578 



SCOTLAND. 



The Scotch are obliged to be frugal, yet they are not without charity. It is said, that in 

 England, there is more public spirit, and in Scotland more individual charity. There are no 

 legal provisions for the poor, and except in the large towns, no hospitals or almshouses, yet 

 charity affords a sufficient relief. The beggars are neither importunate nor clamorous ; for a 

 Scotchman solicits charity with the dignity of a Castilian. Orphans are often distributed ana 

 brought up in families. There are some points of resemblance in the character of the Scotch 

 and that of the people of New England. If the Scotch are not cheerful, they are even-tem- 

 pered, and at times they are given to merriment. At Edinburgh, on the last night of the year, 

 it is the custom to sup abroad : at 12 o'clock, on the striking of the bells, the people sally forth 

 in such numbers, that all seem to be abroad. It is a night of revelry. The watchmen retire 

 from their rounds, and any lady, who is abroad by accident, or design, is liable to be saluted, 

 and the severity of the custom is seldom relaxed in favor of any rank. 



The domestic comforts of the Scotch are increasing by communication with the English, 

 though many of the Highlanders are still in a condition hardly superior to barbarism. The 

 useful arts are comparatively little known, and a traveler may see a horse drawing home the 

 harvest in a crate, with a stick under his tail for a crupper, held at each side by a twist of straw. 

 It is, perhaps, peculiar to a part of Scotland, " to have attained the liberal, without the manual 

 arts." Families of refinement and education, and not without means, have lately lived in the 

 Highlands with fewer conveniences than an English cottager, and with no floor in their houses, 

 but the damp earth. In these houses, however, the stranger would be received with true hos- 

 pitality, and the proprietors are, in the strictest signification of the word, gentlemen. All the 

 relatives of a chief are his equals, or, according to the Spanish proverb, " as good gentlemen 

 as the king, only not so rich." Boswell relates, that when he was at Inverara, the Duke of 

 Argyle asked one of his remote cousins, of the name of Campbell, and of course gentle, to 

 bring something from the next room, which he did readily, though he whistled, as if to show 

 the visiters that he was no menial, but was willing to oblige Macallumore. The country gen- 

 tlemen are often called by the name of their estates. It is not needful to commend the Scotch 

 character to the people of the United States, where they are excellent citizens, and the most 

 desirable class of emigrants. Many of them have settled in Canada, and they appear to be fond 

 of associating in such a manner as to form communities of their own. 



The natives of the Hebrides are a hardy race, remarkable for their strong attachment to their 

 native islands, and for retaining in their character much of that ancient Highland pride, and feudal 

 fidelity, the traces of which are growing fainter, and less marked, every successive generation. 

 Nothing can be more singular to the eye of a stranger, than the first view of a village in the 

 Hebrides. At a distance, a large volume of black smoke is seen slowly ascending, apparently 



tumble, which would be the consequence of her becoming 

 entangled in if. Finally, they gather it up, and put it into 

 her hand at the door. 



The gentlemen merely pass with a bow, unless the King, 

 being acquainted with them, detains them a few moments 

 in conversation. On the present occasion, his majesty 

 wore a field marshal's uniform, a daik blue coat and dia- 

 mond star, with a broad green ribbon. The Earl of 



, who stood behind him, reminded him as the ladies 



entered, that such a one had formerly been a celebrated 

 beauty, and had appeared at the late Queen's drawing- 

 rooms ; that such another was the widow of a celebrated 

 general or admiral. The king's memory, and the king's 

 politeness, were, therefore, equal themes of admiration. 

 Upon the whole, the ladies looked fresher, and more able 

 to bear the light of the sun, than in a similar assemblage 

 at St. James's. Rouge, which looked like brick dust by 

 the morning light, was chiefly confined to old and shriv- 

 eled dowagers, and the king had little occasion to use the 

 white pocket handkerchief, with which he sometimes finds 

 it necessary to rub off the rouge that adheres to his lips. 

 True, there were some awkward blunders ; but liis majesty 

 usually turned his broad shoulders on the ofl^ender, and 

 affected to perceive nothing that was disagreeable. A 

 lady became entangled in her train. The white rods had 

 forgot their duly. She whirled round and round tike a 

 horse entangled in his bridle, and finally became literally 

 inclosed in a sack, from which there was no escape. Just 

 as she was about to fall forward, she was arrested by some 

 friendly hand. One very hrautifiil ynnng lady mistook a 



lord in waiting for the king. It was said that his lordship 

 usurped the royal privilege, and then informed her of her 

 mistake. A very fat personage, whether from excess of 

 awe, or from having stumbled over some unknown ob 

 stacle, no sooner came up to the king, than she fell upon 

 her knees before him. It was too much, even for courtly 

 etiquette. The suite bit their rods, and tittered. The king 

 applied his handkerchief to his face. The unfortunate 

 little woman remained in the same position, her face grad- 

 ually assuming a darker hue of purple, until some humane 

 person, blessed with a strong pair of arms, placed her upon 

 her feet ; whereupon she made a hasty retreat. " Mrs. 



B ," said his majesty, casting a sad glance on an old 



beauty with a frizzled wig, false teeth, and corked eye- 

 brows, " I cannot help remarking, that we arc neither of 

 us so young as we have been." 



A few privileged persons remained in the presentation 

 room during the ceremony, but the generality returned to 

 the other apartments, and much amusement was excited 

 among the guard of archers in the ante-rooms, at the ap 

 prehensive faces of those who went in, and the relieved 

 air of those who came out. One of the most oiriking 

 looking' persons was the Duchess of A., in a conplete 

 dress of gold brocade, with a head-dress of black plumes 

 and diamonds. Aftei- standing for upwards of three hours, 

 his majesty having received and dismissed his comrnny, 

 made a general bow to the assembly, and hastily took his 

 departure by an opposite door. One by one the carrninss 

 drove ofi^, and Holyrood was, once more, left to silence v.id 

 desolation 



