NORTHERN MEMOIRS. 91 



rantos in tubs. So on every Sunday some as 

 seldom miss to make their appearance on the 

 stool of repentance. 



Theoph. Then it seems by your relation they 

 keep time with their Comers, that hazard their 

 reputation for a country-custom (or the love of 

 liquor) rather than omit a four-hours drinking. 



Arn. That's true enough ; and it's an antient 

 practice among the female sex, to covee together 

 (about that time) as naturally as geese flock'd to 

 the Capitol. Now the very name of Comer they 

 mightily honour ; but that of Gossip they utter- 

 ly abominate, as they hate the plague, or some 

 mortal contagion. So that whether to conclude 

 it a vulgar error, and an abomination among the 

 Scots to lick up an English proverb, it matters 

 not ; or, whether to fancy a more laudable em- 

 phasis in the word Comer, then there is in Go-sip. 

 I leave you to judg of that, and those other abo- 

 minable customs, that drink till they sigh to do 

 penance for their sins. Will this expiate the 

 crime, and extenuate the fact ? 



Tlieoph. Yes, when oil quenches fire ; or fire 

 forgets its natural force to burn. So let us leave 

 Dumfreez, and accommodate our selves with the 

 country-curiosities ; and to make our design yet 

 more sweet and pleasant, let us rally what des- 

 criptions of places we can, not, only to gratify 

 our selves but others. In the mean time, favour 



