1800. ] ae 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
, SIRs 
BSERVING that you with for in- 
formation refpeéting the prefent tate 
of the different provincial towns of the 
kingdom, I beg leave to fend you the fol- 
lowing notices of Aberdeen. Although a 
ftatiftical account of this city has been but 
recently publifhed, yet, as that account 
contains but little of manners, what is now 
tranfmitted may not be deemed altogetirer 
fuperfluous. Seb bse 
In appreciating the character of a peo- 
ple regard fhould be had. to the fituation 
and circumftances in which they are placed; 
afmall local difference making an effen- 
tial variety in a country whofe inhabitants 
were originally the fame. | 
Although fufficiently alive to matters of 
private iniereft, yet to matters of general 
or national import the Aberdonians are 
confidered as being rather lukewarm. 
Approaching the moft eafterly point of the 
country, they were, until the late efta- 
blifhment of turnpike-roads and mail 
coaches, in a manner, cut off from that 
direé&t. communication with the metropo- 
lis enjoyed by their fouthern neighbours. 
More concentrated therefore within them- 
felves, they were difpotfed to view with. in- 
difference whatever was pafling in the great 
theatre of the world, provided all went 
well at home. . This trait however is be- 
coming daily lefs difcernible. Fifty years 
ago, if a citizen had occafion to vifit Lon- 
don, it was deemed a matter ef fuch ha- 
zard that he thought it only common pru. 
dence to make his will before fetting out ; 
“and if he returned at the end of three 
months, he was confidered as having been 
wonderfully expeditious. Now he can 
make the fame trip, either by fea or land, 
in as many weeks ; and ftill have eight or 
ten days to {pare in the metropolis for gra- 
tifying his curiofity or tranfaing his bu- 
finefs. Formerly much connected with 
Dutchmen, as the purchalers of their fta- 
ple commodity, the Aberdonians gra- 
dually acquired a little of Dutchmen’s neu- 
trality ; like them too looking with rather 
fufpicious eyes on modes of life or of bu- 
- finefs differing from thofe-of their forefa- 
thers. This averfion to any thing new 
has nodoubt retarded many improvements; 
' but it has, at the fame time, been pro- 
duétive of fome good effects. In carrying 
on their different branches of trade, mov- 
ing flowly ftep by ftep, and feldom or 
never fpeculating beyond their capital, 
they have been lefs fubje& to the bad ef- 
fects attending any fudden change or ob- 
firuction to commerce; cccafioned by a 
declaration of war or commencement of 
peace. A late inftance of this may be 
Account of Aberdeen. 
213 
mentioned. Previous to the breaking out 
of the prefent war, the manufacture of 
flockings was that which was carried to 
the greateft extenthere. Thefe were nearly 
all exported to Holland; but, on the feizure 
of that. country by the French, the trade 
was almoft annihilated ; yet there was not 
among the manufacturers a fingle failure 
in confequence. A better prodf of fober 
induttry cannot well be given: were it 
required, it might be added, that the tra- 
velling agents ef the Englifh commercial 
houfes acknowledge, that in no lace in 
the courfe of their ride do they meet with 
fuch ready and punétual payments as in 
Aberdeen. So much for keeping clofe to 
the main chance, and leaving it to the 
more active and turbulent fpirits of the 
fouth and weft to fpeculate in trade, or in 
politics, to invite improvements or inno- 
vations. 
The diflike tonovelty was fometime ago 
fhewn in avery perceptible light, on its 
being propofed to improve our chur¢gh 
mufic by introducing an organ. This to 
be fire was a matter of no great harm; 
but the righteous {pirit of Prefbyterianifm 
revolted at the idea; and when. the affair 
came before the Council of Elders, it was 
thrawn out with the utmoft indignation. 
Although the general fpirit of the peo- 
ple feems inimical to commercial or poli- 
tical theorifts, feveral religious fettaries 
have made fuch confiderable progrefs a+ 
mong the lower claffes as to have caufed 
fome degree ofalarm. As, however, pers 
fecution for opinions, or even a libellous 
oppolition to them, is but fynonimous to 
their propagation, it were very unwife ia 
the laity or clergy of the eftablithea ‘hurch 
to attempt harrafling a few fanatics whe 
muft of themfelves very foon difappear. 
Excepting a few who belong to the 
learned profeflions, all the inhabitants either 
areor have been engaged in butinefs; fcarcely 
any‘idle or landed gentleman refiding inthe 
town. Indeed it prefenis few inducements, 
but that of convenience, to thofe poffeffed 
ef much time and money, a dull unifor- 
mity being obferved from one end of the 
year to the other, unlefs at a money-term 
or an annual county-meeting, on which _ 
&? 
laft occafion all the brilliancy of the fur= 
rounding country is generally colle&ted. 
[tis no wonder then if the fuperior at- 
tractions of London or Edinburgh carr 
away the great, while the {mall landholder 
is content to live within the bounds of his 
eftate ; thus leaving us merely a fociety of 
merchants, except on the cafual intermix- 
ture of the military, Where there is no 
diffimilarity of purfuit, there can be little 
variety of character, efpecially when that 
purfuit is enlivened or interrupted with 
but 

