CONTENTS. 



CHAP. VIII. 



TThe population of Scotland confidered : — Much, on this fubje^l, to be learned from 

 Sir John Sinclair's Statiftical Account oj Scotland. — 1 he work not yet complete : — It 

 comprehends the numbers of people in the towns as well as in the country. — Towns, 

 of late, much increafed : — But thefe diminifh the numbers in the country — Uncer- 

 tam whether the numbers in the country are increafed : — They are diminifhed in 

 the parifh of Fordoun fince 1771. — For a general view of the population of Scot- 

 land, its inhabitants muft be confidered feparately, as landholders, farmers, and cot- 

 tagers i — The landholders much decrealed. — The great eftates, in antient times, no 

 objection to this, as they were poflefTcd by vaflals : — Of vafTals was compofed the 

 army of 20,oco horfe, that invaded England in Robert Bruce's time, under the Earls 

 ■of Douglas and Murray : — Thefe vaflals had their lands pofl^efl'ed by farmers and 



cottagers. To the military vaflals (ucceeded fcuers and wadfetters : — But thefe now 



all bought up or redeemed. — The landholders of fuperior rank, our nobility, and 

 oentry, alfo much diminifhcd : — Not much above a half of our nobility, at the 

 Union exifting ; — and our gentry very much decre^fed by extinfkion of families, by 

 female fccceflion, and by fales of their eftates to great proprietors : — Proof of this 

 from Ragman's roll.^ — ^The extinction of men of antient families not to be repaired : 



The King may make a man noble, but he cannot make him a gentleman. — ihe 



lofs of men of family not to be repaired by any wealth :— They were the govern- 

 ing men in Scotland in antient times :— So much diminiflied of late, that if :hey 

 continue to diminifh, the King will not get ofliccrs from among them for his fleet 

 and army.— The farmers in Scotland much decreafed in number :— Formerly few 

 farms exceeding 20 1. of rent ; now farms of 300 1. of 500 1. and even of looo 1 — 

 Sheep farms, of great extent, pofl"efl:ed by one tenant, which formerly employed 35 

 families -—Cottagers ought to be much more numerous than both the landholders or 



dParmers. In Scotland cottagers, formerly very numerous j— were almoft the only 



farm iervants : Now they are difmifTed from moft farms, and the work performed 



by unmarried houfe-fervants :— Inftance the defolation of one farm by this method. 



I'he fcarclty of the fervants and their high wages, are in part tending to correa: 



this abufe. Cafe of a farm of the Author's, where only a boy is kept in the houfe; 



and, though the tenant does not pay above 30 1. of rent, there are 13 families of 

 cottagers: Another tenant, who pofl^efles only 8 acres of arable land, keeps 3 fami- 

 lies of cottagers :— A fmall village of the Author's poflieflfed by 7 tenants, who oc- 

 cupy 3 acres a piece. — Confequences of fuch great population ; — 200 Individuals in 

 a traft of eround of the Author's not paying 100 1. a year.— State of the Author's 



own 



