Compton Mackenzie and Norman Sturrock
(From Scottish)
Edinburgh is a place where good conversation is an ancient and well-practised art ; and some of the liveliest conversation today is heard when Compton Mackenzie leaves his island home in Barra, one of the Outer Hebrfdes, and encounters Norman Sturrock.
Sturrock is an Edinburgh banker, and he and Mackenzie are old friends and old opponents in argument. Mackenzie's visits to Edinburgh are rare, and Sturrock has only visited Barra once, so when they meet they always have plenty to talk about, and generally they find some subject on which to disagree in ' the most entertaining fashion.
Their friends in Edinburgh have long enjoyed listening to them; tonight they are to argue before a wider circle. They have given no title to their talk except ' This and That', so it is to be presumed that their conversation will be discursive and comprehensive.