Something amazing happened and a new book was born as a link from the past, Victorian society to the 21st century word of literature.
I am talking about a book “The Uncommon Herd” , which is an edited unique manuscript written in the 19th century, giving a rare insight into Victorian Scotland.
This is a real life story of a man who was born in a poor family but develops his career to eventually become a priest.
It was said of the Keira Knightley film of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that you could smell the farm yard in which lived Lizzie and the other Bennets.
William Presslie’s The Uncommon Herd ” also brings to life the sights and smells surrounding the mid 19th Century rural poor of Aberdeenshire, Scotland . It is difficult to judge which was harder, the day to day unremarked cruelty of schooling or the unrelenting demands of labour on farms, in all weathers and all seasons. William’s story is true history populated by remarkable characters from Wellington’s disabled soldier, become schoolteacher, to the beautiful Belle and her successful elopement with the unknown lover.
We learn how farm servants entertained themselves, in those days long before Radio and TV, with stories, songs, poetry and occasional dancing to the fiddle. Despite his hugely disrupted education it becomes clear that William’s future lies in the pursuits of the intellect rather than the physical. Having built a reputation for intelligence, reliability and perseverance, a previous employer recommends William for the position of man-servant to John Gordon of Cairnbulg in the House of Leask. Everything falls into place.
Upstairs, Downstairs or connected to the House of Leask are various characters who through William’s prose again engage, amuse or even outrage, our sensibilities. William himself embarks on an upwardly mobile learning curve, which will lead him from the Croft, eventually to the Manse, via his own Schoolroom, all achieved with dedication and some help from the influential Gordons.
Good news – this book is in our shop and you can acquire it now!
The Uncommon Herd
This book is a unique manuscript written in the 19th century and edited by the auther’s great grand son. This is a beautiful snapshot of Victorian, 19th Century Scotland.
Libraries take an important place in our lives. In the early days libraries were used a lot by children, but nowadays, they have internet to access books and download them on their devices. More and more books are being thrown away or given to charities or antique shops. Some books become collectable items depending on their date and the contents.
Libraries are still vitally important for Students and researchers of different fields. They become better equipped with modern technology. You don’t have be ask a librarian to put a stamp on your borrowed book slip with the date when it should be returned. It is all done automatically. All you need to do is to scan a barcode on your book and get a printed ticket with the date and other information regarding the book and another borrowing conditions. Modern libraries are well equipped with copying machines, computers to research specific books.
Modern libraries are spacious places, often with skylights and glass walls.
The librarians create nice and friendly atmosphere for students to use libraries. Some buildings are equipped with lifts and special access facilities. Books are still being sorted out manually by librarians before the go back on shelves.
It is easy to find any book as shelves are well marked and numbered. When a student needs to find a certain book, he logs into the library’s intranet and finds a catalogue number together with other details, including the shelf of which the book is placed. Everything is designed to save your time on searching a book and spending more time on reading.
