may return it me, that I may find the

true owner.

"You have seen, no doubt, the specimen of a Scotch Review. My first conjecture was, that Carlyle* was the author; but Dr Blair has convinced me that it is much more probably the production of your spiritual guide, Tom Hepburn. † But, whoever be the father, the child has a great deal of salt, and spirit, and humour. I wish he would continue, though at the hazard of my getting a rap over the knuckles from time to time. For I see in this hero the spirit of a drawcansir, who spares neither friend nor foe. I think I can reckon about twenty people, not including the king, whom he has attacked in this short performance. I hope all his spleen is not exhausted. I should desire my compliments to him, were I not afraid that he would interpret the civility as paying black mail to him. I am, dear John, yours sincerely,

DAVID HUME."

VIEW OF THE CHANGE OF MANNERS

IN SCOTLAND DURING THE COURSE
OF THE LAST CENTURY.

[The following remarks, which will be found extremely curious and valuable, were written by a lady of an ancient family in Renfrewshire, who was as much distinguished for goodness of heart as solidity of judgment; they are now first printed from the original manuscript.]

I AM sensible, that, in order to make these remarks properly, it is necessary one should have lived more in the world than I did during the times I write of, as the manners in the chief towns would be something different from those in the country; but, as our customs are brought from the metropolis, the people of fashion in the country cannot be far behind. The year 1727 is as far back as I can remember; at that time there was little bread in Scotland, manufactories

• Reverend Dr Carlyle, minister of Inveresk.

+ Reverend Thomas Hepburn, minister of Athelstonford. Of this ingenious gen tleman we hope to give a biographical notice in our next Number.

This was a sort of tax paid to freebooters, to obtain exemption from their inroads.

brought to no perfection either in linen or woollen; every woman made her web, and bleached it herself; it never rose higher than two shillings a yard, and with this cloth was every one clothed. The young men, who were at this time growing more nice, got theirs from Holland for shirts, but the old ones were satisfied with necks and sleeves of the fine, which were put on loose above the country cloth. I remember in the 30 or 31 of a ball, where it was agreed that the company should be dressed in nothing but home manufactures. My sisters were as well dressed as any, and their gowns were stript linen at 2s. 6d. a yard; their heads and ruffles were of Paisley muslins, at 4s. 6d. with 4d. edging from Hamilton, all of them the finest that could be got. A few years after this weavers were brought from Holland, and manufactories for linen established in the west. The dress of the ladies was more expensive than at present, though not so often renewed. At the time, I remember, hoops were wore constantly four yards and a half wide, which required much silk to cover them; and gold and silver was much used for trimmings, never less than three rows round the petticoat. Their heads were all dressed with lace from Flanders, no blonds, nor coarse edging used; the price of these were high, but two suit would serve for life. They were not renewed but at marriage, or some great event; who could not afford them wore fringes of thread. Their tables were as full as at present, though the meat was ill cooked, and as badly served up. They ate out of pewter, often not clean, but were nicer in table-linen than now, which families, and always napkins. was renewed every day in gentlemen's servants ate ill, having a set form by the week of three days broth and salt meat, and three days meagre, with plenty of oat bread, and small beer. Their wages were small till the vails were abolished; the men from L. 3 to L. 9 in the year, the women from 30s. to L. 2. At those times I mention, few of the women servants would

The

either all smoothed in the mangle, except sew, or iron linen, which was the ladies' head-dresses, which were done by their own maids. They in general employed as many servants as they do at present in the country, not

in towns where one man-servant was thought sufficient for most families, or two at most, unless they kept a carriage, which was a thing very uncommon in those days, and only used by the nobles of great fortune. The price of provisions were about a third of what they are now. Beef from 1d. to 2d. a pound; butter 3d.; cheese 2d.; eggs 1d. a dozen; a fowl 4d.; turkies and geese 1s. Neither was the price of provisions much increased till after the Rebellion in 45, when riches flowed much into the country.

