WITH ALL THAT IS DEAR TO THE SCOTTISH HEART; THESE PAGES ARE (BY PERMISSION) RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED. Where Ugie winds through Buchan braesA treeless land, where beeves are good, And men have quaint, old-fashioned ways, And every barn has ballad-lore, And every hamlet has its song, And on its surf-beat, rocky shore Walter C. Smith. PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION. A NEW Edition of "Buchan" having been called for, it has been deemed advisable to subject Dr. Pratt's work to a thorough revision, not merely making corrections to suit the altered conditions of the past thirty years, but also making large emendations and additions, so as to bring this authoritative account of the district abreast of the more extensive and more accurate historical and topographical knowledge that has been acquired since Dr. Pratt wrote. In both departments of revision, much information has been gleaned from the "Transactions of the Buchan Field Club, many local publications, and numerous contributions to the Aberdeen, Peterhead, and Banff newspapers; as a rule, the references to the authorities consulted are given at the end of the several chapters, so as to avoid a multiplicity of footnotes. Dr. Pratt's method-an itinerary of the district has been preserved, but occasional modifications in the route he adopted have been made, and, as a consequence, the chapters have been re-arranged and re-titled. The enlargement of the work caused by the introduction of new matter has made it necessary-though not without reluctance and regret to leave out the bulky Appendix (which in the third edition extended to over 130 pages), but the more important portions of Dr. Pratt's voluminous notes. have been embodied in the text in the present edition. The editor, in the revision of Dr. Pratt's work and the preparation of this edition, has been greatly indebted to the assistance of many gentlemen belonging to or connected with Buchan and familiar with its history. He has to express thanks to-among many others-Mr. William L. Taylor, bookseller, Peterhead, ex-President of the Buchan Field Club; Mr. John Milne, late of Atherb, Maud; Mr. John Milne, LL.D., late schoolmaster, KingEdward; Rev. Alexander J. Milne, LL.D., Fyvie; Rev. Charles Birnie, Aberdour; Rev. Thomas Young, B.D., Ellon; and Mr. D. M. Watt, Dingwall, formerly of the Fraserburgh Herald; and he has also to acknowledge obligations to the late Mr. James Aiken and the late Mr. James Spence, both of Peterhead. In a very special manner, his thanks are due to Mr. John Joiner, banker, New Deer, and Rev. James Forrest, Lonmay, who rendered valuable aid in the preparation of the revised-and, it is hoped, improved-edition of "Buchan." ROBERT ANDERSON. 12 BELVIDERE STREET, ABERDEEN, February, 1901. |