Ghap.Vm. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. £97 



C H A IP. VIIL 



^hc population of Scotland conjtdered i—Miich^ on this fubjcEi^ to ht 

 learned from Sir John Sinclair's Statiftical Account of Scotland. — = 

 ^he work not yet complete : — // comprehends the nuinhers of people 

 in the towns as ijoell as in the country. — Towns^ of late^ much in,- 

 creafed : — But thefe diminifh the numt'crs In the country. — V?icer- 

 taln ivhether the numbers In the country are increafed :■ -They are 

 ^imlnifhed In the parifo of Fordoun ftnce 1771. — For a general 

 view of the population of Scotland^ its inhabitants mufl be cotfidered 

 feparately^ as landholders ^ farmers ^ and cottagers: — The landhol- 

 ders much deer e a fed. — The great eflates^ in antient times ^ no objec- 

 ilon to thlsy as they 'were pojjejfed by vajfals : — Of vaffals was com^ 

 pofed the army of 20,000 horfe^ that Invaded England in Robert 

 Bruce^s time, under the Earls of Douglas and Murray : — Thefe vaf- 

 fals had their lands poffeffed by farmers and cottagers. — To the 

 military vaffals fucceeded feuers and wadfetters : — But thefe now 

 all bought up or redeemed. — The landholders of fuperlor rank, our 

 nobility , and gentry, alfo much dlmlnlfljed : — Not much above d 

 half of our nobility, at the Union, exlfllng ; and our gentry very 

 much decreafed by extln51lon of families, by female fucceffion, and by 

 Jales of their eflates 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 gentle^ 

 Uian^'^^The lofs of men of family not to be repaired by any wealth: — 

 They ^vere the governing men In Scotland In antient times : — So 

 much dhnlnlfhed of late, that If they continue to dlmlnifjj, the King 

 will not get officers from among them for his feet and army.-^ The 

 Vol. V. P p farmers 



