once defended the strong and grizzled pate of some hardy borderer, I discovered a dissertation on the British literature of the 12th and 13th centuries, embracing biographical notices of the great Roger Bacon, John de Sacro Bosco, Daniel Morley, Sylvester Gyraldus, and other luminaries of these memorable days, with a most erudite account of that course of study then known by the name of the Trivials and Quadrivials. But what particularly pleased me was the detection of the old gentleman's common-place book. It was locked up in an ancient writing-desk of most curious carving, which had once belonged to the famous Leslie, Bishop of Ross, bearing his initials, family arms, and mitre, in rich alto relievo upon the pannels. The perusal of this antiquarian album has given me no common pleasure, as, amid frequent trifling and much oddity, it really contains some curious information. It occurred to me, Mr Editor, that you would not be displeased to see some of these lucubrations. Without farther preface, therefore, I present you with the following EXTRACTS FROM THE COMMON-PLACE BOOK OF MR JONATHAN OLDBUCK. Howlett-Hall, June 2, 1736. I HAVE been lately much delighted with looking over a MS. Abridgment of the Town-Council Register. It contains many curious particulars illustrative of the ancient condition and manners of our city. The statutes relative to the intercourse of the good town with the sovereign, when Scotland had still her own king, and court, and nobles, the regulations regarding the affairs of the church, when Knox was just opening his ecclesiastical battery upon the gorgeous fabric of Catholic superstition, the enactments in times of public pestilence, or domestic faction, or foreign invasion, all these provisions of the council contain valuable information to every one who is interested in the history and antiquities of his country; Nay, even on what may be esteemed minor subjects, such as the general government of the city,-the building of new lands, of houses, and demolishing of old,—the state of the crafts of Edinburgh,-of the public markets, and prices of provisions,the escheats and the punishments of criminals, this abstract of our city records will be found pregnant with important matter, even by such sage dons as the historian and the political economist:-of triple value, however, to such high characters as myself— the enthusiastic, poring, parchmentfed, thorough-paced Antiquary. Opening the volume, for instance, at a venture, and putting your thumb, like Jack Horuer, with delicious uncertainty into this intellectual pasty, what rare morsels may you not bring up? Disease called the Glengore. It is statut, for eschewing the contagious sickness called the Glengore, that all maner of persons infected therewith pass furth of the town, and compear upon Leith Sands, at ten hours the morn in the forenoon, and there shall be boats, ready furnisht with victuals, to take them to the Inch; and those that undertakes the cure to pass with them; and wha failzies sae to doe, they and ilk ane of them sall be burnt in the cheek with a marking-iron, that they may be known in time comeing, and to be banished.-Page 9, f. 34. The date of this act of council is 22d September 1497. By this act it will be observed, that, when this particular disease infected the city, both doctors and patients were transported in boats to Iuchkeith. Again, Swans in the North Loch. In the book which contains the acts' from 1589 to 1594, we find this entry:-" Ordains a boll of oats to be bought for feeding the swans in the North Loch;" and there is a person unlawed for shooting a swan in the said loch, and obleist himself to find another in its place. Punishment for calling a Bailie an Ordains one Young, for calling the baillies oppressors, to come upon a Sunday to St Giles, furth of the prison, with officers conveying him, with a wax candle of a pound weight in his I regret I cannot discover the precise dates of these acts, the abstract from which I take them only mentioning the book from which they are taken, and the page where the original act is to be found, thus forming an index to the numerous volumes of the acts of town-council. In the book from 1561 to 1571, we find an ordinance, that "the prices following are to be taken by the cordiners, viz. For the pair of double soled shoes of the longest measure, 3s, 8d.; the pair of single soled shoes of the longest measure, 2s. 8d.; the pair of finest double soled boots of the longest measure, 1 pound." There is also, a little prior to this, an act or daining that there shall be no stands or craims in the High Street, passages, or kirk doors, except on Monday, and that there be none of the particulars following sold, viz. French cloath, silks, worsteds, bombasies, fustains, buckrams, French bonnets, French hats, all kinds of spicerie, chamletts, Holland cloath, sairge, sowing silk, sowing gold and silver, starch, mader, iron, except wax, pitch, and tarr, battorie, soap, sherl, alom, Spanish skins, burdoletts, nor uther skins, nor nae sic like staple goods, under a penalty for the first fault, and escheat thereafter. Poor Rates. In the book containing the acts from 1561 to 1571, we find a letter from the Queen, appointing the magistrates, because the voluntarie contribution for the poor was not suffi In the book from 1558 to 1561, we find an act ordaining the treasurer to pay to one Cairns fourty pounds, for furnishing John Knox, minister, his household fifteen dayes. In the same book we are furnished with a compleat inventary of the treasury of St Giles. Delivered to James Barren, Dean of Gild, the following particulars of St Giles treasury, viz. the chalice, weighing 23 ounces; the relic called the arm of St Giles; the christening stock, and two newcatts of silver; the great eucharist, with the golden work and staines; four golden bells, with twa croces; a small bell, with an heart, weighing four ounces; an unicorn of gold; an piece of gold that held the bread within the eucharist; a littel blew bell of gold; a little heart with two pearles; sundrie staines set with gold, within a little ring and diamond; the sacrament of cloth of gold, with St Giles his coat, with an little pendicle of red velvet that hangs at his feet. Punishment for setting the Milns in Back