Note 5 — Chapter I · EARLY YEARS.

The pronunciation of the Aberdeenshire dialect is peculiar. For instance, far is where; fat, what; tee, to; dee, do; feel, fool; peer, poor; byeuk, book; been, bone, etc. It is said that Jane Maxwell, the handsome and beautiful Duchess of Gordon, was in the habit of amusing George III. by repeating phrases in Aberdonian doric; and that his Majesty plumed himself on his ability to interpret them. The Duchess one day tried his mettle with the following: “A gangrel bodie oot o’ the toon o’ Stanhive was i’ the way o’ wan’erin the kwintra wi’ a bit basket owre ’er gardie, crying, ‘Fa’ll buy my black doctors fulpit in a peel?’” The gangrel bodie was a leech-seller of Stonehaven, and of course the “doctors” were “whelped” in a pool.