What a delightful scene where _Caleb_ steals
the wild-fowl from the spit, and the subsequent one, where _Dame
Lightbody_ cuffs the astonished little bairn's head! "As fresh to me,"
protests the Baron, "laughing in my chair, as I have been doing but
a minute ago, as it was when I read it, the Council and Kirk-session
only know how long ago!" And this farcical scene was considered so
"grotesquely and absurdly extravagant" by Sir WALTER's contemporary
critics (peace be to their hashes! Who _were_ they? What were their
names? Who cares?) that the great novelist actually explains how the
incident was founded on one in real life.
Now to my books. Gadzooks, what's here? Another volume of _Obiter
Dicta?_ By one author this time, for if my memory fails me not, the
previous little book was writ by two scribes. Well, no matter--or
rather lots of matter--and by AUGUSTINE BIRRELL, who represents
_Obiter_ and _Dicta_ too. With an unclassical false quantity anyone
who so chooses to unscholarise himself, can speak of him as the
_O'Biter_, so sharp and pungent are some of his remarks. Ah! here is
something on LAMB. For me, quoth the Baron, LAMB is always in season,
serve up the dish with what trimmings you may, but, if you please, no
sauce.
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