THE HIGHL'ANDS. 137 



the Firth of Cromarty, we fhall perceive a few 

 places, dignified indeed with the high-founding ap- 

 pellations of royal boroughs, but which, in reality, 

 are nothing more than ruinous villages, exhibiting 

 all the fymptoms of decay, poverty, and diftrefs. * 



Climate and foil, it hath been admitted, are 

 greatly againft that country ; but this circumftance, 

 inftead of difcouraging government, ought to excite 

 the moft fpeedy, vigorous meafares, towards fuch 

 objects as nature points out to be both practicable 

 and expedient. 



Every member of the Britifh parliament knows, 

 that the countries of Europe which lie under the 

 fame latitudes as the Highlands of Scotland, and 

 even beyond thefe latitudes, exhibit the ftrongeft 

 proofs of public attention. Thofe countries have 

 generally, by dint of art, been rendered the feats 

 .of induilry, and a happy mediocrity of fortune 

 which enables the great body of the people to live 

 Comfortably, under feverities of climate, which a 

 Highlander can fcarcely comprehend in idea. 



They abound in large mercantile cities, and in 

 capacious harbours; the works of incredible labour 

 and expence ; numerous (hipping > and the various 

 produce of the four quarters of the globe ; as 

 Archangel, formerly the only port of] ^ .,. 



Ruflia, and ftill a large commercial f / g In * 



i 04 ?o 



town, lying in f 



Drontheim, a trading city in Norway, 63 15 



Bergen, capital of ditto, 60 10 



Abo, a city of Sweden, 60 5 



Peterfburg, capital of Rutfia, 60 o 



Cronftadt, the arfenal andftation of the) , 



Ruffian fleet, $ 



Stockholm, capital of Sweden, 59 30 



Chriftiana, a large trading city in Norway, 59 5 



Jlevelj ditto in RufTia, 59 o 



* Thefe are Wick, Dornocb, Tain, Dingwall, and Fortrofe. 



Narva, 



