86 PRESENT STATE 



burgh, and whofe inhabitants, compofed in antient 

 times, the flower of the. Scptpfh armies, exhibit at 

 prefent a melancholy picture of decayed boroughs, 

 neglected feats, and a dejected commonalty. 

 Though this diftrict hath a coaft of near 200 miles, 

 abounding in fmall harbours, and fituated mod ad- 

 mirably for weftern commerce, and the fifheries ; 

 yet, from the head of the Solway Firth to the town 

 of Air, there is neither manufacture, nor Hupping 

 beyond the fize of the herring bufTes, although it 

 would appear by the number of ports, and by tradi- 

 tion, that there was formerly a petty traffic in aH 

 thofe places. 



The fame remarks are applicable to that exten- 

 five inland country which reaches from the river 

 Tay, or the lake of that name, to the Pentland Firth. 

 There is, however, amongft the gentlemen of the 

 northern counties, a more general fpirit for intro- 

 ducing fmall branches of manufacture $ alfo for 

 planting, and other rural improvements. By thefe 

 generous efforts^ the hills begin to be covered with 

 timber of various denominations, and fo numerous 

 as to exceed credibility. Of this, the eflate of the 

 late Sir Archibald Grant furnilhes the moft ftriking 

 inflance, that gentleman having^ it is faid, lived to 

 feefeyeral millions of trees of his own planting, and 

 moflly in full growth. 



Of the various Claffes and Degrees of People in the 

 Lowlands, and their Prof evfity for the Manufactures 

 cf England . 



It is fcarcely neceffary under this head to rnen- 



commerce~-to aflift in pointing put new fources for promoting 

 whatever may be ufeful and beneficial and attend to every appli- 

 cation made to parliament, which may be thought injurious to the 

 trade 'and manufactures of this country ^to . 'fupport an intercourfe 

 and friendly correfpondence with the convention of royal boroughs, 

 and board of truflees for fifheries and manufactures, for the pur- 

 pofe of communicating new and ufeful improvements to their at? 



