i^6 Gur/ory ReJ!eclions on the Means of Aug 



themfelves afFe£led thereby. People of equally good difpofitions 

 often fee the fame meafure in diiterent lights ; but thofe who con- 

 cur with me in eftimating emigration as a national lofs, or who 

 feel for the wretched fituation of the Highlanders under exifting 

 circumilances, will be difpofed to give my fuggeftions a candid 

 hearing. I will not take upon me to fay that the adoption of them 

 •would altogether do away every concomitant evil ; but fure I am, 

 that, in many cafes, tlie welfare of the great body of the people 

 would be materially promoted. Inftead of being reduced to the 

 neceflity of emigrating to foreign lands, they would be provided 

 with habitations at home, if they chofe to remain in the country. 

 While their comfortable accommodation is not neglected, the 

 intcreft of the State is attended to; the upland diilri6ls of the 

 Country are placed under a fyRem of hufbandry mofl congenial 

 to their natural circumftances •, and the lowland diilricts are pro- 

 vided with inhabitants, for carrying on manufa6^ures, or for exe- 

 cuting agricultural improvements. To fugged the meafures ne- 

 cefl'ary to be taken, fhall now be my object. 



Whenever it is determined to introduce the new huA3andry 

 into a Hi<ihland dillricfl, the mod fpeedy means ihould be ufed 

 to acquaint the prefent pofleiTors of the change that is intended, 

 in order that they may have full time for looking out for new 

 fituations. It feems alfo proper, that a complete lift of the 

 population fliould inftantly be made up, diflinguifliing the ages, 

 fexes, and occupations of the feveral inhabitants, which will, at 

 one glance, fhow the number of people that mufl be thrown out 

 of employment, and ferve to regulate all the after proceedings. 

 Thefe preliminary fteps being taken, the firfh meafure that calls 

 for confuleration is the erection of a fmall village in a centrical 

 part of the eftate, or m^ore, if the property is extenfive, where 

 fuch as choofc to remain within the bounds, or who could pro- 

 cure employment as tradefmen, labourers, or manufatlurers, 

 might be fecured in a habitation. In the prefent ftate of the High- 

 lands, thofc claffes who compofe the great bulk of population in 

 jnany other diihidls are hardly known \ each head of a family is 

 a kind of mafler within his own territories, and manages his little 

 Tural matters foleiy with the aid of his wife and children. He 

 is a kind of Jack-of-all-trades, becaufe the extent of labour to 

 to De p'^vformed will not allow a divifion thereof to be made;. 

 but, under the n; vv fyftem, the bafis of which is an enlargement 

 of farms, a (lore of labour will be created, and much employ- 

 ment ^ifforded for tradefmen and labourers of every defcription^ 

 The increafed opulency of the tenantry will caufe various im- 

 provements to be executed. Draining and enclofing may be 

 fuppofed then to go brifkly forward ; and, at all events, more 



labour 



