Life Studies of Character (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1870. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... r CHAPTER rv. --: A GLOSSARY CORRECTED, Dedicated to Robert Chambers, Edinburgh. "Fy for shame, Kobin."--Old Song. A SCRA1CH FRAE ATRSHIRE. O, Robin Chambers, 1 Doune Place, Edinburgh, when you in 1851 gave the world an edition o' Burns' Poems in four volumes, and complimented yoursel' on the undertaking, did you really mean the Glossary placed at the end of the lines as "Information for the People "? AS to the value of the Scotch currency, Chambers tells us that "a bodle" is a doit; then he tells us that a plack is a doit, whereas two pennies is a bodle, and four pennies a plack. He might as well ha'e telt us that a bawbee was a penny. In "Hallowe'en," where Burns tells us that Havrel Will fell aff the drift and wander'd through the bowkail, Chambers tells us that Will was a fool, whereas Burns has only said that he was a half-witted innocent. Had Chambers read the "Growth of a Calf," as preached by Burns from the text selected by James Steven, he would never have attempted to have passed off a stirh of a year auld for a matured bullock. Burns, in his "Second Epistle to Davie," is scolding him for neglecting the muse, and, as a punishment, says that he should be "licket until he fyke"--that is, he should be whipped; then he says "sic han's as you should ne'er be faiket." Be hain'd wha like, there was no excuse for him; he could do it, and thus should be made to do it. Chambers, in a foot-note, says this line was perhaps written "Sic hauns as yours shud ne'er be faiket,"--that is, "Such hands as yours should ne'er be folded;" whereas the word has no such meaning. It simply means an individual endowed with such gifts should not be excused. The term "yerket," which means well put together, or driven up, Chambers calls "fermented." The term "wad," which stands for ...