CHAP, x.] FONDNESS FOR DANCING. 



week afterwards. I considered this a sort of feasible and 

 reasonable explanation of the matter. On such occasions as 

 those of marriage there is great bustle and animation. The 

 guests are invited two days beforehand by the happy couple 

 in propriis personis, and means are taken to remind their 

 friends again of the ceremony on the joyous day. At the 

 proper time the parties meet the lad in his best blue suit, 

 and the lass and all the other maidens dressed in white and 

 walk to the manse or church, as the case may be, or the 

 minister is " trysted " to come to the bride's father's resi- 

 dence. There is a great dinner provided for the happy 

 occasion, usually served at a small inn or public-house when 

 there is a very large party. All the delicacies which can 

 be thought of are procured : fish, flesh, and fowl ; porter, 

 ale, and whisky, are all to be had at these banquets, not 

 forgetting the universal dish of skate, which is produced 

 at all fisher marriages. After dinner comes the collec- 

 tion, when the best man, or some one of the company, 

 goes round and gets a shilling or a sixpence from each. This 

 is the mode of celebrating a penny wedding, and all are welcome 

 who like to attend, the bidding being general. The evening 

 winds up, so far as the young folks are concerned, with 

 unlimited dancing. In fact dancing at one time used to be 

 the favourite recreation of the fisher-folk. In a dull season 

 they would dance for " luck," in a plentiful season for joy- 

 any thing served as an excuse for a dance.* On the wedding- 



* I have culled the following account of a fisherman's wedding- 

 dance from an excellent provincial journal. The solemnisation of a 

 marriage is a great event in the village, and when one occurs it is 

 customary to invite nearly all tlie adult population to attend. The 

 ceremony is mostly always performed in the church, and it not unfre- 

 quently happens that at some of the marriages the whole lower part of 

 the church is well packed with the marriage-train. The Collieston 

 weddings are remarkable for the hilarity which ensues after the 

 company return from the ceremony. After a sumptuous dinner the 



