Sometimes certain toasts were accompanied by Highland honours.  This was a very exciting, and to a stranger a somewhat alarming, proceeding.  I recollect my astonishment the first time I witnessed the ceremony—­the company, from sitting quietly drinking their wine, seemed to assume the attitude of harmless maniacs, allowed to amuse themselves.  The moment the toast was given, and proposed to be drunk with Highland honours, the gentlemen all rose, and with one foot on their chair and another on the table, they drank the toast with Gaelic shrieks, which were awful to hear, the cheering being under the direction of a toast-master appointed to direct the proceedings.  I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Duncan Campbell, the esteemed minister of Moulin, for the form used on such occasions.  Here it is in the Gaelic and the Saxon:—­

Gaelic.

So!  Nish!  Nish!  Sud ris!  Sud ris!  Thig ris!  Thig ris!  A on uair eile!

Translation.

Prepare!  Now!  Now!  Yon again!  Yon again!  At it again!  At it again! 
Another time, or one cheer more!

The reader is to imagine these words uttered with yells and vociferations, and accompanied with frantic gestures.

The system of giving toasts was so regularly established, that collections of them were published to add brilliancy to the festive board.  By the kindness of the librarian, I have seen a little volume which is in the Signet Library of Edinburgh.  It is entitled, “The Gentleman’s New Bottle Companion,” Edinburgh, printed in the year MDCCLXXVII.  It contains various toasts and sentiments which the writer considered to be suitable to such occasions.  Of the taste and decency of the companies where some of them could be made use of, the less said the better.

I have heard also of large traditionary collections of toasts and sentiments, belonging to old clubs and societies, extending back above a century, but I have not seen any of them, and I believe my readers will think they have had quite enough.

The favourable reaction which has taken place in regard to the whole system of intemperance may very fairly, in the first place, be referred to an improved moral feeling.  But other causes have also assisted; and it is curious to observe how the different changes in the modes of society bear upon one another.  The alteration in the convivial habits which we are noticing in our own country may be partly due to alteration of hours.  The old plan of early dining favoured a system of suppers, and after supper was a great time for convivial songs and sentiments.  This of course induced drinking to a late hour.  Most drinking songs imply the night as the season of conviviality—­thus in a popular madrigal:—­

     “By the gaily circling glass
      We can tell how minutes pass;
      By the hollow cask we’re told
      How the waning night grows old.”