times this was done that the poor might pray for the soul of the deceased.  In the Danish Niebellungen song it is stated that, at the burial of the hero Seigfried, his wife caused upwards of thirty thousand merks of gold to be distributed among the poor for the welfare and repose of his soul.  This custom became in this country and century in Protestant times an occasion for the gathering of beggars and sorners from all parts.  At the funeral of George Oswald of Scotstoun, three miles from Glasgow, there were gathered several hundreds, who were each supplied with a silver coin and a drink of beer, and many were the blessings wished.  A similar gathering occurred at the funeral of old Mr. Bogle of Gilmourhill, near Glasgow; but when announcement was made that nothing was to be given, there rose a fearful howl of execration and cursing both of dead and living from the mendacious crowd.  The village of Partick in both these cases was placed under a species of black-mail for several days by beggars, who would hardly take any denial, and in many instances appropriated what was not their own.  I am not aware that this custom is retained in any part of the country now.

As the funerals fifty years ago were mostly walking funerals, the coffin being carried between two spokes, the sort of weather during the funeral had its omens, for in these days the weather was believed to be greatly under the control of the devil, or rather it was considered that he was permitted to tamper with the weather.  If the day was fine, this was naturally a good omen for the soul’s welfare.  I remember that the funeral of the only daughter of a worthy couple happened on a wet day, but just as the funeral was leaving the house the sun broke through and the day cleared, whereupon the mother, with evident delight, as she stood at the door, thanked God that Mary was getting a good blink.  Stormy weather was a bad omen, being regarded as due to Satan’s influence.  Burns refers to this belief in his “Tam o’ Shanter.”  When referring to the storm, he says:—­

   “Even a bairn might understand
    The deil had business on his hand.”

The following old rhyme mentions the most propitious sort of weather for the christening, marriage, and funeral:—­

   “West wind to the bairn when gaun for its name,
    Gentle rain to the corpse carried to its lang hame,
    A bonny blue sky to welcome the bride,
    As she gangs to the kirk, wi’ the sun on her side.”

The wake in the Highlands during last century was a very common affair.  Captain Burt, in his letters from Scotland, 1723, says that when a person dies the neighbours gather in the evening in the house where the dead lies, with bagpipe, and spend the evening in dancing—­the nearest relative to the corpse leading off the dance.  Whisky and other refreshments are provided, and this is continued every night until the funeral.

Pennant, in his tour through the Highlands, 1772, says that, at a death, the friends of the deceased meet with bagpipe or fiddle, when the nearest of kin leads off a melancholy ball, dancing and wailing at the same time, which continue till daybreak, and is continued nightly till the interment.  This custom is to frighten off or protect the corpse from the attack of wild beasts, and evil spirits from carrying it away.