Laudator Temporis Acti

George MacDonald, Sir Gibbie, chapter XXX (The Lorrie Meadow):

"There he is!" cried Nicie.

"I see him," responded Ginny, "—with his cows all about the meadow."

Donal sat a little way from the river, reading.

"He's aye at 's buik!" said Nicie.

"I wonder what book it is," said Ginny.

"That wad be ill to say," answered Nicie. "Donal reads a hantle o' buiks—mair, his mither says, nor she doobts he can weel get the guid o'."

"Do you think it's Latin, Nicie?"

"Ow! I daursay. But no; it canna be Laitin—for, leuk! he's lauchin', an' he cudna dee that gien 'twar Laitin."

If you can't understand Nicie, here's the passage as "edited and abridged by Kathryn Lindskoog" for the Young Reader's Library:

"There he is!" cried Nicie.

"I see him," responded Ginny, "—with his cows all about the meadow. I wonder what he is reading."

"That would be hard to say," answered Nicie. "Donal reads so many books that Mother doubts he can well get the good of them."

"Do you think it's Latin, Nicie?"

"Oh, very likely. But no, it can't be Latin—for look! He's laughing, and he couldn't laugh if he were reading Latin."