240 " PRECIOUS POWLDOWDIES." 



Who does not remember the numerous highly-appre- 

 ciative allusions to the oyster in Wilson's " Noctes Am- 

 brosianse " 1 For instance : 



" The Ettrick Shepherd (loquitur). As sure's death, 

 there's the oysters ! O man, Awmrose [Ambrose, the 

 landlord], but you've the pleasantest face o' ony man o' 

 a' my acquaintance ! Here's ane as braid as a mush- 

 room. This is Saturday nicht, and they've a' gotten 

 their bairds shaved. There's a wee ane awa' doon my 

 wrang throat ; but, deil a fears, it'll find its way into the 

 stomach. 



" Tickler. They are, in truth, precious powldowdies."* 



Take a second example : 



" Hech, sirs ! but the month of September's the month 

 after my ain heart, and worthy ony ither twa in the year 

 comiii' upon you, as it does, after May, June, July, 

 and August, wi' its r and eisters. ISTa, that brodd beats 

 a' ilka shell as wide's my loof, ilka fish like a shot-star, 

 and the tottle of the whole sooming in its ain saut-sea 

 liccor, aneuch to create an appeteet in the palate of a 

 skeleton ! " t 



And again : 



" I never, at ony time o' the year, hae recourse to the 

 cruet till after the lang hunder ; and in September, after 

 four months' fast frae the creturs, I can easily devour^them 

 by theirsels just in their ain liccor, on till anither fifty ; 

 and then, to be sure, just when I am beginning to be a 

 wee stawed [surfeited], I apply first the pepper to a squad ; 

 and then, after a score or twa in that way, some dizzin 

 and a half wi' vinegar; and finish aff, like you, wi' a 

 wheen to the mustard, till the brodd [board] is naething 



* Wilson, "Nodes Ambrosianse," i. 272. t Ibid., ii. 98. 



