The Parting Glass The Parting Glass "The Parting Glass" is a Scottish traditional song, often sung at the end of a gathering of friends. It was purportedly the most popular parting song sung in Scotland before Robert Burns wrote "Auld Lang Syne". The "parting glass", or "stirrup cup", or "coupe d'etrier" was the final hospitality offered to a departing guest. Once they had mounted, they were presented one final drink to fortify them for their travels. The custom was practiced in Saxony and in several continental countries. The earliest known printed version was as a broadside in the 1770s and it first appeared
Clifton Johnson (author) (1896) and ‘’The Days of Auld Lang Syne’’ (which the New York times predicted would appeal to the reading public and prove popular as gifts), as well as Barrie’s "Window in Thrums" (1896). On his third trip to Great Britain (1897), Johnson took photographs for an illustrated edition of Charles Dicken’s "Illustrated History of England" (1898). He traveled by train, stagecoach, river boat, canal barge, hired horse or even by foot. He liked to stay in small towns and villages rather than cities and preferred to sleep in farmhouses which he felt gave him a better chance to observe habitual