employed more innocently and more usefully to the public than those which are supplied from the market.'

Dr. Smith allows, however, that possessions may be too small as well as too large; which, he intimates, is especially the case when lands are let in run-rig; a species of tenure with which we are not acquainted in the south of our island, and which he says is nearly synonimous with being in

common.

The circumstances of the times have promoted an extension of the military system; which, with respect to the agricultural interest, is attended with an evil that is not sufficiently considered: it tempts a sober, frugal, and industrious race to exchange their virtuous for dissipated habits; and it induces them to migrate from their native soil, to the productiveness of which they contributed. Those who wish to profit by the operation of this system, to increase the size of their farms, will not complain: but, at last, the imperfect produce of the ground will be felt; and we must encourage agricultural population, either by employing more hands on the land already in cultivation, or by taking new farms and inclosures from our common and waste lands.

Rents in Argyleshire are, for arable land, from 21. to 15s. per acre: -for what is called pasture, from 4s. to 4d. per acre.

It is well known that no tithes are paid in Scotland: but, in a section bearing this title, Dr. S. takes occasion to complain of the inadequacy of the fund in lieu of tithes for the maintenance of the clergy; by which their rank in society is sunken, and with it their utility and influence: for (he adds) let our vain and new philosophers allege what they will, there can be no national prosperity, of any duration, without religion; and there can be no religion without a respectable clergy, nor a respectable clergy without a decent maintenance being annexed to the office.' (P. 43.) - If this be not done, the men who should fill the office will naturally betake themselves to other employments, and their place will be supplied by such as ought to have neither lot nor part in this matter.' (P. 45.) There is also a section entitled Poor Rates, though no such assessment exists in Scotland: but the author recommends that something of this kind should be adopted; or rather he advises the establishment of benefit clubs.

1

Under the head of Expences, we find the following account of the mode of living in Argyleshire: which will not be deemed very luxurious by the inhabitants of South Britain:

• The small farmers, for nine or ten months in the year, make generally two, and sometimes three meals a-day of potatoes, with herrings or milk. Such as can afford it, salt a cow in winter, and

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kill a sheep or two in harvest. Oatmeal pottage, or oatmeal jelly (sowens), make commonly the third meal a-day, with milk; and oaten or bear bread, when potatoes fail, supply the place. In Kintyre, it is customary to take a little thin pottage, or a little bread and milk, before they begin work in the morning; and after dinner, should it be even potatoes and herring, or flesh and broth, they have commonly a little bread and milk, by way of desert or supplement *.*

With all this economy, few farmers expect or accomplish more than to make their outlays (outgoings) and returns balance at the year's end."

This is no encouraging statement for the Argyleshire agriculturist; yet, by the account of implements, it seems that agriculture is there improving. After having remarked the great disproportion between the heath and hill and the arable land, as stated at the beginning of this article, we can easily credit Dr. S. when he tells us that the general appearance of the country is naked and open.'

Fallowing is scarcely known; and examples of a proper rotation of crops are rare. The kind of grain raised in the greatest quantity in this county is oats; yet it is not equal to the consumption; and about 25,000 bolls of oatmeal are yearly imported Potatoes are termed the staff of bread, and the disease called the curl has not yet seized those of this county. The culture of flax is recommended as suited to the climate. Wheat is not cultivated; and the reason assigned is, that the deanand for bear or big, (improperly called barley,) to make whisky, is greater than even that for bread; and the distillers have a brisker trade and more ready cash than the bakers. Barley- is a grain scarcely known in Argyleshire, and the farmers deal but little in artificial grasses. Their imperfect method of hay-making may be inferred from Dr. S.'s direction, * to cut it with a hay-knife or hay-spade, and not to pull it.' Cows are recommended to be curried, like horses.

When it is considered that most of our best gardeners are Scotchmen, the reader will be surprized to find that the people of this county are so far behind us in gardening; and that there is scarcely any thing which deserves the name of an orchard in Argyleshire: though a Scotchman, writing from Richmond in Surrey, declares that he had experienced greater heat in the glens of Argyleshire than he felt in the summer of 1793 in England, and that there are vast numbers of tracts in the West Highlands of Scotland that would ripen apples and pears, better than any in the low countries of the kingdom.' This is a statement which ought to induce the people of this

* When the author afterward laments the consumption of whisky, we are prevented from supposing that these sons of the plough are mere milksops.

shire to plant orchards; and they should not less attend to what the reporter advances on the importance of raising coppice wood and forest timber.

The chapter on Improvements, as consisting of draining and burning-manuring *-weeding +-and watering, contains many observations and directions to which the Northern agriculturist, if he consults his interest, will certainly attend: but on these points it will be unnecessary for us to enlarge.

Under the head of Live Stock, we have an account of the Argyleshire breed of cattle: together with a description of the process of making butter and cheese. Dr. Smith recommends the native white-faced breed of sheep, in preference to the Linton or black-faced kind; being persuaded that they will prove a more valuable kind of stock, not only than these latter, but even than the Cheviot breed. He complains that new and formerly unknown diseases have already been introduced into the county by a foreign breed; while the farmers would run no risk by endeavouring to improve their own. The mode of smearing or salving the sheep with tar and butter in October, though a general practice, is not mentioned by this reporter as necessary; and he is of opinion that hereafter it will be abandoned.

