Bits from Blinkbonnie. By John Strathesk. (Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier.)—"
A Tale of Scottish Village Life, between 1841 and 1851," naturally has much to do with the Disruption. Mr. Barrie, minister of Blinkbonnie, the hero of the tale, just as his servant, Bell Cameron, is the heroine, is represented as having been one of those that "came out ;" and the writer naturally regards the event from the Free-Church point of view. But there is no bitterness or animosity in his tone. The minister who succeeds Mr. Barrie in his charge is naturally represented as a poor creature, and doubtless man for man, as might be expected in any such movement, whether justified or no, those that went were superior to those that stayed; but it is not suggested that he was other than sincere. The book is suffi- ciently readable, with a little tinge of humour. Perhaps the best story in it is that of the " jacks." A certain Dan has got, as he thinks, a setting of eggs of a peculiarly fine breed of game fowls. He has boasted about them considerably, and has invited his neighbours to be present at their first appear once after hatching. The neighbours come, and among them a certain Wattie, who has a peculiar interest in the matter. " Noo for the show!' said Dan, as he unlocked the hen-house (it was coal-house, goat-house, and served various other purposes), and flung the door wide open, saying, Como awa', grannie, wi' your royal family. There's a picture for ye !' Grannie's family had been restless, because hungry and particularly thirsty, and she and they obeyed Dan's summons with great readiness, and even Wattie, who had till theu smoked on in silence, quickly took the pipe out of his mouth, stooped a little, shaded his eyes with one hand, and seemed sadly puzzled. His first remark was, ` Mon, Dan, they've
awfu' braid nobs' (broad bills). Braid nobs or na' braid nobs,' said Dan, the game's there, anyway." Maybe,' said Watty, but they have midst awfu' braid nobs '—for by this time he and all
the onlookers had ' smelt a rat and in my opinion they're juoks.' Ye're a jack,' said Dan, looking at him fiercely. Diuna look at me, Dan ; look at them ; look at their nabs; look at their web.feet,— is thee no jacks ? ' A second glance revealed to Dan that this was too true." Wattie had substituted ducks' eggs for Dan's boasted sitting. Dan nearly committed murder in his rage, but was cooled when he found that the proper brood had been hatched elsewhere.
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