Evening star., 1905-11-04
OLD EDINBURGH rAvERNs.
Some of the Reasons Why the Scotch
Loved Them.

From the Philadelphia Telegraph.
Some excuse may. be found for the uni
yersal devotion to tavern life which for
meriy prevailed In Edinburgh in the harsh
ness of the northern winter. ut is one OF
the vilest climates under heaven, wrote
Stevenson, as If he shivered at the remem-
brance of it; 'you are liable to be beaten
upon by all the winds that blow. to be
drenched with rain. to be buried In cold sea
foes out of the east or to be powdered with
the snow as 1t comes flying southwark from
the Highland hills" 1t Is small wonder
that Scotsmans ideal of enjoyment should
have been a warm, cozy corner by the nre-
side in one of the innumerable "howfs or
.sIaighs' taverns and oyster cellars) which
studded the closes on either side OF the
High street, or that every poet from Aian
Ramsay to Ferguson and Burns shoulo
have sung of the delights of the joyous
evenings at John Dowie's or the Crochallan
Club with high jinks, the uproarious mlrth,
the hilarious songs, when the air was thick
with the steam from the punch oowis.
Another reason for the popularity OF the
tavern was the cramped space and limited
accommodation In the tall fats and lands,
where a large family was often crowded
into a couple of small rooms. There couia
be no comfort or social enjoyment IN Such
narrow quarters, and so the tavern became
the mutual rendezvous for business and
Measure and 1t was here that doctors
would see their patients, lawyers interview
their clients and tradesmen meet thelr Gus
toners Indeed. the time had not long
passed since the lord provost OF the day
would invite his guests to supper at Cleri-
hugt's or Fortunes. Even men OF the
highest social position preferred the ease
and freedom of restraint at the boWf TO
the decorous dullness of their own fresides,
and lust as the Baron of Bradwardtne
guests left the castle to finish the evening
In the genial license of Luckie MacElroy' s
tavern so Lord COckburn in his youth saw
some dozen of the aristocracy OF Mfdlothl-
an, including the Duke of Buccleugh ana
the lord advocate. crowded in the low
rooted room of q village alehouse, drinking
huge potations of claret and whisky punch
and making the rafters echo with songs
and toasts and uproarious fesdvity.
These tayerns varied in degree and quail
fly from the larger and more fashionable
"howfs" frequented by the lords OF ses-
sions, the great advocates and men of let
ters, to the humble 'laigh shops" where
clerks and shop assistants repaired after
the days work, and where fun and merri-
ment were as unrestrained as at "Poosie
Nancy's," which sheltered the Jolly Beg
gars." The prices-for eatables, at all events
ruled low. and at many of the clubs with
strange and convivial names, of which
the humor has now evaporated, man
| might sup frugally OF collops or had
dock or a roasted skate and onions for a
few pence The Spendthrift Club was said
to nave derived It's name from the eXtrdVa-
gance of It's members, who paid no less
than fourpence halfpenny for repast. But
in the matter of potations the case was DIFF
ferent, and the members Of the Crochallan
or Antemanum could assuredly not have
availed themselves of Mr.. Shorthouse's ex-
cuse for Wordsworth. who had got so la
mentally drunk at st. Johns, that the
poets standard OF intoxication was prob
ably miserably low
The quality as well as the quantity of
wine and spirits consumed by the hardened
revelers of that day Is appalling to a more
temperate age. For the humber topper
| there was "twopenny ale' In mutchkins,
as strong as the home-brew immortalized
by Nyren, and drains of gin as potent as
turpentine. For richer customers there
was genuine mountain dew-Glenlfvet and
usquebaugh; huge forums OF steaming
punch prepared after some immemoral rec
ipe like that of Bailie Nicol Jarvie; tap
pithens'' mantling with claret fresh drawn
from the cask. and at a later date, port
strong and fiery as the Newcastle black
strap" of which Lord Eldon used to drink
his three bottles with impunity. 1t is no
wonder that nights passed in the consump-
ton of such potent beverages should have
played havoc with the strongest constitu-
tions, or that sobriety at table should have
been regarded as the exception rather than
the rule.