnote.-A clan without a chieftain to find security for their good behaviour. A BROKEN kebbuck (cheese) gangs quick done. The converse of the English proverb-Take care of the pence, the pounds will take care of themselves. So, A broken bannock is as good as eaten.-Gaelic. A BROKEN man. An outlaw." Rob Roy," ch. 26. A BURDEN carrier. One who made a living by bringing fallen wood from the neighbour. ing plantations was so called on the Borders. A BURNEWIN. A blacksmith. "Then burnewin comes on like death At every chaup."-Burns. A BUSHEL of March dust is worth a king's ransom.-S. and E. A BUSY GAP rogue. This Border phrase was applied to anyone who was regarded as a dangerous member of society. Busy Gap is a trackway through the Roman wall, not far from Hayden Bridge in Northumberland, and here robbers and other outlaws were sure to find a refuge, as hordes of rogues lay there, ever willing to assist their brethren in crime, and always ready to fight on their behalf. A CADGER powney's death. i.e., at the back of the dyke. A CANDLEMAS bleeze. A bonfire of furze, or other material, at the season referred to. A CARELESS watch invites the thief. He that shows his purse longs to be rid of it.-E. He that shows his purse bribes the thief.-Kelly. Bad keeping makes many thieves.--Gaelic. Occasio facit furem.-L. Where a chest lieth open a righteous man may sin.-Italian. The open door tempts a saint.-Spanish. Also Germ., Dan., Dutch. A CAULD needs the cook fully as muckle as the doctor. Diet cures more than the lancet.--E. A CHANGE O' markets. 66 i.e., of circumstances.- Waverley," ch. 63. A CHEAT the wuddie. i.e., one who has escaped, but deserves, the gallows. A CHEERER. i.e., a dram.-"Guy Mannering," ch. 24. A CHIEFTAIN with his tail on. i.e., attended by his clan.-" Waverley," ch. 16. A CHURL will savour of churl's kind. "Fair Maid of Perth," ch. 34. |