Traditions of EdinburghW. and R. Chambers, 1847 - 348 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
afterwards Allan Ramsay amongst amusement appear attended beautiful bishop of Dunkeld building burgh called Canongate character Charles church circumstances close club Countess Court of Session Cowgate curious daughter death died door dress Duchess Duke Earl Edin Edinburgh Eglintoune favourite floor gentleman Grassmarket hall hand head High Street honour horse Jacobite James James VI John judge king Lady Grange last century late Lawnmarket Leith lived lodging Lord Lord Fountainhall Lord Lovat Lord Monboddo lordship Lovat Macrae magistrates manner mansion Miss morning murder neighbouring never night occasion occupied Parliament Parliament House party person Pitcairn possessed present prisoner Queensberry House Ramsay remarkable residence respectable Robert Fergusson says scene Scotland Scottish servant side Sir George Sir Walter Scott Square St Giles's stair story tavern tion Tolbooth told took town walk wife window Wynd young
Popular passages
Page 76 - The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered : he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
Page 56 - I removed from the country to the town, the true scene for a man of letters. In 1752, were published at Edinburgh, where I then lived, my Political Discourses, the only work of mine that was successful on the first publication. It was well received abroad and at home.
Page 47 - ... to walk a minuet; which they perform with a formality that approaches to despondence. After five or six couple have thus walked the gauntlet, all stand up to country dances; each gentleman furnished with a partner from the aforesaid lady directress; so they dance much, say nothing, and thus concludes our assembly.
Page 32 - He was a tall, black man, and ordinarily looked down to the ground; a grim countenance, and a big nose. His garb was still a cloak, and somewhat dark, and he never went without his staff.
Page 191 - Lady Eglintoune, though she was now in her eighty-fifth year, and had lived in the retirement of the country for almost half a century, was still a very agreeable woman. She was of the noble house of Kennedy, and had all the elevation which the consciousness of such birth inspires. Her figure was majestic, her manners high-bred, her reading extensive, and her conversation elegant.
Page 275 - The lasses o1 the Canongate, Oh, they are wondrous nice : They winna gie a single kiss, But for a double price. " Gar hang them, gar hang them, Hie upon a tree ; For we '11 get better up the gate, For a bawbee ! " Most picturesque of all the figures to be seen in Edinburgh are the Newhaven fishwives.
Page 47 - ... the other end stand their pensive partners that are to be ; but no more intercourse between the sexes than there is between two countries at war. The ladies indeed may ogle, and the gentlemen sigh; but an embargo is laid on any closer commerce.
Page 47 - Scotch gentleman told me, (and, faith, I believe he was right) that I was a very great pedant for my pains.
Page 79 - A prison is a house of care. A place where none can thrive, A touchstone true to try a friend, A grave for one alive. Sometimes a place of right. Sometimes a place of wrong, Sometimes a place of rogues and thieves, And honest men among.
Page 58 - I live still, and must for a twelvemonth, in my old house in James's Court, which is very cheerful, and even elegant, but too small to display my great talent for cookery, the science to which I intend to addict the remaining years of my life...