THE

OLD TIMES AND THE NEW.

(John BLAIKIE)

Eheu! fugaces, Postume, Postume,
Labuntur anni.

LONDON:

CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.
1868.

LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET

AND CHAPING CROSS.

MINDFUL OF HIS CONSTANT FRIENDSHIP

IN OTHER YEARS,

I GRATEFULLY INSCRIBE THIS VOLUME

ΤΟ

ALEXANDER MORISON, OF BOGNIE, ESQ.,

VICE-LIEUTENANT OF THE COUNTY OF BANFF, N.B.

PREFACE.

THE following pages purport to be reminiscences written by a country gentleman in the North of Scotland, who was born in the second half of the eighteenth century.

In offering them to the public, the Editor is well aware that he stands largely in need of its indulgence. He fears that the style is open to the same criticism which Dr. Parr applied to the volumes of a distinguished countryman, Malcolm Laing, and that he has often failed "in protecting English idiom from Scotch invasion." He makes no pretensions to be the medium of supplying original information; and he will be more than satisfied if the record which they contain receives any share of approbation.

May, 1868.