JtCt. III. THE COUNTY OF FIFE. s 75 



badly lighted, and without divisions or separate 

 apartments, except such as were formed by the 

 arrangement of the furniture. The office-houses 

 were small, the walls low and rudely construct- 

 ed, and the roofs ponderous, and with difficulty 

 kept dry. Sometimes they were placed irregu- 

 larly, as fancy or supposed convenience dic- 

 tated ; and sometimes they formed a square with 

 the dwelling-house, the barn on the one side, 

 and the stable and byre on. the other In the 

 middle stood the dunghill, the hollow situation 

 of which received and retained all the rain that 

 fell within the square. During the summer 

 months, after the dung collected through the 

 season, was carried to the land, the hollow where 

 it lay exhibited the disagree-able object of a pool 

 of stagnant putrid water, equally offensive to 

 the smell, and pernicious to the health. The 

 intermediate passages between the houses and 

 the dunghill were very narrow, and often a 

 complete mire by the treading of the cattle, or 

 laid with round stones confusedly thrown toge- 

 ther. 



Since that period, however, there is a mate- 

 rial change, in this respect, to the better. At 

 this moment, there are, in Fife, a great number 

 of very excellent farm-steads. The dwelling- 

 house is of two storeys, substantially built, coVer- 

 ed with slate, neatly finished, and with every 

 necessary convenience for the accommodation 

 of the farmer's family. The office-houses, are 

 built in the form of a square, sometimes at the 

 back of the dwelling-house, and including it as 

 a part of the square ; and sometimes at a little 

 distance fro 19 it, having stables, cow-house, barn, 

 K 2 



