302 TO THE EDITOR OF THE ANALYST. 



ledge, yet all men of ordinary intellect and education may suc- 

 ceed, to a considerable extent, as their time, their talents, and 

 their opportunity shall allow; and although they may contem- 

 plate the acquisition of others as beyond their reach, although 

 they may behold, with dismay, the giants of literature and of 

 science, yet let them not, in an evil hour, throw away the means 

 they possess, nor feel because they cannot attain the highest 

 intelligence, that they are incapable of instructing or amusing 

 their fellow men through such channels as their industry and 

 locality shall allow. 



There is no class to whom this admonition applies so forcibly 

 as the resident clergy, whose education, whose attainments, and 

 whose time afford a facility of communicating information be- 

 yond that which the leisure of others, however well qualified, 

 will allow — moreover the locality of the clergy is most favourable 

 in affording that particular information which it is the wish and 

 the intention of the writer strongly to recommend and enforce; 

 and if he shall be so fortunate as to impress others with the 

 same conviction of its utility, its interest, and its importance, 

 both as regards science and amusement, which he entertains, he 

 must feel highly gratified with the result, in learning, through 

 the pages of the "Analyst," the statistical relation of those 

 parishes where that periodical is so generally read, and for whose 

 immediate use it is especially intended. 



To accomplish this desirable object, the higher branches of 

 science are by no means necessary, nor need it require other 

 aids than an active perception and the ordinary powers of 

 describing what falls within the limits of almost daily obser- 

 vation. That I may be as intelligible as the nature of my sub- 

 ject will allow, I shall beg leave to give a few heads under 

 which might be ranged the objects of inquiry: — 



Topography and Natural History, as name of parish boundaries, 

 rivers, mountains, minerals, soil, birds, insects, &c. 



General History, as to eminent men, battles, or other events. 



Antiquities, as to buildings, fortifications, or ought else of local 

 interest. 



Population, industry, and means of employment. 



Agriculture, ^c. 



Parochial economy, management of the poor, parish registers, 

 education, and diseases. 



Miscellany, climate or other matter not included in the above 

 heads. 



Now it appears to me. Sir, that ordinary research and ordinary 

 science are ample for such elucidation of the statistics of each 

 parish, and that a very interesting whole might be produced by 

 these means, somewhat in the manner of an able and entertain- 

 ing work now in progress "The new statistical account of 

 Scotland," and which I recommend to the attention of your 

 readers, 