Had we a particular account of the manners of our own country, and of the changes that have taken place from time to time since the reign of William the Conqueror, no history could be more entertaining. But those changes have been so little marked, that what knowledge we have of them we owe more to the essay writers in Queen Anne's time, than to any of our historians. Addison, Pope, and Swift, give us some idea of the manners of the times they wrote in; since that period the information we have had from our parents and our own observation only can instruct us. It is to be wished that some good writer would make his observations on this subject during his own life, which, if carried down by others, would contain both useful and entertaining knowledge. Nobody that has lived any time in the world but must have made remarks of this kind, though it is on ly the men of genius that can make the proper use of them, by represent ing the good or ill consequences they may have on society.

Those changes I have lived myself to see, I wish to remember and mark for my own use; my observations cannot go much farther back than the year 1730, which period verged on the age of my grandfather, who was one of those born betwixt the 60 and 70 of the century before, many of whom remained beyond the period above mentioned. Their manners were peculiar to themselves; as some part of the old feudal system still remained, every master was revered by his family, honoured by his tenants, and aweful to his domestics; his hours of eating, sleeping, and amusement, were carefully attended to by all his family, and by all his guests. Even

his hours of devotion were marked, that nothing might interrupt him; he kept his own seat by the fire, or at table, with his hat on his head, and often particular dishes served up for himself, that no one else shared of. Their children approached them with awe, and never spoke with any de gree of freedom before them. The consequence of this was, that, except at meals, they were never together, though the reverence they had for their parents taught them obedience, modesty, temperance. No one helped themselves at table, nor was it the fashion to eat up what was put on their plate, so that the mistress of the family might give you a full meal or not, as she pleased, from whence came in the fashion of pressing to eat, so far as to be disagreeable,

Before the Union, and for many years after it, money was very scarce in Scotland. A country without trade, or culture, or money to carry on either, must improve by slow degrees. A great part of the rents of estates were paid in kind; this allowed gentlemen to live comfortably at home, though they could not elsewhere, it introduced that hospitality so much boasted of in Britain. This way of life led to manners very different from the present, — nothing could affect them more than the restraint young people were under in presence of their parents; there was little intercourse between the old and the young,~ the parents had their own guests, which consisted for the most part of their own relations, and near neigh bours. As few people could afford to go to town in the winter, their ac quaintance was much confined. The children of this small society were under a necessity of being companions to each other; this produced many strong friendships, and strong attachments, and frequently very improper marriages. By their society being confined, their affections were less dif fused, and centered all in their own family circle. There was no enlargement of mind here;-their manners were the same, and their sentiments the same. They were indulgent to the faults of each other, but most severe on those they were not accustomed to, so that censure and detraction seemed to be the vice of the age.

From this education proceeded pride of understanding, bigotry in religion,

and want of refinement in every use ful art.

While the parents were both alive, the mother could give little attention to her girls, domestick affairs, and amusing her husband, was the business of a good wife. Those who could afford governesses for their children, had them, but all they could learn from them was to read English, and plain work: the chief thing required was to hear them repeat psalms, and long catechisms, in which they were employed an hour or more every day, and almost the whole day on Sunday. If there was no governess to perform this, it was done by the chaplain, of which there were one in every family. No attention was given to what we call accomplishments, reading or writing well, or even spelling, were never thought of; musick, drawing, or French, were seldom taught the girls. They were allowed to run about, and amuse themselves in the way they chose, even to womanhood, at which time they were generally sent to Edinburgh a winter or two to learn to dress themselves, to dance, and to see a little of the world. This world was only to be seen at church, at marriages, burials, and baptisms. These were the only public places where the ladies went in full dress, and as they walked the streets, they were seen by every body; but it was the fashion in undress always to be masked. When in the country, their employment was in coloured work, beds, tapestry, and other pieces of furniture, imitations of fruits and flowers, with very little taste. If they read any, it was either books of devotion, or long romances, and sometimes both. They never ate a full meal at table, it was thought very indelicate; but they took care to have something before dinner, that they might behave with propriety in company.

From the accounts given by old people who lived in this time, we have

reason to believe there was as little care taken of the young men's education as that of women, excepting those who were intended for learned profes sions, who got a regular education at schools and colleges; but the generality of country gentlemen, and even noblemen, were contented with the instruction given by the chaplain to their sons.

