r A Gossip on a Sutherland Hill- side 265 



given to idleness that they cannot apply themselves 

 to labour, which they deem a disparagement and 

 derogation unto their gentilitie.' 



The way in which land was let in townships 

 instead of to individuals, being afterwards subdivided 

 among the small tenants, the community being 

 answerable for the rent, was an admirable arrange- 

 ment for these gentry, as any individual might loaf 

 about as indolently as he liked, without the slightest 

 necessity of his raising more than was sufficient for 

 his own immediate consumption, his rent being paid 

 for him by the more industrious part of the little com- 

 munity, — an admirable encouragement for industry, 

 truly ! 



On this system the whole country became 

 absolutely useless to the community at large, and 

 a burden on the proprietor ; exporting nothing, 

 importing nothing, and starving regularly once in 

 three years in good times, and every other year in 

 bad ones. If a Sutherland man had advertised for 

 a place in those times he would have expressed his 

 desires somewhat in the following manner : — 



'Wanted by a Highland Gentleman, used to 

 habits of idleness, and who can do nothing, a place 

 where there is nothing to do. Salary not so much 

 an object as oatmeal.' 



It was to remedy this state of things that Sir 

 William Alexander endeavoured to induce his 

 countrymen to emigrate in 1620. The men in 

 those times were principally used up in the Polish 



