PROVERB OF THE BIRD AND ITS NEST.

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Some one has sent me a New York paper with long extracts from my book, prefaced thus: An old English wine merchant, one Shaw, has made a clean breast of it, notifying to the British public,' &c. Then follows an account of the secrets I have 'notified.' My brethren here, blame me for telling much that they say ought not to have been told, and remind me of the old proverb of the bird and its nest. I have given my reasons for my statements and opinions which are open to contradiction by any who can do so; but I have been too many years used to see ridicule and pooh-poohing employed instead of facts and arguments, to care much for anything of the kind.

It would be much better for all wine merchants and customers if there were more candour and avoidance of mystery on the part of the former; for the natural result has been that there is generally not much more confidence placed in the statements of a wine, than of a horse dealer.

Few have any idea how difficult it is to get perfectly fine wine. It often combines all that could be desired, with one imperfection, which may be an objectionable amount of sweetness or of dryness; but the latter, instead of being a soft, or general dryness, may be of a harsh and hard character. In the same way there are two kinds of sweetness ; that which is merely sweet, and the other, arising from the richness of fine, well-ripened grapes. The former kind will always remain sweet, unless in a

wine of body, with fermentative matter sufficient to reduce it; but the latter, though it shows that more age is required, will develope into dryness.

Until the great questions of Catholic and Negro Emancipation, Reform, the Corn Laws, &c. were settled, gentlemen could seldom meet without keen, and often violent discussions on these questions; and late hours and much drinking were the usual consequence. But even thirty or forty years ago, no disgrace attached to anyone who was tipsy, or came to the drawing-room in a state which showed that he had been drinking. On the contrary, it was rather expected, as a matter of course; and the jollity exhibited was thought to add to the pleasure of the evening.

Recurring to periods of older date, we shall find that the tipsiness and hilarity,' within our own memory, were temperance' in comparison with the habits of our forefathers.

Take, for instance, the following description given by Professor Cosmo Innes, in his 'Sketches of Early Scottish History.' The gentleman to whom it relates was Mr. Rose, of Kilravock, in the county of Moray, stated to be usually a sober man, who indulged occasionally. The scene is in the public-house in Findhorn, and the authority is the clergyman of the parish, who gives the bill, the date of which is 1728.

Bill for Kilraick (Kilravock) and Colonel Rose, from Tuesday 12 o'clock, till Thursday 7 o'clock, afternoon:

WINE BILL OF THE LAST CENTURY.

Tuesday, for 23 botles wine, at 18. 6d. each botle.£1

Wednesday, for 26 botles

Thursday, for 8 botles.

1

19 0

In contrast with the above, I may mention that I was talking over these matters with a gentleman noted for his good dinners, capital wine, and no stint of it; and, wishing for information, I begged him to tell me how much was usually drunk at his table. He answered:

I have a dinner party this very day of ten ladies and ten gentlemen, and here is a list of the wine I have given out, to which I add what I believe will be used.

For twenty persons:

8 pint decanters of Sherry. Much of this will be left. 5 bottles of Champagne. All will be used.

Ditto.

Madeira. 1 will be used.

Sherry. All used.

Port. Not all will be used.

Claret. 1 used.

This is less than fifteen bottles for twenty persons; about three quarters of a bottle for each, which is probably about the quantity usually drunk at a party of ladies and gentlemen.

How different from many a dinner of olden days when there was a long row of empty bottles under the sideboard before adjourning to the drawing-room,' and, if there were no ladies, the usual sequence was a few devilled legs,' or something of that kind, with brandy and water. I well remember being on a visit, in 1835, where there was a large party of men. We sat down to table at six, and none left before twelve, when they began to drop off; and at three o'clock there were only the old Baronet, another, and myself, and for the last hour we were shaking each other's hands, expressing sentiments of the deepest mutual respect, and swearing eternal friendship. The grouse had reason to congratulate themselves the next day, for my gun would not fire straight.

Although I have myself seen a little of that kind of work, and many might make a similar admission, no one can rejoice more truly than I do that such scenes are now considered disgraceful. They led to the ruin-soul, mind, and body-of many a young

man.

Dr. Somerville informs us that about 1760, in Scotland, when visitors called in the forenoon, ale or brandy were usually offered; and, to persons of importance, claret and brandy-punch.

The following account of the state of society in the south-west of Scotland, about a hundred years ago, was communicated to me by one who had a vivid recollection of the events described. It was in the country of Dirk Hatteraick's exploits :

DIRK HATTERAICK'S COUNTRY.

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In the county in which I lived from the year 1773, drunkenness was not only frequent, but general. Social meetings were held almost daily, and intoxication was expected, as a matter of course, to conclude the evening's entertainment. During day the streets were sprinkled with staggerers of both sexes, cursing, swearing, and fighting. Meanwhile, smuggling flourished, and the rugged coasts of that part of Scotland afforded secret nooks, where the French luggers could be concealed while landing their goods. Money was made, and houses built; and so little disgrace was attached to it, that the smugglers and their wives were often admitted by the chief landed proprietors as visitors, while their contraband goods were received into their houses and cellars. It was common for the ladies to commission from the ladies of the smugglers, tea, lace, silks, shoes, gloves, &c., from France. From these coast recesses frequently issued hundreds of horses loaded with tea, brandy, wine, tobacco, &c., traversing the wild moors, in cooperation with many of the gentlemen of this and neighbouring districts, and by arrangement with the shopkeepers of the towns and villages. Sometimes there were dreadful conflicts between these desperate, well-armed drivers and the revenue officers, supported by dragoons. The Isle of Man, being a smuggling depôt, and quite close, afforded great facilities for carrying on this trade -so destructive to every good habit and principle.

I believe that although few, if any parts of Scotland were so bad as Galloway, owing to its proximity to the Isle of Man, yet smuggling was carried on everywhere.

Having lately met with some curious remarks and statements under the head of Club Sobriety in the Cornhill Magazine, I copy them. They are probably correct, but the comparison between a club and a public-house is not quite just.