'I should like both very well,' said I, 'were it not for the language.

I wish sincerely our Parliament, which is passing so many foolish acts every year, would pass one to force these Scotch to speak English.' 'I wish so, too,' said he.

'The language is a disgrace to the British Government; but, if you had heard it twenty years ago, captain!--if you had heard it as it was spoken when I first came to Edinburgh!'" "Only custom," said my mother.

"I dare say the language is now what it was then." "I don't know," said my father; "though I dare say you are right; it could never have been worse than it is at present.

But now to the point.
Were it not for the language, which, if the boys were to pick it up, might ruin their prospects in life,--were it not for that, I should very much like to send them to a school there is in this place, which everybody talks about--the High School, I think they call it.