In Galloway, in 1684, Symson, afterwards an ousted Episcopalian minister (of Kirkinner), notes some peculiarities in the speech of the people in that district.  “Some of the countrey people, especially those of the elder sort, do very often omit the letter ‘h’ after ‘t’ as ting for thing; tree for three; tatch for thatch; wit for with; fait for faith; mout for mouth, etc.; and also, contrary to some north countrey people, they oftentimes pronounce ‘w’ for ‘v,’ as serwant for servant; and so they call the months of February, March, and April, the ware quarter, from ver[75].  Hence their common proverb, speaking of the storms in February, ‘winter never comes till ware comes.’” These peculiarities of language have almost disappeared—­the immense influx of Irish emigrants during late years has exercised a perceptible influence over the dialect of Wigtonshire.

When a southerner mentioned the death of a friend to a lady of the granite city, she asked, “Fat dee’d he o’?” which being utterly incomprehensible to the person asked, another Aberdonian lady kindly explained the question, and put it into language which she supposed could not be mistaken, as thus, “Fat did he dee o’?” If there was this difference between the Aberdeen and the Forfar dialect, how much greater must be that difference when contrasted with the ore rotundo language of an English southern dignitary.  Such a one being present at a school examination in Aberdeen wished to put some questions on Scripture history himself, and asked an intelligent boy, “What was the ultimate fate of Pharaoh?” This the boy not understanding, the master put the same question Aberdonice, “Jemmy, fat was the hinner end o’ Pharaoh?” which called forth the ready reply, “He was drouned i’ the Red Sea.”  A Forfarshire parent, dissatisfied with his son’s English pronunciation, remonstrated with him, “What for div’ ye say why? why canna ye say ’what for’?”

The power of Scottish phraseology, or rather of Scottish language, could not be better displayed than in the following Aberdonian description of London theatricals:—­Mr. Taylor, at one time well known in London as having the management of the opera-house, had his father up from Aberdeen to visit him and see the wonders of the capital.  When the old man returned home, his friends, anxious to know the impressions produced on his mind by scenes and characters so different from what he had been accustomed to at home, inquired what sort of business his son carried on?  “Ou,” said he (in reference to the operatic singers and the corps de ballet), “he just keeps a curn[76] o’ quainies[77] and a wheen widdyfous[78], and gars them fissle[79], and loup, and mak murgeons[80], to please the great fowk.”