232 Proceedings of Eoyal Society of Edinhurgli. [march 19 , 
Banffshire generally {blue line), Scotland {black line), and the 
district of Seafield {dotted red line). The registration district of 
Seafield consists of parts of the parishes of Cullen and Bathven, 
and is mainly seaboard; while Marnoch, on the other hand (as 
already stated), is a purely inland parish, 8 or 9 miles from the 
coast. Possibly some social reformers may lay too much stress upon 
the vice which leads to the results in question ; but, on the other 
hand, there seems to be a growing tendency in the public mind 
to regard these results as normal, if not inevitable, or at least to 
treat the subject with indifference. Habit, we all know, is a 
‘‘second nature”; and if bad habits are not discouraged, they 
are very apt to become indurated. Places, as well as persons, may 
reach that unaccountable condition which leads them to be rather 
proud of pre-eminence, even in bad qualities. It is recorded of 
an elderly English couple, that they used to boast of being 
“ acknowledged ” to be the ugliest pair in the kingdom. Let us 
hope that Marnoch has not arrived at that point of degradation 
which would induce it to survey its moral condition with pride, or 
even with complacency. 
Postscript . — Since writing the above, I have been informed by 
an intelligent correspondent, tong resident in the parish of Marnoch, 
that “ the evil has become so inveterate that it is not looked upon 
as a disgrace. It does not seem to be any bar to a female servant’s 
getting married or obtaining a situation that she has been the 
mother of an illegitimate child. In all other respects, they seem 
to be well-behaved. As a rule, they are honest and trustworthy 
servants, and when married are as faithful wives as those who have 
a better previous record. Indeed, misconduct on the part of farm 
servants, male and female, after marriage, is rare.” 
This view is confirmed by an anecdote which I lately heard 
from a northern ex-sheriS-substitute. The wife of a Banffshire 
minister was, some years ago, applied to by a lady regarding the 
character of a servant girl. After vouching for her honesty, 
tidiness, activity, and other good qualities, the denizen of the 
manse calmly added, in a self-satisfied tone — “ Ay, and she’s had 
her bit bairnie, too ! ” 
The contributor to the Scotsman and Banffshire Journal has 
