What is VOGIE?

Vogie is an obscure word used in the 18th and 19th century, mainly in Scotland. It means Happy, Cheerful, Merry, or Delighted. Vogie is the feeling you get when you complete a puzzle or work out a clever algorithm. Vogie is playing your best in a sport, or doing well on a test. Vogie is good.

Here is the definition of vogie as defined in THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY. And below are some references.




A vogie license



The song My Hoggie by Robert Burns

Robert Burns, 1788

song-My Hoggie 


    What will I do gin my Hoggie die? 
    My joy, my pride, my Hoggie! 
    My only beast, I had nae mae, 
    And vow but I was vogie! 
    The lee-lang night we watch'd the fauld, 
    Me and my faithfu' doggie; 
    We heard nocht but the roaring linn, 
    Amang the braes sae scroggie. 

    But the houlet cry'd frau the castle wa', 
    The blitter frae the boggie; 
    The tod reply'd upon the hill, 
    I trembled for my Hoggie. 
    When day did daw, and cocks did craw, 
    The morning it was foggie; 
    An unco tyke, lap o'er the dyke, 
    And maist has kill'd my Hoggie! 

Unknown author, Lassie Wi' the Yellow Coatie

LASSIE WI' THE YELLOW COATIE 

      (Chorus) Lassie wi' the yellow coatie
               Would y'wed a muirland Jockie?
               Lassie wi' th' yellow coatie
               Would y'busk and gang wi' me?

 I have milk and meal in plenty       Wi' my lassie and my doggie
 I have kale and cakes fu' dainty     O'er th' lea and thru the boggie
 I've a but-an-ben fu' genty          Nane on earth was e'er sae vogie
 But I lack a lass like thee!         Or as blythe as we will be!

 Although my mailen be but sma'       Haste ye, lassie, tae my bosom
 And little gold I have t'shaw        While the roses are in blossom!
 I hae a heart without a flaw         Time is precious; dinna lose them
 An' I will gie it all t'thee!        Flowers will fade, and sae shall ye

(Final Chorus) Lassie wi' the yellow coatie

                   Ah! Take pity on your Jockie!
                   Lassie wi' the yellow coatie
                   I'm in haste, and sae should ye!

The Annals of the Parish by Rev. Micah Balwhidder, edited by John Galt

ANNALS OF THE PARISH

Or The Chronicle of Dalmailing during the ministry of the Rev. Micah Balwhidder. Written by himself and arranged and edited by John Galt

CHAPTER XVI YEAR 1775

It happened that Miss Betty Wudrife, the daughter of an heritor, had been on a visit to some of her friends in Edinburgh; and being in at Edinburgh, she came out with a fine mantle, decked and adorned with many a ribbon-knot, such as had never been seen in the parish. The Lady Macadam, hearing of this grand mantle, sent to beg Miss Betty to lend it to her, to make a copy for young Mrs Macadam. But Miss Betty was so vogie with her gay mantle, that she sent back word, it would be making it o'er common; which so nettled the old courtly lady, that she vowed revenge, and said the mantle would not be long seen on Miss Betty. Nobody knew the meaning of her words; but she sent privately for Miss Sabrina, the schoolmistress, who was aye proud of being invited to my lady's, where she went on the Sabbath night to drink tea, and read Thomson's SEASONS and Hervey's MEDITATIONS for her ladyship's recreation. Between the two, a secret plot was laid against Miss Betty and her Edinburgh mantle; and Miss Sabrina, in a very treacherous manner, for the which I afterwards chided her severely, went to Miss Betty, and got a sight of the mantle, and how it was made, and all about it, until she was in a capacity to make another like it; by which my lady and her, from old silk and satin negligees which her ladyship had worn at the French court, made up two mantles of the selfsame fashion as Miss Betty's, and, if possible, more sumptuously garnished, but in a flagrant fool way. On the Sunday morning after, her ladyship sent for Jenny Gaffaw, and her daft daughter Meg, and showed them the mantles, and said she would give then half-a-crown if they would go with them to the kirk, and take their place in the bench beside the elders, and, after worship, walk home before Miss Betty Wudrife. The two poor natural things were just transported with the sight of such bravery, and needed no other bribe; so, over their bits of ragged duds, they put on the pageantry, and walked away to the kirk like peacocks, and took their place on the bench, to the great diversion of the whole congregation.


