Grampian Club > Scotland, social and domestic

CONTENTS.
Introduction— Conflicting opinions respecting the character of the Scots
— Recreant Scotsmen — The Reformation — The people and their rulers-
Persecution of Romish priests — Demolition of ancient churches — Mo-
numents and tombstones condemned — Runic crosses demolished —
Church-building in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries — Con-
secrated places abhorrent to the Presbyterian Reformers — Costume of
the Presbyterian ministers after the Reformation— Sir Andrew "Weldon
on the" Scots — Postures in public worship — Church organs, their pro-
hibition and recent restoration — Presbyterian psalmody — The Church
services — Attendance on ordinances made compulsory — Sleeping in
church prohibited — Episcopal Church government enforced — The High
Commission Court— Law against conventicles — Character of Graham of
Claverhouse — Re-establishment of Presbyterianism — Presbyterian dis-
cipline — Kirk-session courts — Persecution for witchcraft — Degraded
habits of the clergy and causes thereof — Stipends of the clergy —
Lawless manners of the nobility — Ignorance of the humbler classes —
Drinking practices — Claret an acceptable beverage — Dinner parties
and their accessories — Festive clubs — The Convention of Royal
Burghs — Burghal institutions — ' High jinks ' — The Glasgow clubs
— Municipal corruption — George Dempster, of Dunnichen — Corrupt
practices at Stirling — A burghal compact— Municipal imposts— Inno-
vators unpopular- Street nomenclature — The Edinburgh Highland
guard — Burghal vandalism — The rural hamlets — Peasants' huts —
The country churchyards — A substitute for bridges — Epidemic dis-
eases — Sanitary condition of Edinburgh in the eighteenth century
— Present state of the peasantry in the "Western Isles — Reverent ob-
servance of Sunday — The parish schools— Rise and progress of Scottish
civilization — Scottish adventurers in the reign of James VI. — The
political union of 1707 — Church patronage an unmitigated evil—
Arianism in the Scottish Church — Anecdotes respecting presentations to
churches — Disputed settlements — Secessions from the Established
Church — Social irregularities — The administration of justice — Baro-
nial and Regality Courts — Practices of the Assize Courts — Burgh magis-
trates — The public executioner and his functions— Ancient modes ol
punishment — Villenage and serfdom — Persons kidnapped — Bonds of
manrent — The levying of black mail — Schools and schoolmasters —
The printing press — Origin of Scottish newspapers — Smuggling
and illicit distillation— The chapmen and their wares — Modern Scot-
tish hawkers — Beggars and 'jockies' — The gaberlunzies and the
King's bedesmen — Ballad-makers, bards, and minstrels — Stage
coaches and the difficulties of travelling — Modern practices— Scottish
enterprise . . . . . . .13-