Goats, which are said to have abounded in this county, are now almost banished: but Dr. S. thinks that they are useful animals, well adapted to the soil and climate; and that it will be a loss if the species be allowed to perish. It is liable to no disease; it finds its food where no other animal is able to travel; its milk, of which it gives a large quantity, is medicinal, and makes excellent cheese. Its flesh is nourishing, and much recommended for many ailments. Its tallow is considerable, and its skin also valuable.' This enumeration of the good qualities of the goat, if it should not restore him to per. fect favour, may at least so far diminish the prejudice agairst him, as to prevent his being quite discarded. In Northumberland, they have generally a few of them mixed with the sheep, for the health of the flock; as it is known they eat, with safety, plants which to other animals would be poison.'

A prejudice against Pork prevailed till lately among Highlanders: but this is giving way, and swine are coming into repute. Dr. Smith rejoices at this circumstance, and very judiciously recommends the black Chinese breed as the best for a poor man, being most easily fattened.

* Here Dr. S. reminds his countrymen of their homely proverb, "Muck is the mother of the meal-chest."

† Here another proverb is repeated: "One year's seeding is seven years weeding."

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Not only horses, but also rabbits, poultry, pigeons, and bees, are noticed in this chapter.

The most interesting articles in the chapter entitled Political Economy are Manufactures, Poor, and Population. The former appear to have made little progress; and as to the fisheries, Dr. S. tells us, they can never thrive till the salt-laws are altered. As to the Poor, they are supported by begging, and by the weekly collections at the church; which are not considerable. No legal provision is made for them. Respecting the Population of Argyleshire, though Dr. Smith does not suppose that it is so great now as it was in antient times, (and the facts which he adduces corroborate his opinion,) he represents it as greater now than it was 40 years ago. It appears in 1755 to have been 61,575, and in 1795 to have increased to 74,471. As the extent of the county is 3800 square miles, this allows nearly, but not quite, 20 persons to each square mile. No one can be more deeply impressed with a sense of the importance of attending to every circumstance which is favourable to the population of a country, than Dr. Smith; and it may be presumed that so sensible a writer will not reason and expostulate on this and other topics altogether in vain. Improvements may be suggested, but without hands they cannot be effected. - In the last place, the Doctor enumerates, among the obstacles to the prosperity of the county, though not peculiar to it, the unhappy frequency of our wars; each of which drains Argyleshire of between 3000 and 4000 of its most effective hands.

On the whole, we perceive that a benevolent mind pervades this work; and, although it may betray some defects, it is a proof of the reporter's diligence and ability.

ART. V. Men and Manners. By Francis Lathom.

14s. sewed. Wright, &c. 1799.

12 mo. 4 Vols.

THE title of this production leads us to examine the dramatis

persone as a painter examines the several pictures of a collected groupe of figures, representing a variety of characters; and, according to this mode of examination, we shall pass our strictures on the pictures exhibited on this canvas. The most prominent figure of the piece is Sir Gilbert Oxmondeley; who, from having been born plain Gilbert Oxmondeley, and been bred to the trade of a glover and hosier in Cheapside, is turned round on the sportive wheel of fortune, and thrown into the rank of a baronet, with the appendage of four thousand pounds in a year. Such a change in circumstances naturally produces a change of manners; which are well described in the author's own words:

• The

The baronet, as is natural to suppose, in a man undergoing so sudden a change of circumstances, lost what few good qualities he had ever possessed, in such vicious ones, as he had never before dreamt of;-his sentiments and manners underwent as speedy a metamorphose, as the house and furniture of Goody Baucis and her good man Philemon. The counter-bow and smirk, with the indiscriminately applied sentences of, "much obliged to your ladyship," -" thank you, sir," were converted into a stiff gait and sneer at the little world below him, with a continual grumbling cough in his throat, which seemed to say, " dam'me, don't you know who I am?"

This is good painting. - Miss Eliza, Sir Gilbert's daughter, has educated herself principally by the assistance of novels, and consequently marries the first man who asks the honor of her fair hand, reduces herself to poverty, and flies from her creditors to the stage. - This, though not an original, is a good copy. The family of the Hutchinbuncks is well executed; and the Dutch boy, or man in miniature, is alive: - but the foundling Rachel is too formal, sententious, and affected, for a country girl bred up in a parsonage-house with the good simple Mr. Morden: the colours are therefore not natural.

Jonathan Parkinson, the quaker and no quaker, (being only so called by the world because he wore plain clothes and a flat crown'd hat, lest he should offend the memory of his ancestors; and who retained also for the same reason the peculiarity of that stiff phraseology used by the sect,) forms the picture which pleases us the least in the piece. It may be that, as Jonathan Parkinson is not friendly to our court of criticism, he must allow for our being a little piqued that a man, who is exalted by the liberality of his sentiments, should so set his face against poor Reviewers as to refuse all acquaintance with us, and to judge us severely without knowing us: for Jonathan's own words are, on being presented by a bookseller with two new Reviews,-" I do thank thee, friend, for thy civility, but I do never read those BOOKS." -Now human creatures are not always good Christians, and so disposed to forgive as they ought to be; it may therefore be considered as a venial sin, if we exult a little over the fallible virtue of this preacher and pattern of moral rectitude; and if we smile when we see him peeping over the shoulder of the frail Miss Darlington, who presents him with two illegitimate pledges of an illicit amour. The costume of this portrait is ill preserved.

The dashing Cranberry, the cold-blooded Alfred, the gamester Lady Paragon, the swindler Blackman, the travell'd Sir Bauble, and many others, are rather daubings than good pictures; the colours are unnatural.-We give the following chapter as a specimen of the work: