_By Sir Walter Scott_.
The courtesy of an invitation to partake a traveller's meal, or at least
that of being invited to share whatever liquor the guest called for, was
expected by certain old landlords in Scotland, even in the youth of
the author. In requital, mine host was always furnished with the news
of the country, and was probably a little of a humourist to boot. The
devolution of the whole actual business and drudgery of the inn upon the
poor gudewife was very common among the Scottish bonifaces. There was
in ancient times, in the city of Edinburgh, a gentleman of good family,
who condescended, in order to gain a livelihood, to become the nominal
keeper of a coffee-house, one of the first places of the kind which
had been opened in the Scottish metropolis. As usual, it was entirely
managed by the careful and industrious Mrs. B----; while her husband
amused himself with field-sports, without troubling his head about the
matter. Once upon a time the premises having taken fire, the husband was
met walking up the High Street, loaded with his guns and fishing-rods,
and replied calmly to some one that inquired after his wife, "that the
poor woman was trying to save a parcel of crockery, and some trumpery
books;" the last being those which served her to conduct the business
of the house. There were many elderly gentlemen in the author's younger
days, who still held it part of the amusement of a journey "to parley
with mine host," who often resembled, in his quaint humour, mine Host of
the Garter, in the Merry Wives of Windsor; or Blague of the George, in
the Merry Devil of Edmonton. Sometimes the landlady took her share of
entertaining the company. In either case, the omitting to pay them due
attention gave displeasure, and perhaps brought down a smart jest, as on
the following occasion:--A jolly dame who, not "sixty years since," kept
the principal caravansary at Greenlaw, in Berwickshire, had the honour
to receive under her roof a very worthy clergyman, with three sons of
the same profession, each having a cure of souls; be it said in passing,
none of the reverend party were reckoned powerful in the pulpit. After
dinner was over, the worthy senior, in the pride of his heart, asked
Mrs. Buchan whether she ever had had such a party in her house before.
"Here sit I," he said, "a placed minister of the kirk of Scotland,
and here sit my three sons, each a placed minister of the same
kirk.--Confess, Luckie Buchan, you never had such a party in your house
before." The question was not premised by any invitation to sit down and
take a glass of wine or the like, so Mrs. B. answered drily, "Indeed,
sir, I cannot just say that ever I had such a party in my house before,
except once in the forty-five, when I had a Highland piper here, with
his three sons, all Highland pipers; _and deil a spring they could play
amang them!"--Notes to the New Edition of the Waverley Novels_.
* * * * *