Water. Ordains Thomas Bartillmo for setting the milns in back water, to come on a Sunday with ane wax candle, with his sark only, and ask the provost's foregiveness. John Knox. In the book containing the acts from 1558 to 1561, we find an order to pay John Knox his house-mail, and a little farther on another act causing 50 pounds to be paid to the Reformer for supporting his charges. At a later period still there is an act ordaining 50 pounds to be payed to him for his quarter payment, and directing, that the vestments and kirk gear should be sold, and out of the readiest to pay the said fifty pounds. In the volume commencing at 1561, one of the first ordinances of the council prescribes, "That a warm study be made for John Knox." Another act ordains that four hundred * to be given to John Knox of yearly stipend, out of the readiest annualls, prebendaries, and chaplainries which perteined to monks, friers, and priests. Prices of Wines and Vivres. The Book from 1496 to 1551.] Ordains the pint of French wine, claret, or whyte, to be sold at six pennies, and the ale at 20 pennies the gallon. The twopenny loaf appointed to weigh 10 ounces under pain of escheat. Ordinances in time of the Plague. Book from 1561 to 1571.] Imprimis, ordained, That nae person be permitted to go to the Burrow Muir to visite the infected of the plague till eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and that ane officer who is alwayes to stand at the West Port gce along with them. Item, That there be cleansers chosen for cleansing houses and cloaths. Item, That there be several men appointed for burying of the dead. Item, That the cleansers and buryers of the dead have an gray gown, with St Andrew's The sum is here left blank in the original. cross, white before and behind, together with an staff with a white cloath on the head thereof, that they may be known wherever they pass. Item, That there be twae close biers, with four feet covered with black, and an white cross with an bell at the head, hinging upon the side of the said bier, which shall make warning to the people. Item, That wher.soever any person falls sick in ane house, that the haill household be kept within doors till the baillies be acquainted, under the pain of death. Item, That the burial place be in the Greyfriers, seven foot deep. Item, That nae person be found selling woolen or linen cloath. Item, That nane of the infected persons goods be abstracted, under the pain of death. Item, Also as soon as any house is infected, that they immediately pass to the muir with their household, and incontinently the house be cleansed. Item, That the cleansers stay without town till they be sent for, and that an officer goe along with them and take notice that they have no communing with any person, nor interchange goods with them. Item, That nae cleansed person enter the town without the licence of a baillie, and be conveyed by an officer to a place appointed for them, under the pain of death; and that they come not forth of their houses while the space of twenty days, and in the mean time not to keep company with clean persons. Another act ordains the infected cloaths on the Burrow Muir to be cleansed; and every person within fifteen dayes to seek their own, otherwise the same will be sold for the use of the poor. It seems that the unhappy wretches who were infected and banished from the city to the Burrow-muir were, as might have been expected, somewhat slow in obeying the severe statutes which were promulgated regarding them. This accounts for another act which we find soon after passed, or daining irons and shakells to be taken to the Borough-muir, for shakelling and punishing of such as shall transgress among the infected folk. These simple extracts give us a strong and horrid picture of the misery of the town during the plague. But as I am well aware that these precious morsels of antiquarian lore may not prove quite so savoury and palatable to the taste of your readers as to that of Mr Oldbuck, we shall here close his common-place book for the present, and deposit it in the sanctum where it was originally found, the escrutoire of the venerable Bishop of Ross-the historian of Scotland, and the champion of Queen Mary. Howlett Hall, June 7, 1820. DESCRIPTION OF A MODERN EDINBURGH DINNER PARTY. MR EDITOR, : As the Spectator has left off looking on, and the Tatler has given up talking; as the Guardian takes no more care, and the Rambler is no longer abroad; the Lounger gone to sleep, and the Mirror laid aside; not an idler or an Adventurer to pick up a stray vice or virtue, and put them in their proper places; the Connoisseur become blind, and even the World passed away in short, as there is no Censor for public morals and manners, and as public morals and manners take but sorry care of themselves, it would be a very acceptable deed of charity in you to leave now and then a corner of your Miscellany for complaints, and various other little amusing and interesting matters; and occasionally to give a few words of adinonition yourself upon those grievances that are pointed out to your attention. And, in the first place, Mr Editor, I should esteem it as a particular favour, if you would take the present system of dinner parties under revisal and correction, as it stands la inentably in need of both; for what can be more stupid, to the female part of the company at least, unless they are great lovers of good eating and good wine? For example, we are invited to dinner at five o'clock; go tolerably near the hour; a general move among the male part of the already arrived guests, to give the newly arrived lady the best place; the newly arrived lady makes a few grimaces, and takes it. A few hums and haws; some faint attempts at conversation; you learn what in Edinburgh you are never in ignorance of, whether the courts are sitting or not; and are obligingly told from which art the wind blows, and whether or not it has rained in the course of the day. However, I am not an enemy to this kind of conversation, since a sensible scientific man sometimes makes a remark at once highly instructive and tolerably amusing; but still these are but gleams of intellectual light that flash through the dense fog of stupidity that seems to envelope every creature's faculties previous to