THE HIGHLANDS. 127 



infants, the conftant objects of their firft attention 

 amidft all the calamitous viciffitudes of life. 



Such is the hard lot of the great body of the peo- 

 ple who inhabit a fifth part of our ifland. Neg- 

 letted by government ; forfaken, or opprefled by 

 the gentry ; cut off, during moft part of the year, 

 by impaffible mountains, and impracticable naviga- 

 tions, from the feats of commerce, induftry, and 

 plenty; living at confiderable diftances from all 

 human aid, without the necefiaries of life, or any of 

 thofe comforts which might ibften the rigour of 

 their calamities -, and depending, moft generally, 

 for the bare means of fubfiftence, on the precarious 

 appearance of a veiTel freighted with meal or pota- 

 toes, to which they with eagernefs refort, though 

 often at the diftance of fifty miles. Upon the whole, 

 the Highlands of Scotland, fome few eftates ex- 

 cepted, are the feats of opprefiion, poverty, famine, 

 anguife, and wild defpair, exciting the pity of every 

 traveller, while the virtues of the inhabitants attract 

 his admiration. 



It is no wonder, therefore, that the refentments 

 of human nature fhould burfl forth, upon the firit 

 opportunity, againft thofe, who, inflead of labour- 

 ing to mitigate their diftrefies, were daily adding 

 new oppreflions ; till having, by thofe means, defo- 

 lated whole diftricts of the country, the delufion 

 vanifhed, and they found themfelves under the 

 fhameful neceflity of purchasing cattle and fheep to 

 graze the deferred heaths. 



This humiliating circumftanc? was facilitated by 

 an event which their penetration had not forefeen. 

 The Highlanders, who had ferved in the American 

 war, being, by royal proclamation, entitled to fet- 

 tlcments in that extenfive country, were defirous 

 that their kindred and friends fhould partake of 

 their good fortune. Some tranfmitted their ienti- 

 ments by letters ; others, returning from thence to 

 pay a farewell vifu to their native land, delivered 



their 



