Transactions. 67 



am, you well know, in a different situation, having made the 

 English language ray particular study." " To-morrow came," 

 said Lord Kames, " when Lord Royston was hardly intelligible ; 

 Lord Milton, though no elegant speaker, was well heard and his 

 meaning comprehended. As for Lord Dun, deil a word from 

 beginning to end did the English understand of his speech." 

 Ramsay further states that it was alleged of a relation of his own, 

 then a young woman of fashion, that her language kept pace with 

 her dress, and that when going to a ball or to the Countess of 

 Breadalbane's routes in a manteau and petticoat, she knapped 

 English insufferably. 



There is little of ecclesiastical matter in Ramsay's remains suit- 

 able for reproduction in a paper like this. One tit-bit, however, 

 is too racy to be omitted. In a disputed induction, a friend of 

 the patron offered a leading elder 100 merks to sign the call, and 

 conciliate the people. He rejected the offer, but his wife came 

 next day, and said her husband had a tender conscience, and 

 could not take money, but would they try him with a saughie 

 and a boat of limestone 1 The hint was taken, and succeeded to 

 admiration. 



lOth March, 1893. 

 Rev. William Andson, Vice-President, in the Chair. 

 Donations and Exhibits. — Essex Naturalist, December, 1892 ; 

 Proceedings of the Glasgow Natural History Society ; Proceedings 

 of the Academy of Science, Rochester, New York State ; and the 

 History of the Old Lodge of Dumfries (Kilwinning, No. 5.3), 

 presented by tlie author, Mr James Smith. Mr J. R. Wilson 

 exhibited a copy of the intimation of Mrs Robert Burns' death, 

 signed by Robert Burns, the son of the poet, dated 26th March, 

 1834. Mr Arnott exhibited a large collection of floral specimens 

 from Broussa, Asiatic Turkey, collected by Mr Millingen, a 

 resident of that place. 



Communications. 



1, The Origin of the Grierson Museiom, Thomhill, 



By Mr James R. Wilson, Sanquhar. 



I find that Dr Grierson began to keep a diary in 1833, when 

 15 years of age, and continued to do so for several years. The 



