The Lairds, however, did it.'

Here, it is said, the Lairds of Rasay, in old times, used to offer up their devotions.

This room had formerly been the bed-chamber of Sir Roderick Macleod, one of the old Lairds; and he chose it, because, behind it, there was a considerable cascade, the sound of which disposed him to sleep.

Dr. Johnson observed that 'the Lairds, instead of improving their country, diminished their people.'

In the Charter-room there was a remarkable large shin-bone, which was said to have been a bone of John Garve[880], one of the lairds.

It may be too aristocratic in its tone to please everybody, but it portrays the sentiments of its age in reference to squires and Scottish lairds, who were more distinguished for uprightness and manly duties than for brains and culture.

Much against his will, Murray was compelled to take part in some of these riotous festivities with the rollicking, hard-drinking Forfarshire lairds, and doubtless he was not sorry to make his escape at length uninjured, if not unscathed, and to return to more congenial society in Edinburgh.

But may not a child die in its own cradle, and the father continue feasting with the lords and the lairds, drinking and swearing, and debauching, when he knows that his honour is discharged,ay, and the blood-bond paid?"

"Those lairds are as plentiful as brands of Scotch whisky made in England," Stevens said derisively.

Undoubtedly the visits of lairds and great noblemen at her bar were less frequent than formerly, but all the trades-people in town, all the sailors in port, from the Gulf of Tay to the Gulf of Forth, still patronized the pretty landlady.

The pompous title of château gives a little additional importance to this position, though it is only a miserable dwelling of two stories, somewhat resembling the habitations of our Bonnet Lairds about the beginning of the last century.

The Rents and Land-marks, Rights of Chase, Sheriffs and Factors, Lairds and Thanes, 1803.

D. W. Sheriffs and Factors, rights of chase, Their Lairds, and their domains, MS.]

But to their own clans or lairds, they are the willingest and most obedient fellows in nature.

Methinks the Lairds of Crichton might have been heard of here.

But there is the case of dignity in Lowland Lairds as well as clan-headship in Highland Chiefs.

I am afraid that when Walter Scott described Monkbarns as being with difficulty "hounded out" to hear the sermons of good Mr. Blattergowl, he wrote from a knowledge of the habits of church-going then generally prevalent among Scottish lairds.

But the most whimsical anecdote connected with the subject of drink, is one traditionary in the south of Scotland, regarding an old Gallovidian lady disclaiming more drink under the following circumstances:The old generation of Galloway lairds were a primitive and hospitable race, but their conviviality sometimes led to awkward occurrences.

A humorous anecdote, however, of a full-eating laird, may well accompany those which appertain to the drinking lairds.

There used to be a point and originality in expressions made use of in regard to common matters, unlike what one finds now; for example: A country minister had been invited, with his wife, to dine and spend the night at the house of one of his lairds.

What was common amongst peers, judges, lairds, advocates, and people of family and education, is now found in humbler ranks of life.

" A facetious and acute friend, who rather leans to the Sydney Smith view of Scottish wit, declares that all our humorous stories are about lairds, and lairds that are drunk.

" A facetious and acute friend, who rather leans to the Sydney Smith view of Scottish wit, declares that all our humorous stories are about lairds, and lairds that are drunk.

Our friend had much difficulty (as many worthy lairds have had) in meeting the claims of those two woeful periods of the year called with us in Scotland the "tarmes."

" A very amusing collision of one of those penurious lairds, already referred to, a certain Mr. Gordon of Rothie, with a half-daft beggar wanderer of the name of Jock Muilton, has been recorded.