^94 Vteiu of the SIfuathfi of Farmers y i^c. Nov. 



grazier at about \6\. i6s. The Duke's barren cows were bought 

 at Downe, 2d November laft year, at iijl., and are now in prime 

 condition, upon the paihires of an AyrJhire grazier. This pro- 

 digious price for barren Highland cows was probably not far, if 

 at all above their value; as a Kentilh farmer offered 14I. los., 

 and much regretted that he did not get them. Shawheld gained 

 the vi<flory this year. His bullocks were bouglit for I^ord IMont- 

 gomcry at 15I. The fiime Kentiili farmer was in Forfarfliire this 

 feafon, buying cows for his dairy, and holpitably entertained for 

 a week by my friend Mr Gairns. 



Whether it is owing to the increafe of the precious metals, tlie 

 multiplication of Bank pnper, or to whatever caufe, the {-^0: is 

 certain, that corn and butchers' meat are at prefent much dearer 

 than ufual over all Europe. — Sir H** H******* D**^*****^ 

 gave a great entertainment in Edinburgh lall fpring, to which I 

 had the honour to be invited. Amongll every delicacy of the 

 feafon, I could not help taking notice of a great profufion of very 

 fine lamb, there being no lefs than feven quarters of it upon the 

 table, at a time when it was feldom to be feen. Sir H** whif- 

 pered me, that it coft 12s. a quarter. The price in the market 

 continued for more than a month pretty l^eady at half a guinea. 

 Mr Nifbet of Dirleton tells me, that at Conitantinople butchers' 

 meat is very bad, and cofts fomewhat more than 5d. per pound. 

 The Turks eat very little fleih meat: 20,600 oxen, and 145,000 

 flieep, fulllce for the -whole metropolis for a year. The whole 

 muft pnfs through the office of the chief of the butchers, and 

 the number is accurately known. At Paris it coils 6d. per pound j 

 if beaiiy a halfpenny more. At Archangel it colls 2d. or 2id. 

 At Prague 4d., and at Naples 4d. ; but there, too, very little 

 butchers' meat is confumed. I have feen more in John Mellis's 

 ftiop on a Saturday, than would fupply the whole market at Na- 

 ples. Such prices are very uncommon at thefe places ; indeed 

 they have increafed in nearly the fame proportion as in Britain ; 

 and I am afraid the confumers every where have too good reafon 

 to apprehend they will not again return fo their ordinary rates. 

 Yet have I (Kttn many fenfible men entertain ferious fears leil the 

 prices of cattle fliould fall very low, and thofe of grain return to 

 the common converfion, a rate once, well known in Lothian, and 

 flill obfervr-d by the High Court of Teinds, in fixing the augmen- 

 tation of Minilters' ilipends. Rather than argue upon a fubje(fl, 

 which, like this, does not admit of demonlt ration, I frequently 

 tell, and never without effect, Mr Maule's (lory of the milliner 

 at Brechin, who loft her fenfes left her cuftomers fliould take it 

 into their head to go naked. 



When I reiledl on the late very alarming high price of corn. 



