62 On Parochial Histories. 
considered the head quarters of this movement, which he desires 
should embrace the whole diocese, Dorset as well as part of Wilts. 
He has already laid the matter before the Archdeacons and Rural 
Deans of the whole diocese, and secured their co-operation and 
good will. 
If there remain in any corner of any one’s mind a doubt as 
to the feasibility of this plan, perhaps I may remove that hesitation 
by showing that all the difficulties, incident to a much more extensive 
scheme, have been met and conquered. I can show you a history, 
not of a county, but of a kingdom, successfully executed by the 
parochial Clergy. J allude to the new statistical account of Scotland, 
by the ministers of the respective parishes; a complete topography, 
parish by parish, county by county, of the whole of the Island 
north of the Tweed, contained in fifteen volumes. 
This work is so remarkable, that I ask to be allowed to describe it, 
and the circumstances which led to it, a little in detail. I shall take 
my facts and my views chiefly from an article which appeared in the 
“Quarterly Review,” number 164. Sir John Scot of Scotstarvet, 
suggested, as early as 1641, to the general assembly of the 
Kirk of Scotland a general scheme for describing the country by the 
parochial ministers, under the directions of the assembly. But the 
undertaking had fallen on troublous times, and when the work, with 
the maps accompanying it, did after some years issue from the press, 
it plainly showed in its imperfect condition, its sympathy with the 
disasters of the country it professed to delineate. It was, however, 
meritorious, in spite of its defects, as a first attempt, and was the 
starting point of all succeeding inquiries. The geography and topo- 
graphy of Scotland passed through several hands—Sibbald, Walter 
Mac Farlan (from whom Sir Walter Scott largely borrowed), 
Pennant, and others, with more or less assistance from the Clergy; 
till at last the Kirk and the Highland Agricultural Society united its 
strength in a great work of parochial statistics and local history. 
Towards the close of the last century, the project of a general 
topographical account, to be furnished by the ministers, was taken 
up by one to whom Scotland owes much of her present forward 
position in agriculture and intelligence—Sir John Sinclair, the 