The Provost by John Galt references VOGIE three (3) times

The Provost

by John Galt

CHAPTER XLII--THE NEW MEMBER

He was by nature and inclination one of the upsetting sort; a kind of man who, in all manner of business, have a leaven of contrariness, that makes them very hard to deal with; and he, being conjunct with his majesty's ministers at London, had imbibed and partook of that domineering spirit to which all men are ordained, to be given over whenever they are clothed in the garments of power. Many among us thought, by his colleaguing with the government, that we had got a great catch, and they were both blythe and vogie when he was chosen; none doubting but he would do much good servitude to the corporation, and the interests of the burgh. However he soon gave a rebuff, that laid us all on our backs in a state of the greatest mortification. But although it behoved me to sink down with the rest, I was but little hurt: on the contary, I had a good laugh in my sleeve at the time; and afterwards, many a merry tumbler of toddy with my brethren, when they had recovered from their discomfiture. The story was this:-

CHAPTER XLIII --MY THIRD PROVOSTRY

It was at the Michaelmas 1813 that I was chosen provost for the third time, and at the special request of my lord the earl, who, being in ill health, had been advised by the faculty of doctors in London to try the medicinal virtues of the air and climate of Sicily, in the Mediterranean sea; and there was an understanding on the occasion, that I should hold the post of honour for two years, chiefly in order to bring to a conclusion different works that the town had then in hand.

At the two former times when I was raised to the dignity, and indeed at all times when I received any advancement, I had enjoyed an elation of heart, and was, as I may say, crouse and vogie; but experience had worked a change upon my nature, and when I was saluted on my election with the customary greetings and gratulations of those present, I felt a solemnity enter into the frame of my thoughts, and I became as it were a new man on the spot. When I returned home to my own house, I retired into my private chamber for a time, to consult with myself in what manner my deportment should be regulated; for I was conscious that heretofore I had been overly governed with a disposition to do things my own way, and although not in an avaricious temper, yet something, I must confess, with a sort of sinister respect for my own interests. It may be, that standing now clear and free of the world, I had less incitement to be so grippy, and so was thought of me, I very well know; but in sobriety and truth I conscientiously affirm, and herein record, that I had lived to partake of the purer spirit which the great mutations of the age had conjured into public affairs, and I saw that there was a necessity to carry into all dealings with the concerns of the community, the same probity which helps a man to prosperity in the sequestered traffic of private life.

CHAPTER XLVII--THE RESIGNATION

Mr Mucklewheel accordingly went to Mr Birky, who had of course heard nothing of the subject, but they came back together, and he was very vogie with the notion of making a speech before the council, for he was an upsetting young man. In short, the matter was so set forward, that, on the Monday following, it was all over the town that I was to get a piece of plate at my resignation, and the whole affair proceeded so well to an issue, that the same was brought to a head to a wish. Thus had I the great satisfaction of going to my repose as a private citizen with a very handsome silver cup, bearing an inscription in the Latin tongue, of the time I had been in the council, guildry, and magistracy; and although, in the outset of my public life, some of my dealings may have been leavened with the leaven of antiquity, yet, upon the whole, it will not be found, I think, that, one thing weighed with another, I have been an unprofitable servant to the community. Magistrates and rulers must rule according to the maxims and affections of the world; at least, whenever I tried any other way, strange obstacles started up in the opinions of men against me, and my purest intents were often more criticised than some which were less disinterested; so much is it the natural humour of mankind to jealouse and doubt the integrity of all those who are in authority and power, especially when they see them deviating from the practices of their predecessors. Posterity, therefore, or I am far mistaken, will not be angered at my plain dealing with regard to the small motives of private advantage of which I have made mention, since it has been my endeavour to show and to acknowledge, that there is a reforming spirit abroad among men, and that really the world is gradually growing better--slowly I allow; but still it is growing better, and the main profit of the improvement will be reaped by those who are ordained to come after us.


This biography references the Robert Burns song

Modern History Sourcebook:
Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881):
On Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), 1838

The order of march had been all settled, and the sociable was just getting under weigh, when the Lady Anne broke from the line, screaming with laughter, and exclaimed, "Papa, papa, I knew you could never think of going without your pet!" Scott looked round, and I rather think there was a blush as well as a smile upon his face, when he perceived a little black pig frisking about his pony, and evidently a self-elected addition to the party of the day. He tried to look stern, and cracked his whip at the creature, but was in a moment obliged to join in the general cheers. Poor piggy soon found a strap round its neck, and was dragged into the background; - Scott, watching the retreat, repeated with mock pathos the first verse of an old pastoral song

"What will I do gin my hoggie die? My joy, my pride, my hoggie! My only beast, I had na mae, And wow! but I was vogie!"

-the cheers were redoubled - and the squadron moved on.