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tion of Mifcellaneous Extracts from the Statistical Account of Scotland.

SH OF BATHGATE.

in the Manner of Living alteration in the manner ving has taken place in this in the lat 40 years. A , there were no above 10 o ufed tea, and now, peris not above twice that no do not use it. Butcher then not more ufed than ly any cattle or theep were cept at Martinmas, when ies ufed to falt a whole, or a part of an ox or cow, = provifion; but now there rflelh market twice a week, t every family, who can eats flesh conftantly. A er quantity of wheaten bread nfumed in the parish in a an was in a twelve-month s ago. The alteration in : 1750 is alfo remarkable. e good man and his fons kirk, market, wedding, or ey were clothed in a homeof freezed cloth, called kelt, Convulfion fits, of a very extraorofe, with a blue or brown dinary kind, feem peculiar to this and the good wife and her country. The patient is first seized were dreffed in gowns and with fomething like fainting, and imof their own fpinning, with mediately after utters wild cries and oak and hood of the fame, fhrieks, the found of which, at what, n or red plaid. But now, ever diftance, inmediately pets all er, when they go abroad, who are fubject to the disorder in the of English cloth, good hats, fame fituation. It most commonly I the latter the finest printed attacks them when the church is and fometimes filk gowns, crowded; and often interrupts the and bonnets, of different fervice in this, and many other Gizes, and colours, white, churches in the country. On a facloth fhoes, &c.

corn, which produces very ferious
they are obliged to purchafe meal at
confequences to the inhabitants, as
the, difcretionary price of the feller,
To remedy this fore evil, about twen
ty years ago, a number of mechanics,
countenanced by many of the more
refpectable and wealthy inhabitants,
formed themfelves into an affociation,
whofe object was to purchase meal, to
be diftributed weekly to the fubfcri-
bers only. Each fubfcriber, at his
entry, originally paid five faillings,
(now feven fhillings and fixpence).
and thirteen pence a-year.
It is go-
verned by a deacon, as he is called,
and twelve affeffors, chofen annually.
This inftitution has produced very
good effects. The fubfcribers, and
the poor in general, are regularly fup-
plied at a price rather below the rate
of the country. Their stock is now
about L. 140 Sterling.

ARISH OF STRANRAER.

Trade. armers generally export their VOL. XIV. No. 80.

PARISH OF DELTING, IN SHETLAND.
Difcafes.

cramental occafion, 50 or 60 are fometimes carried out of the church, and laid in the church-yard, where they struggle and roar with all their ftrength for five or ten minutes, and then rife up without recollecting a

This practice is fometimes fill continued.

Single

them, or being in the leaft hurt or fatigued with the violent exertions they had made during the fit. Oae obfervation occurs on this diforder, that during the late fcarce years it was very uncommon; and during the two laft years of plenty it has appeared more frequently.

Cattle, c.

fingle circumstance that had happened fummer fishery for a fee of L. 16 tq L. 26 Scots. Sometimes the fees are as high as L. 28 Scots for 10 fummer weeks. When they have been one feafon at the fishing, they generally confider themselves as men. They are encouraged to marriage by their landlords, in order to prevent them leaving the country; and the confequences commonly are, that they find themselves involved in debt and large families in a few years. There is a fet of very old regulations, called Country Acts; by one of which it is enacted, that no pair fhall marry unlefs they be poffeffed of L. 40 Scots of free gear. This regulation, as weil as all the reft, is now not enforced; though all of them appear to have been well calculated for the good police of the country. It is faid that these regulations were approved and confirm ed by the parliament of Scotland, in the reign of Queen Mary, or of James VI.

The winter of 1784 was very fevere, and cut off a great number of heep and horned cattle in every part of thefe iflands. An account was taken, at the defire of the minifter, in this parish, and the return was 4506 fheep, and 427 black cattle, dead in the courfe of the winter, befides horfes, of which no accurate açcount could be obtained, This, join ed to a year of as great fcarcity as the country had experienced, was very hard on the poor tenants; and they have not yet recovered the lofs. In that winter, the sheep were often dug There has been no emigration from out of the fnow, after continuing un- the parish during the time of the preder it for 20 days; during all which fent incumbent: but, almost every time they had no food, but ate the year, a great number of young lads enwool from the backs of each other. gage with the Greenland fhips, which Some that died after they were taken touch at Briffay Sound on their outout were opened, and a hard ball of ward paffage in the month of March wool was found in their ftomach. and April. They receive from 30s. The general poverty of the inhabitants; to 40's. a-month. Many of thefe their being obliged to be from home men are landed on the island when during the fishing feafon; the fmall- the thips return from Greenland; but refs of their farms, and the precari- many go at laft into the navy. ous tenure by which they hold them; a fact well ascertained, that in the all confpire to keep them in a state of year 1763, there were 900 Shetland indigence. Every man, from the men paid off. What number remain. age of 18 to 70, muft attend the fish-ed in the fleet after the peace it is ining from the ft June to the 14th Au- poffible to fay. guft. None are left at home but a wife, with perhaps a number of young children, who require all her attention. Every thing in the farming line muft confequently go to wreck,

Population.

