By the Rev. John Wilkinson. 63 
President of the Highland Agricultural Society. He circulated, 
among the ministers, a number of queries respecting the geographical 
and natural history of each parish, its population, its productions, 
state of religion, morals, manners, education; of the poor, their 
maintenance and employment, antiquities and historical events; 
it being intimated that the great object of the inquiry was to know 
the present state of the country, and the means most likely to 
promote its welfare. Being a member of the General Assembly 
he obtained the co-operation of that Ecclesiastical Parliament. 
“Nothing” he says “could be more flattering than the reception 
the queries met with. Scotland is divided into 950 parishes or 
districts, and in less than eighteen months reports were received 
from above half that number.’ He conquered all obstacles chiefly, 
according to his own account, by four fortunate peculiarities: first, 
the winning affability of his manner and address, which was irresist- 
able to young Clergymen; second, having an estate and residence 
in the north part of the kingdom, which gave him superior access 
to information, and opportunity of cultivating an uncommonly 
extensive acquaintance; third, the golden rule of pointedly answering 
every letter he received; fourth, a spirit of perseverance which no 
obstacle could resist, and which was kept up, from time to time, by 
animating eulogies from various respectable quarters, some of which 
eulogies the worthy Baronet has, with very pardonable complacency, 
printed in his appendix. This work of Sir J. Sinclair’s is called 
“The Old Statistical.” 
For forty years the Kirk rested on her oars, as well she might; 
but at the lapse of that period, after a general war had been 
followed by as general a peace, and by the important and inevitable 
changes which took place on the recurrence of men and money to 
civil occupations; after the impulse given to every branch of our 
domestic industry, after the extraordinary advances of that age in 
science, arts, and manufactures; after the increase of intelligence 
in all ranks of population, of various employments, of public 
institutions and charities, of religion and education, the ministers 
of the Kirk wisely thought that the time had come for another 
and a more important endeavour to mark the progress, the state, 
and the capabilities of their own, their native land. 
