There had been a very remarkable change in Scots dialect within the last generation. The slightly Gaelic accent of Inverness had given place to what used to be known as the Aberdeen or Buchan form of the language, and Aberdeen city had appreciably approached nearer to the higher or more nasal notes of the Glasgow tongue. This must be because men- moyed more about the world ihan they did. As to the future, Dr. Giles made this prophecy,—If at last the whole population were to speak with one voice, there was at least this comfort,—none of them would live to hear it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.