Ossian Collection > Journal of a tour in Scotland in

EDINBURGH 11
are cleaner and therefore better than either
wooden or pewter. While they were at their
meal, I thought of noticing the proportion of
complexions. There was not one with black
hair ; two or three only with flaxen ; some
half a dozen of the shades between sand and
carrots ; the great majority shades of brown
and mostly of the middle tint. As soon as
they had done, four strapping women servants
came in, bearing two large wooden tubs ;
they went to the cross table at the head of
the hall, and two going right, two left, caught
up the tin porridge cups and toss'd them into
the tubs, making the noblest noise I ever
heard as an accompaniment to a dinner.
Then after the grace, away the urchins went,
to the tune of their own footsteps, two and
two, scuffling over the sanded floor. In one
of the apartments there is a remarkable
old stove, unlike any that I have seen
upon the continent, for it has the fire in
the middle, and four pillars on each side
to which the heat is communicated. The
tablets here give proof of the utility of
this institution by recording benefactions
from many persons who were educated
here. The boys do not wear a habit ; all
are dressed alike, but the dress is like that