Scotticisms, Vulgar Anglicisms, and Grammatical Improprieties Corrected, With Reasons for The Corrections; Being a Collection upon a New Plan: Alphabetically arranged, and adapted to the use of Academics, Men of Business and Private Families. [Bound with:] Scoticisms, Arranged in Alphabetical Order, designed to Correct Improprieties of Speech and Writing. To which is added, A Lecture on Elocution by Dr. Blair.

Notes

Two scarce late 18th century linguistic vade mecums for writers trying to eradicate Scots phrasing from their work. Hugh Mitchell was a former priest, then master at the English and French Academy in Glasgow while James Beattie, although best-remembered as a philosopher and poet, was also a professor of moral philosophy and logic at Marischal College, Aberdeen for 40 years. Both works take a didactic tone, listing alphabetically the deprecated Scottish phrases along with their promoted English alternatives. Mitchell's book is the first and only edition, while Beattie's is a rare condensation of a 1787 expansion of an unobtainable 1779 privately printed list. ESTC records two issues of the Beattie, each in only 2 copies, this one Aberdeen and NLS only.