That the manners of the times I write of may be shown in a fuller light, I shall give Mr Barclay's rela❤ tion of the most memorable things that passed in his father's house, from the beginning of the century to the year 14, in which his father died. My brother," says he,

was

married in the year 4, at the age of 21; few men were unmarried af ter this time of life. I myself was married by my friends at 18, which was thought a proper age. Sir James Stuart's marriage with President Dalrymple's second daughter brought to gether a number of people related to both families. At the signing of the eldest Miss Dalrymple's contract the year before, there was an entire hogshead of wine drank that night, and the number of people at Sir James Stuart's was little less. The marriage was in the President's house, with as many of the relations as it would hold. The bride's favours were all sewed on her gown, from top to bottom, and round the neck and sleeves. The moment the ceremony was performed, the whole company ran to her, and pulled off the favours; in an instant she was stript of them all. The next ceremony was the garter, which the bridegroom's man attempted to pull from her leg, but she dropt it on the floor; it was a white and silver ribbon, which was cut in small morsels to every one in company. The bride's mother then came in with a basket of favours belonging to the bridegroom; those and the bride's were the same with the bearings of their families; hers pink and white, his blue and gold colour. *”

The indelicate custom of seizing the bride's garter is thus commemorated in noble, illustrious, and excellent Princesse, "The Bridals, a play written by the thrice the Duchess of Newcastle," and printed 1668.

[Enter the Brides and Bridegrooms, and

all the Bridal Guests, Sir Mercury Poet, one of the Bride-men, and the Lady Fancy, one of the Bride-maids, that helps to lead one of the Brides to the church.]

Adviser. Gentlemen bridegrooms, we must rifle your brides of their bride-gar

ters.

Sir J. Amorous. If it be the custom, I submit. Sage. But I will not agree to such an

The company dined and supped together, and had a ball in the evening; the same next day at Sir James Stuart's. On Sunday there went from the President's house to church three and twenty couple, all in high dress; Mr Barclay, then a boy, led the youngest Miss Dalrymple, who was the last of them. They filled the galereys of the church from the King's seat to the wing loft. The feasting continued till they had gone through all the friends of the family, with a ball every night.

As the baptisms was another public place, he goes on to describe it thus:

"On the fourth week after the lady's delivery, she was set on her bed, on a low footstool, the bed covered with some neat piece of sewed work, or white satin, with three pillows at her back, covered with the same, she in full dress, with a lappit head-dress, and a fan in her hand. Having informed her acquaintance what day she is to see company, they all come and pay their respects to her, standing or walking a little through the room, for there are no chairs ; they drink a glass of wine, and eat a piece of cake, and then give place to others. Towards the end of the week all the friends were asked to what was called the Cummerfealls; this was a supper where every gentleman brought a pint of wine to be drunk by him and his wife. The supper was, a ham at the head, and a pyraanid of fowls at the bottom, hens and ducks below, partridges at top; there was an eating posset in the middle of the table, with dried fruits and sweet

meats at the sides. When they had finished their supper, the meat was removed, and in an instant every one flies to the sweetmeats to pocket them, on which a scramble ensued, chairs overturned, and every thing on the table,-wrestling and pulling at one another with the utmost noise and violence. When all was quiet, they went to the stoups, (for there was no bottles for wine,) of which the women had a good share; for, though it was a disgrace to be seen drunk, yet it was none to be a little intoxicated in good company. * A few days after this, the same company were asked to the christening, which was always in the church, all in high dress, a number of them young ladies, who were called maiden cimmers; one of them presented the child to the father. After the ceremony, they dined and supped together, and the night often concluded by a ball."

The burials are the only solemnities now to be taken notice of. It was always on foot. The magistrates and town-council were always invited to that of every person of any consideration. "1500 burial-letters were wrote," says Mr Barclay, " at my father's death; the General Assembly was sitting at the time, and all the clergy were asked, and so great was the crowd, that the magistrates were at the grave in the Grey Friars churchyard, before the corpse was taken out of the house in the foot of the Advocates' Close. A few years before this, it had ceased to be the fashion for ladies to walk behind the corpse, in full dress, with coloured clothes; but formerly the chesting was at the same time, and all the female relations asked, which made part of the procession."

