Explanation of the Terms "Whig" and "Tory." Burnet, who was contemporary with the introduction of these terms, gives the following account of the former:"The south-west counties of Scotland have seldom corn enough to serve them through the year; and the northern parts producing more than they need, those in the west come in the summer to buy at Leith, the stores that come from the north; and from a word (whiggam)used in driving their horses, all that drove were called Whiggamors, and, shorter, the Whigs. Now in that year, before the news came down of the duke of Hamilton's defeat, the ministers animated the people to rise and march to Edinburgh; and they came up, marching at the head of their parishes with an unheard-of fury, praying and preaching all the way as they came. This was called the Whiggamor's inroad; and ever after, all that opposed the court came in contempt to be called Whigs.

Dr. Johnson, in his Dictionary, quotes this passage; yet by placing against the term Whig, the Saxon word Whag, synonymous to whey, or sour milk, he seems not to reject another derivation, which has been assigned to it by some writers.

Echard says - "Great animosities were created by these petitioners and abhorrers, and they occasioned many feuds and quarrels in private conversations; and about the same time, 1680, and from the same cause, arose the pernicious terms and distinctions of Whig and Tory, both exotic names, which the parties invid ously bestowed upon each other. All that adhered to the interest of the crown and lineal succession, were by the contrary branded with the title given to the Irish robbers; and they, in return, gave the others the appellation of Whig, or sour milk, formerly appropriated to the Scotch presbyterians and rigid covenanters." - p. 988.

Tindal, in his introduction to the Continuation of Rapin's History, notices the distinction between the principles of the parties, but does not inquire into the etymology of the terms. - Vol. i. p. 15.

Toland, in his State Anatomy, considers the words as mere terms of reproach, first applied to each party by its enemies, and then adopted by each as a distinction.

"The words themselves are but late nicknames, given by each party to the other in King Charles the Second's reign: Tories in Ireland, and Whigs in Scotland, being what we in England call highwaymen; and you, public robbers." -Part I.

Hume, the historian, says"This year, 1680, is remarkable for being the epoch of the well-known epithets Whig and Tory, by which, and sometimes without any material difference, this island has been so long divided. The court party reproached their antagonists with their affinity to the fanatical conventiclers, who were known by the name of Whigs; and the country party found a resemblance between the courtiers and the Popish banditti in Ireland, who were known by the name of Tories." - Vol. VIII. p. 125.

These are the principal writers in which the origin of the terms is noticed.