Artificial drinking usages of North Britain / by John Dunlop.

  • Dunlop, John, 1789-1868.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Artificial drinking usages of North Britain / by John Dunlop. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    week as a journeyman to his companions to drink. An apprentice and journeyman’s entry at the sail- making business, is, severally, a bottle of whisky, and another when they sit down to work. At help¬ ing to unbend the sails of a vessel, a bonus of drink is given by the ship-master. But in some lofts, entries have been lately abolished. In the cooper trade, the apprentice entry is five shillings, aided by a contribution of one shilling from each workman ; and ten shillings at brother- ing, which is a foolish and barbarous ceremony, once very common, now given up in most occupa¬ tions : it consists in being ducked in water, beat, and made the sport of the rest in a rude manner. Among sawyers, when a couple come to work in a yard, strangers, the entry-money is six shillings; if one man comes to join a partner, three shillings; when a log of timber falls by the carelessness of a workman into the saw-pit, a fine of whisky is inflict¬ ed : the other men are entitled to defer assistance in raising the log, till the fine is paid; two sawyers separating, pay one shilling and sixpence each.— These sums are increased by the workmen ; and as this class is proverbial for drunkenness, and the rules are strictly enforced, the children unborn may rue them. Foreigners regard the Scotch as a moral and pru¬ dent people ; but there are strange anomalies in our national character. Thus, a wise and pious father trains up his son in sound nurture and ad¬ monition ; he frequently recurs to counsel, gives line upon line, precept upon precept. Perhaps in no one point does he shew such exquisite jealousy as when on the subject of intemperance. When