At this time acts of devotion employed much of their time; see the same gentleman's accounts of a Sunday past in his father's house. Prayall went regularly to church at ten, ers by the chaplain at nine o'clock,the women in high dress; he himself was employed to give the collection

If we ought to yield any credit to a French author, the English ladies, during the reign of King Charles the First, went a step beyond this in the liberal use of wine. La Courtisanne Dechifrée, dediée aux Dames Vertueuses de ce temps. à Paris, 1642. 8vo.

for the family, which consisted of a crown,-half after twelve they came home, at one had prayers again by the chaplain, after which they had a bit of cold meat or eggs, and returned to church at two. At four every one retired to their private devotions except the children and servants, who were convened by the chaplain, and examined; this continued till five, when supper was served up, or rather dinner; a few male friends generally partook of this meal, and sat till eight, after which psalm-singing, reading, and prayers, was performed by the old gentleman himself, after which they all retired.

Whether the genius of a people forms their religious sentiments, or if religion forms, in some measure, the manners of a people, I shall leave the wise to decide. I shall only observe, that while that reverence remained in the minds of men for masters, fathers, and heads of clans, it was then that the dread of Deity was most powerful; this will appear from the superstitious writings of the times. The fear of hell, and deceitful power of the devil, was at the bottom of all their religious sentiments. The established belief in witchcraft, for which many suffered, prevailed much at this time; ghosts too, and apparitions of various kinds; few old houses were without a ghostchamber, that few had courage to sleep in; omens and dreams were much regarded even by people of the best education. These were the manners of the last century, and remained in part for thirty years in this.

(To be concluded in our next.)

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.
PAUL JONES.

ALL our readers must have heard of this daring naval adventurer, and many of them are old enough to recollect the alarm and terror which the name of Paul Jones spread along our coasts during the war with America. This distinguished person was the son of a small farmer a few miles from Dumfries, and, impelled by that love of enterprise which is so frequently to be met with among the peasantry of Scotland, seems to have eagerly embarked in the cause of the colonies against the mother country. Whether he was actuated in any degree by a sense of the injustice

of Britain towards America, at the outset of his career, or merely availed himself of the opportunities in which revolutionary warfare so greatly abounds to rise from his original obscurity, it is now perhaps impossible to determine, and unnecessary to inquire. But it will be seen from the letters we are going to lay before our readers, that, in the progress of his adventurous life, he well knew how to employ the language of men inspired with the love of liberty; and that he was honoured by some of its warmest friends in both hemispheres. It is far from our intention to offer any thing in justification of the very conspicuous part he acted against this, his native country; yet it is impossible not to admire the gentle and kindly feelings which directed his conduct towards Lady Selkirk, so opposite to the character of a pirate as he was represented to be, and the very handsome manner in which he repaired the injury which policy perhaps compelled him to inflict. There are probably few instances, especially among adventurers who have risen from the condition in which Paul Jones was originally placed,-of more enlarged views, more generous feelings, and a more disinterested conduct, than the following letters exhibit, combined as these are with sentiments of relentless hostility towards the claims of his native country. Such a picture, of which the view is at all times refreshing, ought to be held up to the eyes of those who are now engaged in similar struggles in another quarter of the world. Good policy, in the absence of higher motives, may induce those who direct and regulate the movements of revolutionary warfare, as well as those who are impelled by the storm, to atone, in some measure, by acts of forbearance and generosity, for the injuries to which the helpless and the innocent are peculiarly exposed in the infuriate contests between a people and their rulers.

In the progress of the revolutionary war, Paul Jones obtained the command of a squadron, with which, in 1778, he undertook to annoy the coasts of Great Britain. On the 2d December 1777, he arrived at Nantes, and in January repaired to Paris, with the view of making arrangements with the Ame rican ministers and the French government. In February he conveyed