dukes and sic like fules wi’.”  The answer was considered as a contempt of the House of Lords, and the poor provost would have suffered from misconception of his patois, had not the Duke of Argyle (who must have been exceedingly amused) explained that the worthy magistrate’s expression, when rendered into English, did not apply to Peers and Idiots but to ducks and water-fowl.  The circumstance is referred to by Sir W. Scott in the notes to the Heart of Mid-Lothian.  A similar equivoque upon the double meaning of “Deuk” in Scottish language supplied material for a poor woman’s honest compliment to a benevolent Scottish nobleman.  John, Duke of Roxburghe, was one day out riding, and at the gate of Floors he was accosted by an importunate old beggar woman.  He gave her half-a-crown, which pleased her so much that she exclaimed, “Weel’s me on your guse face, for Duke’s ower little tae ca’ ye.”

A very curious list may be made of words used in Scotland in a sense which would be quite unintelligible to Southerns.  Such applications are going out, but I remember them well amongst the old-fashioned people of Angus and the Mearns quite common in conversation.  I subjoin some specimens:—­

Bestial signifies amongst Scottish agriculturists cattle generally, the whole aggregate number of beasts on the farm.  Again, a Scottish farmer, when he speaks of his “hogs” or of buying “hogs,” has no reference to swine, but means young sheep, i.e. sheep before they have lost their first fleece.

Discreet does not express the idea of a prudent or cautious person so much as of one who is not rude, but considerate of the opinions of others.  Such application of the word is said to have been made by Dr. Chalmers to the late Henry, Bishop of Exeter.  These two eminent individuals had met for the first time at the hospitable house of the late Mr. Murray, the publisher.  On the introduction taking place, the Bishop expressed himself so warmly as to the pleasure it gave him to meet so distinguished and excellent a man as Dr. Chalmers, that the Doctor, somewhat surprised at such an unexpected ebullition from an English Church dignitary, could only reply, “Oh, I am sure your lordship is very ‘discreet[60].’”

Enterteening has in olden Scottish usage the sense not of amusing, but interesting.  I remember an honest Dandie Dinmont on a visit to Bath.  A lady, who had taken a kind charge of him, accompanied him to the theatre, and in the most thrilling scene of Kemble’s acting, what is usually termed the dagger scene in Macbeth, she turned to the farmer with a whisper, “Is not that fine?” to which the confidential reply was, “Oh, mem, its verra enterteening!” Enterteening expressing his idea of the effect produced.