Historical and Traditional Sketches of Highland Families and of the Highlands #270323

Of the author, or perhaps I should more properly say, the reciter of these tales, it would not become me, his son, to speak in. Terms of praise. I may, however, say, without exposing myself to censure, that from his infancy he gave a greedy ear to the recital of old stories; and when, as at was, and still is, the custom of the country, the fathers, grandfathers, and patriarchs of the town assembled together in the winter evenings and told the tales of other times, he would sit in the chimney nook in wrapt attention listening to their conversation. This predilection of his youth grew with his growth, and strengthened with his years.