calculating people-though attached to home, they are to be met with in great numbers in every quarter of the globe. The Highlanders are a hardy and generous race, somewhat fiery, and devoted to the chiefs of their clans. The English language is universal among the Lowlanders, who are chiefly of Saxon extraction; the Gaelic is spoken in the north.

RELIGION.

The established religion of Scotland is the Presbyterian, which recognises no diversity of rank among its clergy. Education has been much attended to in Scotland, and the facilities for acquiring it are great.

GOVERNMENT.

For many centuries Scotland and England were incessantly at war; the wise policy of Henry VII. in giving his daughter Margaret in marriage to James IV. king of Scotland, led to the Union of the two kingdoms. On the death of Elizabeth, James VI. of Scotland became possessed of the English crown, which he assumed under the title of James I. The union of the two kingdoms was rendered complete in 1707, by the incorporation of their legislatures. Scotland sends 53 members to the British House of Commons, and 16 peers to the House of Lords, who are elected every parliament to represent the nobility.

ANCIENT NAME,

Caledonia; the name Scotia seems to have been given to it about the twelfth century, by a number of Irish who had emigrated to it.

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.

What are the length and breadth of Scotland? What are the counties in the northern division, with their chief towns? Name those in the midland division. What counties are in the southern division, and what are their chief towns? Which is the most northerly point of Scotland? Which the most easterly? Which the most southerly?

Which is the capital of Scotland, and what is its port? Which of the Scottish counties are washed by the British Ocean or North Sea? What county is the nearest to Ireland? Between which two counties does the Firth of Clyde lie? What is the name of that Firth which lies between Fifeshire and the Lothians? On what river is Aberdeen situated? What is the principal river in Perthshire, and where does it fall into the sea? How does the Clyde run, and where does it fall into the sea? Where is the Pentland Firth? What are the principal mountains in Scotland?

Which is the largest lake in Britain? What lochs lie on the line of the Caledonian Canal? Where is coal most abundant? What towns engage in the cotton manufacture? The linen? Which engage in the West India trade? What is the character of the Scotch? What the established religion? What led to the Union with England?

IRELAND.

Ireland is separated from Great Britain by the Irish Sea, which contracts in the north into the North Channel, and in the south into St. George's Channel. On every other side it is washed by the Atlantic. It is about 300 miles in length,and about 182 at its greatest breadth, and contains 30,000 square miles.

Ireland is divided into four provinces, viz.:* Leinster, in the east; Ulster, in the north; Con'naught, in the west; and Munster, in the south. These are subdivided into

• Those letters which are printed in Italics are not sounded.

The coast of Ireland is deeply indented by bays, especially on the west, where it is exposed to the unbroken fury of the Atlantic; though no part of the island is dis

tant more than 50 miles from the sea. The bays of Do-> negal, Sligo, Clew, Galway, the estuary of the Shannon, and Dingle Bay, on the west, are very spacious. The bay of Bantry, and the harbours of Cork and Waterford are on the south; Belfast Lough, Dundalk and Dublin bays are on the east.

Malin Head is the most northerly point of the island. Tor Head is the part nearest Scotland; and Cape Clear, the most southerly point, is usually the first land seen by English vessels homeward bound from foreign parts.

MOUNTAINS.

The principal mountains are, *MaGillicuddy's Reeks, in Kerry, which reach an elevation of 3,600 feet; and Mangerton, in the same county; the Galtee mountains, in Tipperary; Croagh Patrick, in Mayo; the Mourne mountains, in Down; and the Wicklow mountains.

LAKES.

The principal lakes in Ireland are Lough Neagh, the largest in the United Kingdom, which skirts five counties, and greatly facilitates intercourse between them; Lough Erne, Lough Corrib, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg. The lakes of Killarney, in Kerry, are celebrated for their picturesque scenery.

In Lough Derg there are several small islands, on one of which is a noted place of pilgrimage called St. Patrick's purgatory.

A remarkable feature in the geography of Ireland is, its extensive bogs, which occupy nearly three millions of acres of its surface. They are pricipally situated in a belt formed by lines drawn from Wicklow Head to Galway, and from Howth Head to Sligo.

RIVERS.

The largest river in Ireland is the Shannon, which issues from the mountains that separate Fermanagh from Leitrim; it takes a southern course between the provinces

C and G printed in capitals are to be sounded hard.

of Leinster and Connaught; here it expands into Lough Allen; next it forms Lough Ree and Lough Derg; passes. Killaloe flows on to Limerick, whence it is navigable, and about 60 miles below that port falls into the Atlantic Ocean. Its course is about 170 miles.

The Suir rises in Tipperary, and receiving the Nore and Barrow, is navigable from Clonmel, and falls into the sea at Waterford.The Barrow is navigable to Athy.

The Blackwater springs from a mountain in the county of Kerry, and falls into the Bay of Youghall.

The Bann rises in the county of Down, falls into Lough Neagh, and dividing the counties of Antrim and Londonderry, after a course of 70 miles falls into the sea below Coleraine.

The Bann is famous for its Salmon leap near Coleraine, and for its salmon fishery, which is the greatest in the kingdom.

The Liffey runs by Dublin.

The Boyne rises in King's County, and falls into the sea at Drogheda, having a course of about 50 miles.

CANALS.

The Grand Canal extends from Dublin to the Shannon, which it joins near Banagher. Its length is 87 miles.

The Royal Canal stretches westward from Dublin to the Shannon, which it joins at Tormanbury. Its length is 83 miles.

The Newry Canal completes the communication between Lough Neagh and Carlingford Bay. Another unites the Lough with Belfast.

RAILWAYS.

Though several important lines have been projected, few are as yet completed. The Dublin and Kingston line is six miles long, connecting the capital with its port. The Kingston and Dalkey line is worked the Atmospheric principle.

upon

A line is constructed from Belfast to Portadown; it is laid down to the gauge recommended by the Irish Railway Commissioners, 6 ft. 2 in.