29 MARCH 1913, Page 21

"MAIR WAS LOST AT SHERRAMUIR."

LTO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."'

'ZIR,—It is quite a pleasure to a veteran reader to be able to catch out the Spectator. In the current number a leader- writer quotes "Mair was tint at Kirriemuir" as a common Scots saying. Kirriemuir is pointless. The locale of the phrase is Sheriffmuir, and the reference is to the disastrous .ending of the Jacobite Rising in 1715. Brewer and Hislop both give Sheriffmuir, and the latter puts the saying, "There was mail lost at Sherratnuir, where the Hielandman lost his faither and mailer and a gude buff belt worth baith o' them." I believe the phrase (with Sherifftnuir) occurs in the " Waverley Novels," but I cannot give the reference.—I am, Sir, &c.,