LETTER XXVI.

SCOTLAND, my young friend, was first

discovered to the Romans by Agricola; the fituation of the country and the manners of its inhabitants were described by the historian Tacitus. By him this part of the island was called Caledonia, and the name was continued as long as the Roman power lafted. The venerable Bede denominates the inhabitants by the term Picti. In the eleventh century the name of Scotia was taken from Ireland and applied to Scotland. This part of Great Britain is fuppofed to contain nearly twentyeight thousand fquare miles, and the population is estimated at something more than a million and a half.

The original people were the Cimbri, who, two hundred years before the Chriftian æra, were driven to the south of Scotland by the Caledonians or Picti, a Gothic colony from Norway. This is reckoned the firft epoch of Scottish hiftory. The next was from the time that Agricola came into Scotland till the period when the Romans abandoned the country. The regular history of

Scotland commences A. D.. 414. It was not, however, till 565 that chriftianity was introduced; nor till 1056, under the reign of Malcolm III. that any confiderable degree of civilization took place. In 1290 the ancient line of kings became extinct, in the perfon of Margaret of Norway. The proteftant religion was established in the year 1560; and in 1603 the union of the crowns of England and Scotland took place by the acceffion of James VI. to the English fceptre, which was confirmed in 1707 by a folemn act of the legiflature. Since this the government of Scotland has been blended with that of England. The chief diftinction between the original conftitution of the two countries was, that Scotland had no houfe of commons, the parliament confifting of all defcriptions affembled in one hall. The ancient religious eftablishment of Scotland was Epifcopacy, under two archbishops and eleven bishops; but fince the revolution in 1688 Prefbyterianifm has been the established religion. The most remarkable feature of the prefent government of Scotland is the General Affembly: next to this are the high courts of justice, especially that ftyled the feffion, confifting of a prefident, and fourteen fenators. The Lords of feffion affume a title generally from

the name of fome eftate, by which they are always addreffed, as if peers by creation. The only appeal from this court is to the parliament of Great Britain. The jufticiary court, confifting of five judges, is the fupreme court in criminal causes, which are determined by a majority of the jury.

The law of Scotland differs effentially, in mány refpects, from that of England, and is founded upon the civil law. Of common law there is fcarcely a trace remaining, while the civil and canon laws may be faid to form the two pillars of Scottish judicature.

The Scottish language must be divided into that of the Lowlands, confifting of the ancient Scandinavian dialect, blended with the Anglo-Saxon; and that of the Highlands, which is Irish. With regard to the literature of Scotland, it must be obferved that in the 12th century there was not a 'fingle native writer. In the 13th literature begins to dawn, fince which it has been progreffive, and Scotland now is able to produce writers of the first refpectability in every department of literature, and in almoft every branch of fcience. For the promotion of knowledge this country is furnished with four Univer fities, viz. at Edinburgh, St. Andrew's, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, besides a multitude

of schools at which all claffes of youth may be educated at comparatively a moderate degree of expence.

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, contains from ninety to a hundred thousand inhabitants, and the commerce is stated at half a million annually. It is divided into the old and new town; the houses of the former are frequently from 12 to 14 ftories high: the latter is celebrated for the elegance and regularity of its buildings.

Glasgow is the fecond city in Scotland, and celebrated for its manufactures of linens, woollens, &c. Perth and Aberdeen are the next towns of importance. The chief manufactures of Scotland are linen of various kinds, carpets, and wrought iron.

The face of the country is generally mountainous; but the name of Highlands is more ftrictly confined to Argyleshire, the west of Perthshire, and of Invernefs, and the entire counties of Rofs, Sutherland, and Caithness. The principal rivers are the Forth, the Clyde, and the Tay: the Tweed is the next in confequence, which falls into the fea at Berwick. Among the lakes in Scotland, the chief is that of Lomond, which contains many iflands fupposed to form part of the Grampian chain of mountains. In fome parts

of this lake the waters are eighty fathoms deep; they were agitated in a fingular manner at the time of the earthquake at Lisbon. The lakes of Tay, Menteith, and Nefs are alfo celebrated. The mountains in Scotland are lofty and numerous. Ben Nevis is the highest in Great Britain, being estimated at 4350 feet above the level of the fea. The iflands that belong to Scotland are very numerous, and are generally divided into the Hebrides or Western Islands, the Orkneys, and the Shetland: for the fituation of which I refer you to the map.

I am, &c. &c.

Questions formed for the Exercife of the Pupil.

WHO firft defcribed the manners of the people of Scotland?

What was it called under the Romans?

How large is Scotland, and what is the amount of

its population?

Who were the original people?

When did Scotland begin to be civilized?

When was the protestant religion established ?

When was it united to England?

What was the chief distinction in the conftitution of

the two countries?