Ch. x. in Scotland and Ireland. 455 



a habit of marrying early naturally follows ; and 

 while the manufacture continues to flourish and 

 increase, the evil arising from it is not very per- 

 ceptible ; though humanity must confess with a 

 sigh, that one of the reasons why it is not so per- 

 ceptible is, that room is made for fresh families 

 by the unnatural mortality which takes place 

 among the children so employed. 



There are other parts of Scotland however, 

 particularly the Western Isles, and some parts of 

 the Highlands, where population has considerably 

 increased from the subdivision of possessions ; 

 and where perhaps the marriages may be earlier 

 than they were formerly, though not caused by 

 the introduction of manufactures. Here the po- 

 verty which follows is but too conspicuous. In 

 the account of Delting in Shetland,* it is re- 

 marked that the people marry very young, and are 

 encouraged to do this by their landlords, who 

 wish to have as many men on their grounds as 

 possible, to prosecute the ling fishery ; but that 

 they generally involve themselves in debt and 

 large families. The writer further observes, that 

 formerly there were some old regulations called 

 country acts, by one of which it was enacted, that 

 no pair should marry unless possessed of 40/. 

 Scots of free gear. This regulation is not now 

 enforced. It is said that these regulations were 

 approved and confirmed by the parliament of 

 Scotland in the reign of Queen Mary or James VI. 



* Vol, i. i>. 385. 



