The Natural History of Selborne 153 



the British dominions. A person of a thinking turn of mind 

 will draw many just remarks from the modern improvements 

 of that country, both in arts and agriculture, where premiums 

 obtained long before they were heard of with us. The 

 manners of the wild natives, their superstitions, their preju- 

 dices, their sordid way of life, will extort from him many 

 useful reflections. He should also take with him an able 

 draughtsman; for he must by no means pass over the noble 

 castles and seats, the extensive and picturesque lakes and 

 waterfalls, and the lofty stupendous mountains, so little 

 known, and so engaging to the imagination when described 

 and exhibited in a lively manner; such a work would be 

 well received. 



As I have seen no modern map of Scotland, I cannot 

 pretend to say how accurate or particular any such may be; 

 but this I know, that the best old maps of that kingdom are 

 very defective. 



The great obvious defect that I have remarked in all maps 

 of Scotland that have fallen in my way is, a want of a coloured 

 line, or stroke, that shall exactly define the just limits of that 

 district called the Highlands. Moreover, all the great avenues 

 to that mountainous and romantic country want to be well 

 distinguished. The military roads formed by General Wade 

 are so great and Roman-like an undertaking that they well 

 merit attention. My old map, Moll's Map, takes notice of 

 Fort William, but could not mention the other forts that 

 have been erected long since ; therefore a good representation 

 of the chain of forts should not be omitted. 



by increased means of locomotion. He speaks of Ireland almost as we 

 should now speak of New Guinea. In other letters a similar point of 

 view may be noted with regard to Andalusia and Carniola, places now 

 well within the ordinary tourist beat ; but the expressions here used 

 about Ireland are even more striking. The allusion to the "lofty 

 stupendous mountains " also gives an interesting glimpse of the eighteenth- 

 century way of looking at nature. White's contemporaries had a marvel- 

 lous faculty for standing awestruck before "majestic heights" up which 

 the present generation strolls easily for a picnic party. The observations 

 on the maps of Scotland belong in the same way to what now seems a 

 remote antiquity. ED. 



