26 EARLY SOCIETIES. 



the joint there might arise dialogues over the receipt by Mr 

 Neilson of Corsoch for 'stall-feeding black cattle ;' or they 

 might talk over the 'calculations of profit and loss upon 

 feeding Mr Mackintosh of Borlum's bullock of four years 

 old on grass and hay without housing.' This bullock the 

 members might have seen as he pastured in Mr Hope's 

 field at Hope Park, the result being a profit of £2 i6s., 

 though ' fed on the dearest hay, fog, and grass in the king- 

 dom.' The vegetables at dinner would allow a reference 

 to the plan submitted to the Society by Lord Colvil for 

 ' raising kail seed from burying the blades in the earth ;' 

 while at dessert the talk might run on the mode of ' engraft- 

 ing a common codlin apple into a Dutch or English attar 

 stock.' At the close of the repast the guests would be 

 reminded of the 'receipt for making cheese.' Those who 

 had peculiar tastes might like to see if the preses availed 

 himself of the directions in the paper on ' several methods 

 of preparing drams by infusion,' by asking for a cinnamon 

 dram, or a citron dram, or a cordial dram, or Dantzic water. 

 Some of the more venerable of the party would probably ask 

 for a 'dram of true Rosa solis, a restorative cordial to old 

 people.' Later in the evening there might be an enquiry for a 

 tea dram, ' in a cup of which you will have more comfort than 

 in ten drawn off water.' Most of the Improvers would 

 indulge in a little of the native spirit, and they would the 

 more readily drink it that the Society had pronounced on 

 the subject, having published ' a method of distilling and 

 rectifying aqua vitae.' 



It was doubtless at a meeting ' in a Society way ' that 

 Mr Hope the preses signed at Hope Park, on 29th January 

 1743, a note expressing the Society's approval of Secre- 

 tary Arkland's narrative of its transactions. The Society 

 on that night rested from its labours, and pronounced 

 the result to be good. The talk would be merry and wi.se. 

 But amid all the lighter themes there would not fail to be 

 graver allusions. Already there were signs that the country 

 was to be disturbed on the dynastic question. The Im- 

 provers themselves were divided on the subject. The Duke 

 of Perth, Lord Traquair, Lochiel, and other members were 



