THE HIGHLANDS. 319 



thirty years ago. M. de Sismondi, among others, with 

 the most praiseworthy but short-sighted intentions, con- 

 tributed in no small degree to excite public animadver- 

 sion against this measure ; which, admitting that it was 

 too violently executed, has undoubtedly produced bene- 

 ficial results. 



The Highlands, in former times, like all inaccessible 

 mountain countries, were the natural fastnesses of a war- 

 like people. They differed in all respects from the rest of 

 the world costume, language, race, and manners. Gaelic 

 was the only language, the kilt and plaid the only dress. 

 Poetry and romance have immortalised this small people. 

 Habituated to warfare, the state of society among them 

 was not unlike that of the Arab tribes. Each great 

 family or clan yielded obedience to a hereditary chief. 

 The territory of each clan being looked upon almost as 

 common property, under rule of the chief, each individual 

 took what he wanted, upon the simple condition that he 

 paid a small fine in kind, and rendered personal military 

 service. Their wretched fields produced very indifferent 

 oats ; herds of cattle and sheep, as wild as their owners, 

 supplied a little wool, milk, and flesh. For the rest, the 

 mountaineers lived by hunting and fishing, but for the 

 most part by plunder. From time to time they made 

 predatory incursions upon the Lowlands ; and when not 

 united in one large body on such occasions, they sepa- 

 rated and pillaged, each upon his own account. 



Up to the time of the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the 

 chieftains thought only of increasing the number of 

 their followers. Their importance consisted, not in the 

 amount of their revenues, but in the numerical strength 

 of their armed bands. Although the agricultural and 

 social state of the middle ages had long passed away 

 elsewhere, it was found still existing in these retreats. 