There are very few batchelors. The people, in general, marry young. A young lad, when he comes to the age of 18 or 19 years, goes to the

PARISH OF LUNAN.

Church.

It is

One of the minifters, Mr Alexander Pedie, who died in 1713, bequeathed fome plate for the Lord's Supper is the church of Lunan, on this fingular condition, that any Epifcopil congregation within feyen miles of Lunan re

quiring

should have the ufe of at purpose. There is a ament erected in the s memory, for upholding dow bequeathed an an4 Scots, payable to the

Although the parish confifts wholly of the poorer ranks of fociety, newfpapers are generally read and attended to: The defire for them increases; and the reading of them feems to be attended with advantage. With regard to the intellectual character of the people: They are deficient in imagination; vivacity, humour, &c. their OF AUCHTERDERRAN. apprehenfion and judgment are very good, and they make a decent figure Character of the People. in the common profeffions of life. bitants are very regu- With refpect to their moral and rettendance on public wor- gious character, they have all a profef erly they were fond of fion of religion; but, in the points fervices, and confidered where their fituation more in:mediateof duty to continue long ly leads to temptation, they too freexercifes. Perhaps the quently and even habitually contraugh fhorter than before, dict their profeflion. Their civil chalong for anfwering the racter is excellent: they feem in otion and fpiritual edifica- fome degree capable of reflecting on people are not illiterate. the advantages of government; and with the reft of Scotland, they obey it peaceably, and on prinre, for their station, lite- ciple. They could, however, be eafios, beyond all other na- ly ftirred up to fedition in matters of ritanic and abftrufe divi- rcligion. There is one Burgher meetin for a fufficient fhare in ing in this parish. The religious totock of books; and it is leration granted feems to answer, in uliar to them, as a people, this district, the full ends of good deavour to form opinions, government and public utility: it , as well as by frequent could hardly stand on a better foot, on fome very metaphyfi- ing. Seceffion now begins to dimiconnected with religion, nifh; and the bitterness of contending deeper doctrines of Chrif- fects is greatly fubfiding: this partly hey likewife read a varie- proceeds from the novelty being over; r books unconnected with partly from the great variety of fects ts. The parochial fchools which have taken place; and partly, means fupplied with fuch it is hoped, from more enlightened teachers as thofe that were views of true religion. As to holiinftrumental in diffufing days for recreation or merry-making, No one of good educa- the people have only one in the year, ility now accepts of this re- called Handfel-Mondey; and ance, where the fituation is the manner in which this is employed ble for procuring lucrative fhews the fober mindedness of the and the village teacher, people. Inftead of meeting in large by the subscription of needy affemblies for diverfions, each family a ftill more unqualified per- collects its own kindred from the diffuch cafes, the people do ferent parts of the district, provides a le feeking out the best, but feaft, and fpends the time in eating, ft. The confequence will drinking, and converfation. The hothe poorer diftricts of the lidays, befides Sabbaths, for religious and the poor claffes of the fervices, in the Establishment," are uft become more ignorant. three days in the year; among the N 2

even

Seceders fix. The people have fcarcely any fports after they are grown up. among the infinite advan. tages of the Reformation, this feems to have been one disadvantage attending it, that, owing to the gloomy rigour of fome of the leading actors, mirth and vice have, in their apprefion, been confounded together. Some of the fectaries punish attendance on penny weddings, and public dancing, with a reproof from the pulpit, in the prefence of the congregation: fo that the people muft either dance by themfelves or let it alone. This cenfure, in feveral congregations, is falling into dif

Wilson was the first that introduced turnips and potatoes into the parish. He had a few of them in his garden, which the people in coming to the church ufed to look at as a great curiufity; and it was thought, at that time, that none but a gardener could raife them. It was long before the method of hoeing came to be thought of. Being fown thick, and handweeded, they came to no fize. Another fingularity deferves notice, viz. that, when he came to Gamrie, there. was not a watch in church except the laird's and the minifter's.

APPIN.

Mifecllaneous Obfervations.

