ith _Guy
Mannering_, it is impossible to imagine why he gave such a name as Meg
Merrilies to his magnificent heroine. It suggests "merry lies," and
makes us suspect that she was originally intended for a comic character.
{23} And why, as she grew into a tragedy queen, he did not rename her I
cannot understand. Fortunately he gave the colourless name Abel Sampson
to another great character--the immortal Dominie. Again Dirk Hatteraick
is a passable name. I cannot pretend to say whether it is a Dutch name,
but as Dirk uses German (of a sort) when not speaking English, we may
leave the question open. Among the names which are clearly bad are: Sir
Thomas Kittlecourt, John Featherhead, Sloethorn (a wine merchant),
Mortcloke the undertaker, Quid the tobacconist, Protocol the lawyer, and
lastly the MacDingawaies, a Highland sept or clan.

The following seem to be bearable or fairly good, but I must confess to a
want of instinct as to Scotch names: MacGuffog, a constable, Macbriar,
Dandy Dinmont (although a _dinmont_ is the Scottish for "a wedder in the
second year"), MacCandlish. On the whole, as far as _Guy Mannering_ is
concerned, the author gets but few good marks and many bad ones.

The same is, I fear, true of _The Antiquary_. We find such bad names as
Rev. Mr Blattergowl of Trotcosey (vol. i., p. 208); Baron von
Blunderhaus; Dibble the gardener; Dousterswivel, the German or Dutch
swindler; the Earl of Glengibber; Goldiword, a moneylender; Dr
Heavysterne, from the Low Countries; Mr Mailsetter of the Post Office;
Sandie Netherstanes the miller; Jonathan Oldbuck, the hero of the book;
Sir Peter Pepperbrand of Glenstirym. Of the name Strathtudlem I cannot
judge; it does not strike me as good, though possibly better than the
immortal Tillietudlem of _Old Mortality_.

There are, of course, a number of names which do not offend, but there
are few which are actually attractive. Among the last-named class are
Edie Ochiltree, Francis of Fowlsheugh, Elspeth of Craigburnfoot, Lady
Glenallan, Francie Macraw, Ailison Breck, but among these Edie Ochiltree
is the only name which is undoubtedly in Class I.

It is disappointing to a lover of Sir Walter Scott to be obliged to show
that as an artist in names he ranks low. But his sense of humour
occasionally fails in other matters. I remember being reproved (when a
young man at Cambridge) for saying that Scott showed a want of humour in
Jeanie Deans' letter to her father, in w