of bees is carried on with fuccefs; and the honey, owing in great measure to the vicinity of the apiaries to the Kincardine mofs and the Braes of Down, where the bees have so vast and free a range, is remarkable for its flavour and quantity. In fhort, the rural economy of this diftrict of Perthshire is highly creditable. to every description of perfons concerned in it.

The village of Down, which we pafs on our right, is rifing into confequence. Formerly, it confifted of a few ftraggling ill-built huts; but now a general appearance of neatness and comfort is manifeft, particularly in the east part of the village. It derives confiderable support from five fairs, held here, in the months of February, May, July, November, and December, when a fine fhew of cattle, collected throughout the western ifles, and other parts of our highland diftricts, is exhibited for fale.

We now bid adieu to the fertile plains of the lowlands. The highlands prefent their awful bulwarks, in folemn grandeur, and fterile gloom. The foil, as we proceed, feems hardly fufceptible of vegetation; and were it not that here and there fome verdure, and a few miferable huts, are met with as we pass along, one would feel half inclined to turn back, and proceed no farther. But by degrees we get familiarized with nakedness and fterility; and when curiofity prompts, and fome hopes of gratification remain, we feel ourfelves infenfibly led on in the pursuit of our object.

A few folitary manfions, that form a contraft with the wretched hovels on the road-fide, are to be met with in our way; these are Mr. Edmofton's houfe (on the right) of Cambus Wallace, Sir John

Macgregor's

Macgregor's (Murray) on the left, which he has juft rebuilt, on his property of Lanrick. Proceeding a few miles farther, we arrive at the folitary refidence of Ballachallan, formerly the property of a family of the name of Stuart, now nearly extinct. Mr. Buchanan, of Achlaifie, having lately made a purchase of it, it now forms part of his property; and, from being almost in a state of nature, by unremitted diligence, knowledge in agriculture, and attention to the various operations carried on immediately under his own inspection, he has made many parts of it as valuable as any spot in the extensive strath of Monteith. As we proceed, an instance of this gentleman's tafte and patient perfeverance is manifeft in his improvements around his present refidence, Cambufmore. The range of pasturegrounds, the plantations, &c. fhew how much, by proper management, might be made of land, that on a fuperficial furvey feems hardly worth the cultivating.

We now approach the first highland village (namely, Callander) on this fide of the Grampions. The bridge over the Keltie is marked by one peculiarity in its immediate vicinity, and this is a stone, of very large dimenfions, quite infulated from any thing of the fame appearance, in any direction. It feems to have been left by the fea. A little A little way to the right, on the farm of Achanlavich, an accumulation of field-ftones, extending lengthwife, is feen, as if at some remote period the waters had fubfided and left this curious appearance, as a proof of the wellgrounded conjecture that the fea formerly flowed to the very base of these mountains, which here terminate the natural boundary of the lowlands on the north-weft. The Keltie is formed of two very rapid mountain ftreamlets, and falls into the

Teith a little to the left. On the weft branch of the Keltie, is a water-fall, over which a wooden bridge, rude and apparently dangerous, is placed: to fuch as muft of neceffity venture to their habitations by this bridge, cuftom diffipates every apprehenfion of danger; and (fuch is the effect of habit) they think little of viewing from the giddy height of fifty feet the foaming pool beneath. In the mind of the stranger, however, who ventures on this perilous fpot, different fenfations muft arife. On the one hand he sees a chaẩm, through which the waters burst forth with violence, roaring as they hurry headlong down the precipice; and jutting rocks hanging in gloomy wildness over the dark caldrons below; on the other, almoft beneath the frail and fhaking bridge, the whirling rapidity of conflicting currents. among the excavated rocks, and the thundering inceffant roar of the cataract. Thus, found and motion united, together with the wildness of the matted thickets, deepening the gloom as the foaming waters disappear through the winding precipices, raise in the imagination correfpondent images that thrill with awe and pleasing terror.

In paffing through Callander, we are pleafed with that appearance of cleanlinefs and comfort which, from its fecluded fituation we are little prepared to expect. The houses, for the most part, are built of stone and lime, and, what we should least expect, are flated. Near the middle of the village are the church and school-house the former is large and commodious, having a pavilion roof and conical spire, both which give an air of elegance to this building *: The school-rooms are large and well-aired, but nothing more, utility having been

* The plan was defigned by the late Mr. Baxter.

the

the fole object. The clergyman of this parish* is a learned and accomplished man, fincerely beloved by his parishioners, among whom he has officiated for upwards of thirty years, with honour and refpect. The school of Callander, for more than a century, has been held in high eftimation, for the progress that its ftudents have in general made in the learned languages, and other branches of useful knowledge; and, it is but juftice to obferve, that at prefent able mafters are provided, who conduct the education of their pupils with diligence and attention: fo that, on the whole, the feminary fo long established here has lost nothing of its well-earned reputation. As a healthful and truly pleasant fituation for young perfons who wish diligently to pursue their ftudies, it hardly admits of an exception; and if the author, from a fond recollection of having paffed a part of his earlier life at this school, does not over-rate the advantages to be derived from a courfe of education at Callander, in his apprehenfion, few public schools are more worthy of being preferred by parents who wish their children to preserve the rectitude of their morals, while, at the same time, they advance in the various departments of their literary purfuits. Of those who have appeared on the great theatre of the world, from being pupils of this feminary, few better deferve to be remembered than Macpharlane, the learned author of "The Reign of George III." Doctor Francis Buchannan † also, whofe learning and medica Italents are spoken of with much commendation, was of this school; as were many others, fcattered through the world, who have proved a credit to fociety, as well as to this fpot where they were bred and educated.

*Dr. James Robertfon.

At prefent in India.