The Natural History of Selborne 151 



be expected within 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 prejudices, 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 moun- 

 tains, 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 representa- 

 tion of the chain of forts should not be omitted. 



The celebrated zigzag up the Coryarich must not be passed over. 

 Moll takes notice of Hamilton and Drumlanrig, and such capital 



difference in the estimate of remoteness which has been brought about 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 

 marvellous 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. 