dinner at another person's house. Then the gentleman pulls out his watch, and the lady enumerates who is still to come, and conjectures the causes of delay; of some because they are always punctual, and of others because they are never so, and as every new comer causes a new commotion, there is no peace till all are arrived, and then, indeed, an intimation from the cook puts us all in a greater bustle than ever. The gentleman of the house conducts the principal lady; the principal gentleman, if an old fashioned man, I am not so sure about the new school, takes charge of the lady of the house; a few elderly ladies of a certain rank are handed down in correct order; three or four masters play beaux to three or four misses; and those who, like your present correspondent, are of no very decided rank in society, generally shift for themselves, and when arrived in the room, drum upon the back of the nearest chair, either until the master or mistress of the feast assign them a place, or they find means to drop quietly into one themselves. For my own part, I prefer the latter, as an unlucky arrangement may condemn one to the side of the stupidest man in the room, which is certain in some constitutions to render the lady sulky all the time of dinner. Well, Mr Editor, behold us seated; the blessing asked, and the grand attark made; the soup-ladle and the fish-slice are put upon active service, and for a short time comparative silence reigns. Why it is, I know not, but that so it is, I am positive, that as if by general consent, people say little while they are taking their soup. Whether this abstinence in one respect is essential to gratification in another, and that it is considered prudential to take off the keen edge of appetite with as little delay as possible, I shall not attempt to determine,→ it may be merely a picce of good breed the entertainment of the rest. The elder and married ladies frequently form little committees upon their domestic affairs, for.even the finest lady takes an interest in the abilities of her woman or her butler; you hear of the good or bad qualities of these distinguished personages; or you may be regaled from another quarter with anecdotes of Master Billy and Miss Nanny, and led into all the arcana of the nursery. The younger part of the company have recourse to the last party, or to anecdotes of their acquaintance; should you be amongst the number, you fare as well as you can upon the scanty mental repast, of which a share is open to you. Should you be a stranger, those who are a little older than yourself will deem it sufficient attention to say, "Were you at Smart's last ball? very select?" "Have you seen the regalia?" "Don't you admire the prospect from the Calton ?" "Did you see Miss Clara Fisher? wonderful child!” ing. The second course is different; no sooner does that appear, than all tongues are let loose, and a variety of subjects are, if not discussed, at least tossed and bandied about, intermixed with,-Shall I help you to a little of this? shall I help you to a little of that? &c. Then woe to the unlucky wight under whose dispensing care the boiled turkey is placed, and his equally unfortunate partner who has the superintendence of the tongue or ham, for them there is neither pause nor peace, but with these two exceptions, a sort of general conversation ensues, but which is soon put an end to, for after a few repetitions of, "Shall I have the honour of taking wine with you?"-Oh dear! Mr Editor, where is the language that can express the horrors of a wine discussion given con amore! Not more insufferable to Governor Tempest and Sir David Daw, was Emily's" drowsy, dreaming game of chess," than is to female ears this eternal, disgusting, never-ending, never-to-be-ended sub- and then drop you: those who are ject, when you hear of the flavour, and the body, and the richness and the raciness, and the delicacy and the energy, and the age and the youth, and the voyages and the no-voyages, and the numberless et ceteras concerning this or that sort of wine, continued not only through the remainder of dinner, but attached to the Sicilian, or the hermitage, or whatever you coax down your cheese with, and even intruding upon the dessert, where the fairest fruits of the earth are passed over in silence, bit and masticated, and swallowed without a passing compliment, even to the fruitful grape, from which all the subject of panegyric proceeds, and a dissertation upon claret crowns the whole! Should some gentleman, less an admirer of the gifts of Bacchus, endeavour to substitute those of Minerva, and introduce a conversation more worthy the men who so often meet around the social board in Edinburgh, his lead is probably followed, and instruction and delight succeed; but alas! for how short a time. The lady of the house rises from her seat, and the guests of her own sex accompany her to the drawing-room, and here, Mr Editor, the matter is but little mended; the ladies seem to conider this as the season of ease, when -no one is obliged to exert herself for a little younger imagine themselves exempt from all necessity of addressing you at all. Sipping your coffee may get over five minutes of this period, and tea may even be spun out to fifteen. After the latter has made its appearance, conjecture begins to be busy respecting the gentlemen, whose occasional bursts of merriment tantalize you by the intimation that they, at least, are enjoying themselves. At length stragglers from the main body appear; the company generally put themselves on the alert; by degrees the whole party are re-assembled; in these improved days no gentleman enters the drawing-room in an improper state. The "feast of reason and the flow of soul" begin to circulate, when some formal dowager gives the signal of departure; the current of conversation is checked; one drops off after another; carriages crowd the street, and chairs the hall, and home we go, to yawn and pull off our finery for the remainder of the evening. All this, Mr Editor, is very melancholy, and quite unnecessary. Pray tell these good people that there is not the slightest reason in the world why they should be less agreeable for half an hour preceding dinner when they are abroad, than when they are at home; that although there are, no |