We ought certainly to be grateful for the change which has taken place from such a system; for this change has made a great revolution in Scottish social life.

The charm and the romance long attached in the minds of some of our countrymen to the whole system and concerns of hard drinking was indeed most lamentable and absurd.

At tavern suppers, where, nine times out often, it was the express _object_ of those who went to get drunk, such stuff as "regal purple stream," "rosy wine," "quaffing the goblet," "bright sparkling nectar," "chasing the rosy hours," and so on, tended to keep up the delusion, and make it a monstrous fine thing for men to sit up drinking half the night, to have frightful headaches all next day, to make maudlin idiots of themselves as they were going home, and to become brutes amongst their family when they arrived.

And here I may introduce the mention of a practice connected with the convivial habits of which we have been speaking, but which has for some time passed away, at least from private tables--I mean the absurd system of calling for toasts and sentiments each time the glasses were filled.

During dinner not a drop could be touched, except in conjunction with others, and with each drinking to the health of each.