; 
214 
. but few amufements. The favourite ex- 
ercife of the Aberdonians is golf, for the 
enjoyment ot which they have one of the 
beft commons that could be wifhed, lying 
between the city and the fea. +The expen- 
five and ufelefs amufement of horfe-racing 
is onthe wane. During the winter there 
ufed to be dancing and card affemblies, but 
notwithfianding that thefe difplayed much 
beauty and elegance, they feem to be on 
the decline. A weekly concert is ftill con- 
tinued, but it in like manner moves in 
penferofo. A billiard-table is open at all 
hours for the idle and diffipated. A com- 
pany of comedians attend generally once, in 
the two years, and perform in an elegant 
little theatre recently built; their excel- 
Fence however cannot be boafted of. Some 
years ago indeed, a few heroes of the fock 
and bufkin, who had driven themfelves 
into voluntary banifhment from the Len-— 
- don boards, paid a vifit to this place, 
fince which time the public tafte in thea- 
trical matters has become a little fafti- 
dious. 
For political information and difcuffien, 
there is a cofiee-room in the principal inn, 
to which frangers are admitted; and a 
news-room, open .only to fubfcribers. 
Thofe, however, who chufe not fo much 
publicity in their relaxations, are at no 
Jofs to form an evening party, where the 
four kings take precedence of all other 
matters ; and fuch deference to royalty is 
queftionlefs very becoming. There 1s 
however feldom any deep gambling. 
Two circulating ‘libraries have~ been 
efiablithed here fer fome years, and they 
each contain a pretty numerous. colleétion 
of books. Inftitutions of this fort, in the 
hands of men of but ordinary judgment, 
might be of great utility; but fhould little 
difcrimination be fhown by the librarian, 
little improvement can be expected from 
the reader, particularly if left to a mif- 
guided and indifcriminate perufal. The 
_proprietor of one of thefe boafted, at his 
commencement, that he had procured five 
hundred wew novels for the ufe of his fub- 
fcribers. In furnifhing fe many new ones, 
at the fame inftant, ne doubt great delicacy 
of tafte, great critical acumen had been 
difplayed; but what improvement, or 
what innocent amufement, a reader, efpe- 
cially a female reader, can derive from the 
perufal of fuch rank pieces of corruption 
as the Monk, and fome other illuminating 
produtions of the day, it is hard to cen- 
ceive. ‘ 
‘The Aberdeen Journal is a publication 
of confiderable ftanding, having begun its 
career, I believe, in 174.5, and continues 
to enjoy a pretty extenfive circulation in 
Account of Aberdeen. 
the neighbourhood, and to the north. Ie 
has frequently been attempted to keep a 
periodical mifcellany, or magazine, on 
foot here; but, notwithftanding that 
there are two univerfities, with feveral 
public and private fchools, confequently a 
number of men in fome meafure conneéted 
with literature, the attempt has always 
failed, * 
During the winter of every fecond year 
Profeflor Copland, of Marifchal College, 
delivers an evening courfe of letures on 
natural or mechanical philofophy; the 
different branches of which he explains in 
an eafy and popular manner. This courfe 
is intended chiefly for thofe who have not 
received an univerfity education; but many 
who have, embrace this opportunity of re- 
viving their knowledge. A very numer- 
ous attendance befpeaks the approbation 
of the public, who feem willing to en- 
courage the laudable views of the profeffor. 
An excellent colleétion of models is ex- 
hibited on this occafion, and many of thefe 
are the work of the lecturer himfelf. Thofe 
whofe occupation or whofe tafe attach 
them to chemiftry, have an opportunity 
cf attending the clafs of Dogétor French, 
which is taught likewife in the even- 
Wigs! 
The mode of educating boys is well 
known; that fer girls is fuited to the 
middling ranks of fociety. As in moft 
other places, there are boarding-{chools for 
their inftru€tion, where, however, more 
attention feems to be paid to perfonal than 
mental accomplifhments. The pupils are 
taught the ufual routine of fewing, em- 
broidery, mufic, drawing and dancing ; 
they alfo fometimes learn to mince French, 
for it is feldom fpoken or underftood. 
Much time muft therefore be Joft in ac- 
quiring this latter grace: and befides that 
‘a pretty mouth might be much better en- 
gaged than in biting the words of a fo- 
reign language into unintelligibilities; a 
‘more thorough knowledge of our own 
might be fully as proper ; at Jeaft would 
be fufficient for the ordinary purpofes of 
life. Their proficiency in feveral branches 
of education which they have been-more 
completely taught, fhews that they arecom- 
petent to better things; it is. therefore 
to be hoped, that the fuggeftions of a 
More may in a time point out objects 
of more laudable purfuit, yet ftill fuited 
to the delicacy and ductility of, their na- 
tures. ° 
The city of Aberdeen has been built in 
fuch anirregular manner, that ‘a ftranger 
on entering it is quite at a lofs in what 
dire€tion to move forward. There is fome 
profpe& of this miferable inconvenience 
being 
[April , 

Fe 
