Want of Cleanliness. 27 



exterior of the cottages with white- washing. It 

 certainly gives them a cleanly appearance with- 

 out, which naturally induces an idea of comfort 

 within : a transient glance, however, which I 

 now and then caught of the interior of these 

 dwellings, gave me reason to apprehend they 

 would afford little comfort, at least, to an Eng- 

 lish cottager, who could deny himself the luxury 

 of living in constant smoke. 



If cleanliness be a criterion, among others, 

 by which the judgment may be directed as to 

 the degree of civilization to which a people may 

 have attained; it is much to be feared that 

 neither the personal appearance of individuals, 

 nor the domestic arrangements of Scottish fami- 

 lies of the lower classes, would entitle them to 

 a distinguished place in the scale of civilization. 



Increased attention to personal comforts is 

 among the first efforts towards civilization ne- 

 cessity seems the only apology for the neglect 

 of indispensable cleanliness. The inhabitants 

 of North Britain have not this excuse. It is a 

 singular incongruity that a nation so pre-emi- 

 nent for acquired knowledge and orderly con- 

 duct should appear to be wanting in those feel- 

 ings which teach the appreciation of cleanliness. 

 The contrast between the laborers on the op- 

 5 



