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Online Introduction to
Convivial Caledonia,
By Robert Kempt




I came across this book in The Cincinnati Book Store, in downtown Cincinnati. Three stories of books! It was one of two books with medium darkish green covers I had come across and bought. Green of this shade is not all that common. Color is not the reason I bought it though. I am not that shallow! Since I had put online The Innes of Greece And Rome, I figured why not take a peek at those in Scotland?

It turns out that this book is not all that common either. You won’t find it scanned by anybody, at least as of December, 2012. I don't know why. It is perfectly inoffensive. It is also interesting to hear about the history of public houses and inns.

The book is chock full of interesting anecdotes about famous authors, naturally, but also the adventures of Bonny Prince Charlie on the lam, with Flora, and their inn-related adventures. There are stories about good and bad inns. A couple of accounts from the young Queen Victoria's diary of her trips incognito, with Prince Edward, to Highland inns.

Scraps of poetry, prices of a meal, who liked port and who liked claret, famous literary clubs and the inns that hosted them,—— all that sort of thing can be find here.

There is even a recipe for whiskey which takes all the badness out of it and makes it safe enough for ladies and maidens to drink in company!

It is just the sort of book I like, and I hope you will too.

I have the cover images to put up and I will do so this evening, but I wanted to put up this page before the end of 2012 for no good reason, especially, except that I wanted to have the Addenda with the section on the Custom of First-Footing up before New Year's Day.

Click on Next below to get started. Happy New Year!








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