the mere exteriors of good-living, it is poffible that the favings of a leafe might go far towards purchafing the farm which their knowledge and industry have rendered valuable by improved modes of cultivation. Befide the want of due regard to economy in the articles of living, two very material obftacles prefent themselves to the farmer in the vicinity of a city fuch as Edinburgh; namely, the moor-land cultivator; and the city speculator. The latter, dreaming of the pleafures of a country life, longs to commence agriculturist, and applies his capital, or a great part of it, to stocking a farm, faug and commodious, whither he may retire, occafionally, from the buftle and noise of a town life. The former, that is, the moorland farmer, weary of a precarious, and at best an unprofitable toil in upland districts, (where the labours of the year frequently prove abortive, by means of the fudden and unfavourable changes of the feasons, the fodder being rendered almoft unfit for any purpose but the dung-hill, and the corn not only defective, but also the fcanty produce hardly eatable by man or beaft) fees with an eye of envy and discontent, as he goes forth to his labour, (for the moorland farmer puts his hand to every kind of work,) the farmer of the lowland diftricts bafking in the fun-fhine of profperity in all his undertakings. Feeling, in confequence, an irresistible defire to change his fituation, for what he deems, and he is certainly right, a less toilfome and a more certain mode of fecuring the benefits of his talents and induftry, he hesitatesnot, when the expiration of a lease approaches, to make fecret offers for his more opulent neighbour's farm. Thus, the thriving tenant, who thought himself fecure in the rewards of his care and attention in cultivating to the utmost what prejudice and and habit have no finall fhare in rendering dear to him, finds, to his inexpreffible anguish, his farm given to another! while the infidious smiles of a factor, whose rapacity is excessive, delude him into hope till the very laft moment, and the firft notice that awakens him from his fecurity is a legal warning of removal. It happens too, not unfrequently, that this precious factor contrives, by means infcrutable to all but fuch accomplished fpeculators, to get farms into his own hand; and jobs on at a great rate; till, perhaps, at length, the property becomes his own!-In this there is furely fomething radically wrong, otherwife this evil could be checked in the bud. In defcending, we traverse the plain which appeared in front, and fall in with Gogar-burn, a small rivulet tributary to the Almond, over which we pafs on a handfome bridge built of free ftone, and enter the fhire of Linlithgow. Being now on claffic ground, an historical incident may be noticed, as we furvey the level fields through which the river fweeps in ample windings. When EDWARD I. in 1298 invaded Scotland, in advancing to Falkirk, where he had to encounter WALLACE in battle, it was near this fpot that he commanded his troops to halt, and pitch their tents. A liberal portion of wine was immediately ordered to be diftributed throughout the camp. This, however, had by no means the effect intended: on the contrary, no fooner had the fumes of the wine affected the brains of the hot-headed Welchmen, than a quarrel arofe between them and the English. The Welch, only recently fubdued by Edward, feemed but lukewarm in an expedition planned for the avowed purposes of subjugating a high-minded, independent people, like themselves. Whether Whether the English obferved this difpofition in their Welch auxiliaries, and loaded them, in confequence, with reproach, is not afcertained: but mutual hatred produced a bloody conteft, in which many fell on both fides; and not a few of the English ecclefiaftics, perhaps endeavouring to appease the wrath of the combatants, fuffered in the combat. Although this event was followed by the Welch troops withdrawing themselves from the main body of the army; yet, in the fubfequent battle at Falkirk, the English were triumphant. But this blow, fo feverely felt by the Scottish patriots, fubdued not that spirit of independence which finally prevailed; and which fo nobly manifested itself on the day when BRUCE led on the heroes of Bannockburn, and fnatched the palm of victory from the merciless invader. For his having thus afferted the rights of an imperial crown, a generous and free-born people bestowed it on him; and he juftly merited the boon, as the reward of his fufferings, prudence, and courage. As we aproach Kirklifton, its appearance is but mean; on paffing a small stream to the weft, however, the scene improves. The ground on which it ftands being elevated, it is feen to advantage; and on the whole, as it poffeffes the characteristics of an ancient Scottish village, it merits the attention of a traveller who delights in the picturesque. The parish of Kirklifton is but small in its dimenfions; being little more than five miles in length, by three in breadth. It contains about fifteen hundred inhabitants, whose pursuits are chiefly thofe depending on agriculture. The foil is remarkably fuited to fuch purposes; yielding rich and abundant crops of every every kind hitherto tried; more particularly green crops, such as turnip, cabbage, &c.* A ftone, called the Catftane, bearing an inscription †, measuring nearly three feet in diameter, by four and a half feet in height, of an irregular prifmatic form, is to be met with here, and is supposed to be of confiderable antiquity. ‡ As we proceed, the ruins of Niddery-cafile, nearly opposite the tenth mile-ftone, are to be feen on the left. Gaining the eminence, we pass through the small village of Winburgh, at one time noted for the propagation of bees; a branch of rural economy which is fhamefully neglected in this country of late. There is no mode of honest industry, wherein the poorest cottager, nay even the old and infirm, might more readily find agreeable recreation and means of fubfiftence, nor any which is better adapted to the habits and affociations of a * The celebrated warrior and ftatefman Field-Marfhal John Earl of Stair lies buried in the church of Kirklifton:-there is no monument to record this; but fhould fuch ever be erected, let it not be forgotten that he was the first in Scotland who introduced turnips and cabbages in the open field for the use of cattle—an event more worthy of humanity and a true patriot, than the most brilliant victories, or the most splendid negociations and treaties.-The church of Kirklifton belonged to the Johanites of Jerufalem, whofe vows were 1. poverty, 2. charity, 3. obedience. "No man can be admitted (fays Spottiswood) to this order, without making proof of his birth, and justifying by char"ters or other authentic documents his nobility for four generations, both on the father "and the mother's fide. He must be born in lawful marriage, the baftards of Kings "and Princes only being excepted." Hope's Min. Pract. Appen. p. 481. + Viz. IN OCT VMVLOIACI VETTD In the year 995, according to our hiftorians, a battle was fought near Kirkliston. country |