The people in this parish are, ia general, laborious and induftrious. Crimes of an hardly known here. fuicide, or of murder, has occurred for 25 years paft.

enormous nature are No inflance of

ufe. There are a few perfons, called UNITED PARISHES OF LISMORE AND tinkers, and horners, half-resident, and half-itinerant, who are feared and fufpected by the community. Two of them were banished within these fix years. Strangers complain of the pronunciation in this district being crawling, and that it impreffes them with a belief that the perfon fpeaking is four and ill tempered. The inhabitants are improving in their mode of living and drefs. Intemperance from fpirituous liquors is by no means frequent among them; but, unluckily, the use of whifky is increafing, and that of beer diminishing. The blue bonnet, a national badge, is difappearing rapidly. The prevalent colour of the men's dress is blue.

PARISH OF GAMRIE.

Population.

In this parish, many inftances of longevity might be mentioned. It is only a few years fince a fifhermar in Macduff died at the age of 109; and there are living at prefent feveral perfons go years old and upwards. Mr Wilfon (the minifter) is in his 97th year; and laft autumn, at the conclufion of the harveft, the age of him, and the two fervants that affifted in taking in his crop, amounted in all to 257; and it is worthy remarking that one of thefe has been his fervant 50 years. Mr

The common

people are lefs addicted to drinking than they were 20 years ago. All ranks are remarkable for their charity to the poor. In fevere feafons, many of them double their attention to relieve the wants of the needy. No inhabitant of thefe extensive parishes has been executed or banished for 25 years paft. One or two perfons, guilty of fome irregularities, voluntarily banished themselves. There has been no inftance of child-murder in the parish in the memory of man. This is a crime hardly known in the weft Highlands. The people in this part are much lefs fluctuating in their religious opinions than they are to the fouthward.

A man of fingular frame was born in Appin. He was the ftouteft or thickeft man in Britain, or even perhaps in Europe, at the time. His name was Carmichack He was a foldier in the 42d regiment, and died above 30 years ago. He was faid to be not above fix feet high; but was

fo

fo fingular for the ftoutnefs of his make, that his portrait, as large as the life, was painted, by order of the King, and placed in the Tower of London as a curiofity. He was not

ed for the mildness of his difpofition He could carry on his back, with ease 1 cwt. more than the ftrongest porter in Dublin.

Of the ancient and high civilization of the Inhabitants of India *.

[THE elegant and learned author propofes to prove the early and high civilization of the inhabitants of India; 1ft, by taking a view of their rank and fituation as individuals; 2d, of their civil policy; 3d. of their laws and judicial proceedings; 4th, of their ufeful and elegant arts; 5th, of their sciences; and, 6th, of their religiaus inftitutions. From the first and fifth of thefe heads, the following obfervations are extracted.]

PROOFS FROM

FR

vance and expertnefs in execution. In proportion as refinement fpreads, the diftinction of profeffions increafes, and they branch out into more numerous and minute fubdivifions. Prior to the records of authentic hiftory, and even before the most remote ara to which their own traditions pretend to reach, this feparation of profeffions had not only taken place among the natives of India, but the perpetuity of it was fecured by an inftitution which must be confidered as the fundamental article in the fyftem of their policy. The whole body of the peo

THE DISTINCTION or ple was divided into four orders or RANKS. cafts. The members of the first, deemed the moft facred, had it for their province, to fludy the principles of religion; to perform its functions; and to cultivate the fciences. They' were the priests, the inftructors, and philofophers of the nation. The members of the fecond order were entrustted with the government and defence of the state. rulers and magiftrates, in war they In peace they were its were the foldiers who fought its battles. The third was compofed of hufbandmen and merchants; and the fourth of artifans, labourers, and forvants. None of thefe can ever quit his own caft, or be admitted into another. The ftation of every individua is unalterably fixed; his destiny is ir revocable; and the walk of life is marked out, from which he never deviates. This line of feparation is not only established by civil authority, but confirmed and fanctioned by reli

ROM the most ancient accounts of India we learn, that the diftinction of ranks and feparation of profeffions were completely established there. This is one of the most undoubted proofs of a fociety confiderably advanced in its progrefs. Arts in the early ftages of focial life are fo few, and fo fimple, that each man is fufficiently mafter of them all, to gratify every demand of his own limited defires. A favage can form his bow, point his arrows, rear his hut, and hollow his canoe, without calling in the aid of any hand more Skilful than his own. But when time has augmented the wants of men, the productions of art become fo complicated in their structure, or fo curious in their fabric, that a particular courfe of education is requifite towards forming the artist to ingenuity in contri

• From " Dr Robertson's Difquifition concerning Ancient India.”

gion 5,

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