extent, the harvest is concluded some seasons five * fooner in the western than it is in the eastern extremity of it. But the principal produce, or manufacture, as it may be called, of the parish, is cheese. For this it has been long known and distinguished, infomuch that all the cheese made in the country about it, when carried to Paisley, Glasgow, or farther, goes by the name of Dunlop cheese, and finds a better market on that account. Nor is this preference to be af cribed altogether to prejudice; for it is certainly as good as ever it was, and equal, if not fuperior, to what is made any where else. The practice of making fweet-milk cheese, as it is called, was first introduced into this parish by one Barbara Gilmour, whose grandson is ftill living, and is proprietor of the fame farm. Having gone to Ireland, to avoid the hardships which people were then exposed to on account of religion, she is faid to have brought it with her when the returned about the time of the Revolution. Since that period, cheefe has been the great and almost the only business of Dunlop. Senfible that their situation was more favourable for this than for any other purpose, the people bestowed upon it the greatest care, and turned it to the best advantage. They have inclofed their ground, have but a third or fourth of it in tillage, and the reft in grafs, which is always a plentiful crop, and of the finest quality. They are very attentive both to the colour and shape of their cows, which are rather small than otherwise, and commonly of their own raifing. And as thefe feed in inclosures, free from the reftraints of herding, and are not brought into houses during the night, from the beginning of May to the end of harvest, the quantity of milk which they give is very great. I am forry that under this article I cannot give the reader all the information I could wish, either as VOL. IX. 3 Y

Perhaps the word omitted by the author is "weeks."

to

to the number of cows that is kept, or the quantity of cheese that is made in the parish. The people were alarmed when queftioned about thefe things, and alleging that this was valuing their farms, they refufed to give me any fatisfaction on this head; only from what I could collect, fo far as I went with this view, I fhould fuppose that there may be about 758 cows kept, and about 1c,612 ftones of cheese made in it annually, which is equal to L. 3714, 4 s. at 7 s. a-stone, the market-price at prefent. And to this they are well entitled, both on account of the quantity and quality of their cheese. For as this is the produce of the richest pasture, and the best cows, fo nothing can exceed their integrity and cleanliness in manufacturing it. Like that made in fome of the counties of England, it appears to great disadvantage when new, but improves by age and proper keeping. The valued rent of the parish is L. 4115, 17 S. 6 d. Scots. The real rent upwards of L. 3000 Sterling *.

Population.

It might be expected, in a country like this, which is all inclofed, that there would be a good deal of plantation, or at least that hedge-rows would be frequent and in a thriving condition. The truth is, though trees be neceflary both in point of utility and ornament, and though nature points with an high hand as it were to many places where these fhould be; yet they are only to be found in finall numbers, where an houfe ftands, or where one has ftood. This general obfervation, however, admits of two exceptions. Mr Dunlop of Dunlop has planted fome thousands of trees of different kinds within thefe few years; and from his good taste and great attention, there is every reason to expect that he will proceed on a larger fcale. The late Mr Muir of Caldwall was a man of the finest tafte, and in nothing perhaps did his fuperiority in that more appear, than in the manner in which he has laid off his ground, and placed his different plantations. Thefe, fkirting and interfecting his feveral farms, add both to their beauty and value; and afford a pleafant proof, how much the face of a country, naturally bleak and unpropitious, may be changed and improved. But an example of this kind was not likely to be followed by those whole properties are but fmall, and whofe ftudy is economy, refiding the greater part of them on their own farms, and deper.ding in a great measure on what they produce,

they

Population. According to Dr Webster's report, the number of fouls then was 796. At the conclufion of the year 1791, the population of the parish, and the divifion of its inhabitants, were according to the following table:

they confider every spot they poffefs as of immediate ufe, and useful only as it bears a crop, or feeds a cow. Plans, therefore, of distant profpect, and of future advantage, but which must be attended with prefent expenfe, are feldom thought of, and never adopted. Under thefe circumstances, it is not to be wondered at, if the parish is, with respect to frees, what it was in the days of their fathers, very naked and bare; indeed, after what has been said, the reader will be furprised when he is told, that in no parish of the fame limits, and inhabited by fo plain and frugal a people, will he find a greater number of good fubstantial houses. Many of thefe are flated, and finished in a style that shows what might be done in other things, was there the fame inducement. Those above us in rank or riches, may call forth our esteem or admiration; but those in equal station with ourfelves call forth our emulation, and the fe active principles by which we are urged from one thing to another, and always farther than we would otherwife go, merely that we may preferve our equality, and our wonted diftinction from those beneath us; and when we attribute one part of their improvement to this, it is natural to hope, that fome time or other the fame principle will operate as powerfully towards their improvement in other respects; and that the nakedness of the land will no longer ftare every stranger in

the face.

* With regard to the population of the parish 50 years ago, it is a little uncertain, whether the number therein stated comprehended every individual, or these only who were of age to be examined. If the latter only, the number of the people would be much the fame then with what it is at prefent; but it is more probable that the first was the cafe, as the divifion of property has been frequent, and the number of proprietors confiderably increased fince that time. With respect to the lift of perfons between 70 and 100, it may be observed, that 17 of these were from 70to 80, and 8 of them from that to 100; 2 of these are fince dead, 1 of them aged 85, and the other 92. The most remarkable inftances of longevity

3

Language, Cuftoms and Character.-With regard to the people in general, and thofe things which mark and diftinguish them, it may be obferved, that they retain nothing of

longevity of late years, were James Anderson, who died at the advanced age of 100, and John Andrew, fo old as 102, according to the report of his family. As to proprietors and tenants, it may be noticed, that there are but few of the former whose properties are extensive, and of the latter whofe farns are large; and as the greater part of each of these is in grafs, the labour of the female becomes more neceffary than that of the male fervant to manage them. And this accounts for the difproportion that is between them. The number of both however is diminished during the winter, both because they are lefs neceflary, and becaule their wages are very high. The men get from L. 4 to L 6, and the women from L. 2 to L. 2, 10 s. for the half-year. From which it is obvious to remark, that labour is very expenfive here. The wages of an ordinary labourer are from I s. 4 d. to 1 s. 6d. a-day, from the beginning of February to the end of November, and in time of harvest they are flill higher, as then he gets the fame wages and his provisions alfo. How to account for this it must be confidered, that there are but few of this clafs, and that these few live within two hours walk of the great works in a neighbouring parish, where they can find employment at all times and on their own terms. Having a fituation fo inviting always before them, and circumstances of advantage, which it is not their interest to neglect, so easily in their power, it is natural for them to avail themselves of them, which they accordingly never fail to do; fo that it is impoffible to say what the price of labour, and where labourers may be found in a few years in this part of the country. From what I have said, it will be eafily inferred, that there are none of thefe works within the bounds of this charge; and confidering its distance from coal and fuel of every kind, and its deficiency in water to answer thefe purposes, it is more than pro bable that none of them ever will be in it. Nor is this a matter of any regret to me, how much foever I may fuffer with others, from the caufes which prevent them. For although I rejoice in the profperity of my country, and in every thing that tends to the improvement and happinefs of mankind, yet in the cafe alluded to, there is reafon, I appre hend, to rejoice with trembling. Works that depend so much on the labour of the young, and that must neceffarily crowd fo many of them together, must be hurtful to their health, and holding out an early and Atrong temptation to indigent and negligent parents to part with their children, at a time when they should be attending to that education which

is