coercive means to check them, and wife regulations, administered with promptitude and energy, to destroy whatever remained of the old fyftem among the highlanders of this diftrict. Happily for the prefent generation, the measures which were adopted, and the advancement of civilization, have brought about that change, so much for the better, which has fo generally obtained not only through the highlands, but in every corner of our northern section of the kingdom, within these thirty years. Now, the tokens of labour circulate abundantly*; industry is thus ftimulated; agriculture, the true ftrength of a nation, is improving daily; rents are paid punctually; all live in the utmost harmony; they conduct the labours of the field with the mutual affiftance of each other; their cattle feed in common; and, were their rents but moderate, a happier race of people, (who, though not affluent, are far from a ftate of poverty) hardly could be found, than the inhabitants of this diftrict of the Braidalbane eftate. Avu

The progress of literature in the highlands is among the remarkable changes which have taken place within this century. For instance, not fifty years ago, there were but one or two fchools of any note in the whole extent of Perthshire; now, there are two or three in every parish, including funday-schools, and those established by the fociety for propagating Christian knowledge t. From these humble feminaries, the future luminaries of

The price of labour is, in truth, far from being low. For inftance :-Domestic men-fervants get from 71. to 10l.; women-fervants from 21. to 31. per ann.; fhilling per diem is paid to labourers; and to carpenters and masons, from 1s. 6d. to 2s. See Sinclair's Stat. Acc. vol. xvii. p. 376.

It appears (fee Chamberlayne's. State of Great Britain, p. 28.) that the whole number of charity fchools throughout the Highlands and Western Iles, in May 1724,

did

of the literary world may emerge; and perhaps the day is not far diftant, when the poets and orators of Greece and Rome, whose works are already underftood among the inhabitants of these fterile regions, may find rivals in the defcendants of the ancient Caledonians. Already, not a few have diftinguished themselves in the republic of letters; the pulpit and the bar also witness many of their brightest ornaments, that have of late appeared, fufficient to justify a prefage of future celebrity. At the parish school of Killin, the elements of the Greek, Latin, and French languages are taught, befides the Gaelic; as alfo writ ing, arithmetic, and book-keeping, in the most approved manner. Three additional schools for instruction in the reading of English and Gaelic, and in writing and arithmetic, have also been eftablished in the parish; and school-mistresses have been appointed to teach sewing, knitting of stockings, and other branches of female industry. But the fmallness of the pecuniary emoluments of all these ingenious teachers is to be lamented; the highest salary to any individual not exceeding twenty pounds Aterling per annum. This is a public scandal, and calls aloud for redress.

The population of this parish, notwithstanding emigrations, the introduction of sheep, and the confequent conversion of

did not amount to more than fixty; and the number of scholars of both sexes, to more than two thousand three hundred and forty-four; many of whom were grown up per. fons; nay, it was not uncommon to fee parents and their children go hand in hand to school, and submit patiently to the drudgery of acquiring the rudiments of such learning as at that period was taught. With fuch eagerness did the highlanders embrace the first attempts at civilization.

fmall

finall farms into larger, for greater range of pafture grounds, it appears, on the whole, has neither remarkably increased nor diminished within the last fixty years, if we are to judge by the registers of baptifms, which, it is faid, have been kept with tolerable accuracy; the total number of births from 1731 to 1790, being 6916,-average annually 115%. The extenfive grazings in this parish are well stocked with black cattle and fheep; the former is of the highland breed, the latter of the Linton. There is also a hardy breed of horses, fit for the labour of the country, and kept at small expence, being seldom or never taken into a ftable, till compelled by the exceffive inclemency of the weather. There has lately been introduced a fmall breed of fwine, whofe flesh is remarkably delicate, and rich in point of flavour. The highlanders, who formerly had a strong averfion to pork, can now relish it highly. The proportion of arable ground to that of pafture is but small, and the returns feldom exceed four-fold. The harvefts are late, and often precarious. The feeds fown are oats, barley, pease, and potatoes; and a good deal of flax is raised. Turnips, rye-grass, and clover begin to be cultivated, and promise fufficient encouragement to proceed in these lucrative branches of husbandry. The prices of provisions are moderate *, and, except in years of general scarcity, they are to be had in abundance. The Earl of Braidalbane is the principal proprietor of this parish; but, befides him, there are four more proprietors, fome of whom refide on their eftates, agreeably to the good old cuftom. The valued

The price of beef, mutton, veal, and pork, is at an average 3d. per lb. of 17 oz.; butter 9d. per lb. of 22 oz., and cheese from 5s. to 7s. per tone, of 22 lb. See Statiftical Account.

rent of the whole parish is 31151. 6s. 8d. Scots, which, fuppofing it valued a century and a half back, is equal to 46671. 2s. 6d. fterling. The real rent in 1790 amounted to about 3000l. but fince that period it has risen confiderably. How far the poor tenants may be able to bear this rife is another question.

Before these mountains and vallies were converted into extensive sheep-walks, forefts for deer were fet apart, and kept with the utmost care. A great variety of game was then to be found; but now, deer and roes are fcarcely to be met with; and in a short time heath-game will be fo rare as to make fruitless the attempt to find any.

The various fpecies of fish caught in the lake, and the rivers which run into it, are falmon and trout, char, perch, pike, and eel. The pearl fishery was, fome years ago, a favourite speculation, but lately it has been profecuted lefs; owing, perhaps, to a scarcity of that species of muscle which contains pearl; or, to other pursuits, more lucrative, engaging the attention of those who followed it. SAINT FOND, a member of the National Institute of France, who made a tour to the Hebrides in 1784*, is very particular in his description of the pearl fishery in these rivers. This author confiders the pearl-muscle as belonging to the mia pictorum of Linnæus. He thinks that he has difcovered an invariable rule by which the shells containing pearl may be known on the first glance; and this discovery, he says, was by him communicated to Buffon, as noticed in his Natural Hiftory of Minerals (vol. iv. p. 125). St. Fond imagines, that the disease occasioning the formation of pearl depends on the shell

* St. Fond's Travels through England and Scotland are newly tranflated into English. 1799.

being perforated by a certain fpecies of auger-worm, and other worms not hitherto defcribed. He alfo hints, that by means of artificial perforations pearls may be produced; as he fuppofes that the Chinese are acquainted with this art, and practise it to much account. Other methods are mentioned, fuch as opening carefully the fhell, and depofiting a fmall bit of mother of pearl, as a nucleus for the pearly matter to form on, a method adopted in Finland, and other parts. St. Fond's theory, with regard to the formation of pearl, may, perhaps, be found to be a just one.

On leaving Killin, it is recommended to the traveller to proceed down the lake along its right border, as being, in point of variety, and for commanding the greater number of fine profpects, by far preferable to the left; befides, the road is less, hilly, and, on the whole, fuperior to that on the north border of the lake. We proceed then on our journey; pafs, once more, the bridges over the impetuous Dochart, and turn to the left. As we afcend above the orchards and manfion-house of Achmore, we observe on the oppofite fide of the lake, sheltering its mouldering walls amid aged trees, Cafile-Finlarig, the ancient feat of the knights of Glenurcha, faid to have been built A. D. 1523. We obferve also, fituated on a plain at the weft end of the lake, a neat but small manfion (Kinnel), belonging to Mr. M'Nabbs, the chieftain of that name. The family burying-ground, Inish-mbui, close by the house, is pointed out to the stranger, as a spot of fingular beauty. It undoubtedly is fuch, and is highly calculated to raise ideas of tenderness and forrow; as an infulated grove of tall pines, whofe folemn afpect and deep filence are in fine harmony

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