MISCELLANIES. 
remarks. -But of the various 
causes which have contributed to 
this change, education is by far 
the most important, and that, 
without which all the rest would 
have been comparatively of no 
avail. It is to early instruction 
most unquestionably, that we must 
attribute that general intelligence, 
and those habits of thoughtful- 
ness, deliberation, and foresight, 
which usually distinguish the com- 
mon people of Scotland, where- 
ever they may be found, and 
whatever may be their employ- 
ments and situations, which en- 
sure their success‘in tife under fa- 
vourable circumstances; and in 
adverse fortune serve as a protec- 
tion against absolute indigence, 
and secure to them a certain sta- 
tion above the lowest conditiun 
of life. 
The truth of this remark will be 
apparent from a few practical in- 
stances, drawn fromthe experience 
of common life, of that general su- 
periority which is here attributed 
to the lower classes of the Scotch, 
as the effect of their superior in- 
dustry and intelligence—1. Every 
one has remarked the great num- 
ber of professional gardeners from 
that country, many of whom have 
been common labourers, and who, 
if they had been no better educat- 
ed than most English labourers, 
must .always have remained in 
that situation. Of this numerous 
class, Mr. Dickson, Park’s bro- 
ther-in-law, is a remarkable. and 
most distinguished example.—2. 
Scotland supplies a considerable 
number of stewards, confidential 
clerks, book-kecpers, &c. from a 
class of society, which in most 
other countries furnishes only do- 
mestic servants.. The British.Co- 
573 
lonies and especially the West In- 
dies, are chiefly provided with 
clerks, overseers of plantations, 
&c. from thissource.—3. The pro- 
digious number of non-commis- 
sioned officers in the army, who 
are natives of Scotland, having 
been raised from the ranks in 
consequence of their knowledge 
of reading and writing, and ge- 
neral good conduct, is also very 
remarkable.—The recollection of 
most readers will probably supply 
them with other examples, but 
there are two instances somewhat 
out of the course of ordinary éx- 
perience, which deserve to be par- 
ticularly mentioned. 
In the year 1803. Mr. Matthew 
Martin, a gentleman distinguished 
for his active benevolence, having 
been for some time engaged, un- 
der the sanction of Government, 
in a laborious’ inquiry concerning 
the “ State of Mendicity in the 
Metropolis,” was desired to make 
a Report upon that ‘subject for 
the information of Government. 
From the statement which he pre- 
pared on that occasion and laid 
before the Secretary of State, itap- 
peared that the number of Scotch 
beggars in London was remark- 
ably small, especially in propor- 
tion to the Irish beggars, with 
whom it was natural to compare 
them. Of 2000 beggars, whose 
cases were investigated by Mr- 
Martin, the following is a sums 
mary :— 
Belonging to home pa- 
rishes - - - = = 570 
Belonging to distant pa- 
rishes - - = = = 336 
Irish -  - + = = = 679 
Scotch - =--'- = 65 
Foreign - - - = = $0 
