"I see it is evident you can tell me how Tommy Sandys will do," but at that Cathro's rush of words again subsided into a dribble.
"He's the worst Latinist that ever had the impudence to think of bursaries," he groaned.
"And his Greek--" asked McLean, helping on the conversation as far as possible.
"His Greek, sir, could be packed in a pill-box." "That does not sound promising.

But the best mathematicians are sometimes the worst linguists." "His Greek is better than his mathematics," said Cathro, and he fell into lamentation.

"I have had no luck lately," he sighed.

"The laddies I have to prepare for college are second-raters, and the vexing thing is, that when a real scholar is reared in Thrums, instead of his being handed over to me for the finishing, they send him to Mr.Ogilvy in Glenquharity.

Did Miss Ailie ever mention Gavin Dishart to you--the minister's son?
I just craved to get the teaching of that laddie, he was the kind you can cram with learning till there's no room left for another spoonful, and they bude send him to Mr.Ogilvy, and you'll see he'll stand high above my loons in the bursary list.