Old Scottish Customs, Local and General

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Hamilton, Adams, 1885 - 234 pages
 

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Page 22 - They see the gliding ghosts unbodied troop. Or, if in sports, or on the festive green, Their destined glance some fated youth descry, Who now, perhaps, in lusty vigour seen, And rosy health, shall soon lamented die. For them the viewless forms of air obey; Their bidding heed, and at their beck repair: They know what spirit brews the stormful day, And, heartless, oft like moody madness, stare To see the phantom train their secret work prepare.
Page 22 - There must thou wake perforce thy Doric quill; Tis Fancy's land to which thou sett'st thy feet; Where still, 'tis said, the fairy people meet, Beneath each birken shade, on mead or hill.
Page 227 - ... takes a cake of oatmeal, upon which are raised nine square knobs, each dedicated to some particular being, the supposed preserver of their flocks and herds, or to some particular animal, the real destroyer of them; each person then turns his face to the fire, breaks off a knob, and...
Page 23 - West, The mighty kings of three fair realms are laid : Once foes, perhaps, together now they rest; No slaves revere them, and no wars invade: Yet frequent now, at midnight's solemn hour, The rifted mounds their yawning cells unfold, And forth the monarchs stalk with sovereign power, In pageant robes, and wreathed with sheeny gold, And on their twilight tombs aerial council hold.
Page 7 - THE HISTORY OF THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS AND ISLES OF SCOTLAND, from AD 1493 to AD 1625. With a brief introductory sketch from AD 80 to AD 1493.
Page 66 - This night is Hallowe'en, Janet, The morn is Hallowday ; And, gin ye dare your true love win, Ye ha'e nae time to stay. " The night it is good Hallowe'en, When fairy folk will ride ; And they that wad their true love win, At Miles Cross they maun bide.
Page 22 - mid his bold design, Before the Scot, afflicted, and aghast! The shadowy kings of Banquo's fated line Through the dark cave in gleamy pageant passed.
Page 2 - OF DEER STALKING in the Scottish Highlands, including an account of the Nature and Habits of the Red Deer, a description of the Scottish Forests, and Historical Notes on the earlier Field Sports of Scotland. With Highland Legends, Superstitions, Folk-Lore, and Tales of Poachers and Freebooters. By WILLIAM SCROPE. Illustrated by Sir Edwin and Charles Landseer. Demy 8vo. Price 12s. 6d. " The best book of sporting adventures with which we are acquainted.
Page 89 - In the same work, xviii. 652, Parish of Culross, we are told : " St. Serf was considered as the tutelar Saint of this place, in honour of whom there was an annual procession on his day : viz. 1st July, early in the morning of which all the inhabitants, men and women, young and old, assembled and carried green branches through the town, decking the public places with flowers, and spent the rest of the day in festivity. (The church was dedicated not only to the Virgin Mary, but also to St. Serf.) The...
Page 227 - This I give to thee, preserve thou my horses; this to thee, preserve thou my sheep; and so on. After that, they use the same ceremony to the noxious animals: This I give to thee, O Fox! Spare thou my lambs; this to thee, O hooded Crow! this to thee, O Eagle!

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