to be, when pigs were swine, and Turkey chewed tobacky,
than they are like the Picts or Scots, or Norman, French,
or Saxons, or nothin'."

"Not what they used to be?" I said. "Pray, what do you
mean?"

"I mean," said he, "jist what I say. They ain't the same
people no more. They are as proud, and overbearin', and
concaited, and haughty to foreigners as ever; but, then
they ain't so manly, open-hearted, and noble as they used
to be, once upon a time. They have the Spy System now,
in full operation here; so jist take my advice, and mind
your potatoe-trap, or you will be in trouble afore you
are ten days older, see if you ain't."

"The Spy System!" I replied. "Good Heavens, Mr. Slick,
how can you talk such nonsense, and yet have the modesty
to say you have no prejudice?"

"Yes, the Spy System," said he, "and I'll prove it. You
know Dr. Mc'Dougall to Nova Scotia; well, he knows all
about mineralogy, and geology, and astrology, and every
thing a'most, except what he ought to know, and that is
dollar-ology. For he ain't over and above half well off,
that's a fact. Well, a critter of the name of Oatmeal,
down to Pictou, said to another Scotchman there one day,
'The great nateralist Dr. Mc'Dougall is come to town.'

"'Who?' says Sawney.