390 
them with confidence, and the young 
student with constant advantage. The 
most learned authors have usefully ap- 
plied their time and knowledge to the 
compilation of orthographical dictiona- 
ries; but no able writer has ever yet ex- 
ecuted a geographical or topographical 
dictionary. We know it is an arduous 
and tedious task, which would scarcely 
remunerate a man of talent for his time 
and exertion; and when completed, — 
would be characterised by the fastidious 
¢ritic, asa work of mere compilation and 
mechanicaldrudgery. It therefore gives 
*us pleasure to see the work before us ex- 
ecuted so respectably ; and if we cannot 
give it unqualified approbation, we shall 
be very lenient in censure. The topo- 
graphy and antiquities of Scotland have 
been more fully described than those of 
England, Wales, or Ireland; conse- 
quently the task of arranging the whole 
in alphabetical order is greatly facilitat- 
ed. The laborious and circumstantial 
statistical history, edited by Sir John 
Sinclair, with the many scientific and 
miscellancous works, exclusively written 
on Scotland, constitute a substantial and 
permanent basis for such a publication 
as the present. Anditis no small de- 
‘ gree of praise to say, that the editor 
seems to have made a judicious use of 
these materials. 
The gazetteer is preceded by a long 
introduction, in which the editor has ¢on- 
cisely narrated the most prominent and 
characteristic circumstances, relating to 
Scotland in general, From this part of 
the work we intend to make different ex- 
tracts, which will serve to exemplify the 
writer’s style and manner, and also af- 
ford much condensed information con- 
cerning this part of Great Britain. 
“ Scotland is bounded on all sides by 
the sea, except on the S.F. where it is 
joined to England.” This is rather an 
unpropitious beginning, where the writer 
contradicts himself in the first sentence; 
but many je writers are guilty of this 
vulgarism. 
‘Scotland is about 280 miles in length, 
from the Mull of Galloway to Cape 
Wrath; and at the greatest breadth, 
from the Point or Ru of Ardnamurchan 
to Buchanness, 180 miles; but the land 
is so indented by arms of the sea, that 
the breadth is exceedingly various, and 
nO part is distant above 40 miles from 
the coast.» Next follows a particular’ 
description of the coasts, including some 
account of the friths and bays. By this 
" 
BRITISH TOPOGRAPHY AND ANTIQUITIES. . | 
we learn, that the northern coast is ge- 
nerally “ bold and dangerous, jutting 
out into formidable rocky promontories, 
and divided from the Orkneys by a nar- — 
row and tempestuous sea, named the 
Pentland Frith. The whole of the wes- 
tern shore seems torn and shattered by 
the fury of the waves, and isevery where 
indented by extensive arms of the sea; 
while in every part innumerable islands 
are seen, which appear as if they had 
been detached or torn from the main 
land by some convulsion of nature.” 
In describing the surface of Scotland, 
the writer says, it is estimated to con- 
tain an aréa of 27,794 miles; which by 
the report lately made to the board of 
agriculture, comprehends 12,151,471 
acres of cultivated, and 14,218,224 acres 
of uncultivated lands. The remainder 
of the surface is occupied by lakes and 
rivers. Scotland is naturally divided 
into the two great divisions, of highlands 
and lowlands, (of which particular ac- 
counts are given in the gazetteer.) It 
is also divided into three parts, called — 
the north, middle, and south divisions, 
whose boundaries are strongly marked © 
by nature. | 
«« Ip the northern division, the face of the 
country presents nothing to the eye but an 
assemblage of vast mountains; bordered, 
however, on the N. N.E. and E. coasts, with 
vales and level tracts of considerable fertility. 
The middle division also contains many great — 
ranges of mountains, particularly the Gram 
pians, which extend from Aberdeenshire, in 
a S. W. direction, tothe Atlantic. In these © 
two divisions, which comprehend more than 
two thirds of Scotland, the arable ground 
bears but a small proportion to the moun- — 
tainous regions; of which the ruggedness and — 
sterility will ever in a great measure defy the — 
efforts of human industry. ‘The country, on 
the eastern coasts of the middle division, and — 
in agreat part of the southern, bears more — 
resemblance to England, and the proportions — 
of the cultivated to the uncultivated, are a 
third. In the southern division we find eyery 
sort of rural variety.” 
Some account of the mountains, lakes, 
rivers, and forests, follows. Under the 
latter head we find, that the ancient fo-— 
rests of Scotland have been greatly di- 
minished, and few plantations substituted — 
in their place. 
‘¢ Of the antient Sylva Caledonia, or Cale= 
donian forest, the most considerable remains — 
are in the districts of Marr and Glentanar, in — 
Rivnoch, in Glenmore, and Strathspey, and — 
n Alfary, in Ross-shire. The fir is the most. 
commen weed; bat the oak and other deci’ 
eee 
_: 
= 
