 bounded by my own.
 
23 Broil.
 
24 The blade-bone of a shoulder of mutton is called in Scotland »a poor man,« as
in some parts of England it is termed »a poor knight of Windsor;« in contrast,
it must be presumed, to the baronial Sir Loin. It is said, that in the last age
an old Scottish peer, whose conditions (none of the most gentle) were marked by
a strange and fierce-looking exaggeration of the Highland countenance, chanced
to be indisposed while he was in London attending Parliament. The master of the
hotel where he lodged, anxious to show attention to his noble guest, waited on
him to enumerate the contents of his well-stocked larder, so as to endeavour to
hit on something which might suit his appetite. »I think, landlord,« said his
lordship, rising up from his couch, and throwing back the tartan plaid with
which he had screened his grim and ferocious visage - »I think I could eat a
morsel of a poor man.« The landlord fled in terror, having no doubt that his
guest was a cannibal, who might be in the habit of eating a slice of tenant, as
light food, when he was under regimen.
 
25 »Cut a drink with a tale;« equivalent to the English adage of boon
companions, »Don't preach over your liquor.«
 
26 Hereupon I, Jedediah Cleishbotham, crave leave to remark, primo, which
signifies, in the first place, that, having in vain inquired at the Circulating
Library in Gandercleugh, albeit it aboundeth in similar vanities, for this samyn
Middleton and his Mad World, it was at length shown unto me amongst other
ancient fooleries carefully compiled by one Dodsley, who, doubtless, hath his
reward for neglect of precious time; and having misused so much of mine as was
necessary for the purpose, I therein found that a play-man is brought in as a
footman, whom a knight is made to greet facetiously with the epithet of »linen
stocking and three-score miles a-day.«
Secundo (which is secondly in the vernacular), under Mr. Pattieson's favour,
some men not altogether so old as he would represent them, do remember this
species of menial, or forerunner. In evidence of which, I, Jedediah
Cleishbotham, though mine eyes yet do me good service, remember me to have seen
one of this tribe clothed in white, and bearing a staff, who ran daily before
the stage-coach of the umquhile John, Earl of Hopeton,
