CONTEMPT IN DISGUISE. 359 



With reference to our explanation of the term study applied to a 

 small plateau, a well-known spot at the top of Glencoe, a correspon- 

 dent writes as follows : " You do not seem to be aware that study 

 is the word in common use in Lowland Scotland for an anvil as 

 well as amongst the unlisping Celts. I wonder you forgot Burns' 

 well-known lines 



' Nae mercy, then, for aim or steel ; 

 The brawnie, bainie, ploughman chiel, 

 Brings hard owrehip, wi' sturdy wheel 



The strong forehammer, 

 Till block and studdie ring and red 



Wi' dinsome clamour.' " 



We are much obliged to our friendly correspondent. The quotation 

 proves that the Lowland Scotch as well as the Highlanders have a 

 difficulty with the lisping sound of th, preferring the simpler and 

 more natural sound of d. 



A gentleman from Badenoch greatly amused us the other day by 

 his account of a certain superstitious observance on the part of a 

 " wise woman " in his neighbourhood. The gentleman's wife was 

 sitting with her baby, only a few weeks old, in her lap. It was of 

 course a marvel of a baby ; for bigness and beauty the finest baby, 

 like all babies, that ever was seen, and of which its parents were 

 naturally and very excusably as proud as proud could be. The 

 " wise woman " of the place had called to see the child, and 

 congratulated the parents on their good luck. The crone got a 

 chair opposite to that occupied by the happy mother, while the 

 father looked on and smiled with becoming dignity and pride. As 

 the old woman was looking at the child, it chanced to yawn, bored 

 probably by the amount of attention paid to it, and getting sleepy. 

 As it yawned, the old woman got up from the chair, and walking 

 over to the " infant phenomenon," coolly and deliberately spat in 

 its face ! The mother was horrified ; the father in a rage asked 

 what the deuce she meant by spitting in his son's face 1 The old 



