Of this improvidence no other account can be given than that it probably began in times of tumult, and continued because it had begun. Established cuftom is not eafily broken, till fome great event thakes the whole fyftem of things, and life feems to recommence upon new principles. That before the Union the Scots had little trade and little money, is no valid apology; for plantation is the leaft expenfive of all methods of improvement. To drop a feed into the ground can coft nothing, and the trouble is not great of protecting the young plant, till it is out of danger; though it must be allowed to have fome difficulty in places like these, where they have neither wood for palifades, nor thorns for hedges.

Our way was over the Firth of Tay, where, though the water was not wide, we paid four fhillings for ferrying the chaife. In Scotland the neceffaries of life are easily procured, but fuperfluities and elegancies are of the fame price at least as in England, and therefore may be confidered as much dearer.

We stopped a while at Dundee, where I remember nothing remarkable, and mounting our chaise again, came about the close of the day to Aberbrothick.

The monaftery of Aberbrothick is of great renown in the hiftory of Scotland. Its ruins afford ample teftimony of its ancient magnificence: its extent might, I fuppofe, eafily be found by following the walls among the grafs and weeds, and its height is known by fome parts yet ftanding. The arch of

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one of the gates is entire, and of another only fo far dilapidated as to diverfify the appearance. fquare apartment of great loftinefs is yet ftanding; its ufe I could not conjecture, as its elevation was very difproportionate to its area. Two corner towers particularly attracted our attention. Mr. Bofwell, whofe inquifitiveness is feconded by great activity, scrambled in at a high window, but found the stairs within broken, and could not reach the top. Of the other tower we were told that the inhabitants fometimes climbed it, but we did not immediately difcern the entrance, and as the night was gathering upon us, thought proper to defift. Men skilled in architecture might do what we did not attempt: they might probably form an exact ground-plot of this venerable edifice. They may from fome parts yet ftanding conjecture its general form, and perhaps by comparing it with other buildings of the fame kind and the fame age, attain an idea very near to truth. I fhould fcarcely have regretted my journey, had it afforded nothing more than the fight of Aberbrothick.

MONTROSE.

Leaving these fragments of magnificence, we travelled on to Montrofe, which we furveyed in the morning, and found it well built, airy, and clean. The town-house is a handfome fabrick with a portico. We then went to view the English chapel, and found a small church, clean to a degree unknown in any other part of Scotland, with commodious galleries, and what was yet lefs expected, with an organ.

At our inn we did not find a reception fuch as we thought proportionate to the commercial opulence of the place; but Mr. Bofwell defired me to obferve that the innkeeper was an Englishman, and I then defended him as well as I could.

When I had proceeded thus far, I had opportunities of obferving what I had never heard, that there were many beggars in Scotland. In Edinburgh the proportion is, I think, not lefs than in London, and in the fmaller places it is far greater than in English towns of the fame extent. It muft, however, be allowed, that they are not importunate, nor clamorous. They folicit filently, or very mo deftly, and therefore, though their behaviour may ftrike with more force the heart of a stranger, they are certainly in danger of miffing the attention of their countrymen. Novelty has always fome power; an unaccustomed mode of begging excites an unaccustomed degree of pity. But the force of novelty is by its own nature foon at an end; the efficacy of outcry and perfeverance is permanent and

certain.

The road from Montrofe exhibited a continuation of the fame appearances. The country is ftill naked, the hedges are of ftone, and the fields fo generally plowed, that it is hard to imagine where grafs is found for the horfes that till them. The harvest, which was almoft ripe, appeared very plentiful,

Early in the afternoon Mr. Bofwell obferved that we were at no great diftance from the houfe of lord Monboddo. The magnetifm of his converfation eafily drew us out of our way, and the entertain

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ment which we received would have been a fufficient recompence for a much greater deviation.

The roads beyond Edinburgh, as they are lefs frequented, muft be expected to grow gradually rougher; but they were hitherto by no means incommodious. We travelled on with the gentle расе pace of a Scotch driver, who having no rivals in expedition, neither gives himself nor his horfes unneceffary trouble. We did not affect the impatience we did not feel, but were fatisfied with the com. pany of each other as well riding in the chaife, as fitting at an inn. The night and the day are equally folitary and equally fafe; for where there are fo few travellers, why should there be robbers?

ABERDEEN.

We came fomewhat late to Aberdeen, and found the inn fo full, that we had fome difficulty in obtaining admiffion, till Mr. Bofwell made himself known his name overpowered all objection, and we found a very good house and civil treatment.

I received the next day a very kind letter from Sir Alexander Gordon, whom I had formerly known in London, and, after a ceffation of all intercourfe for near twenty years, met here profeffor of phyfick in the King's College. Such unexpected renewals of acquaintance may be numbered among the most pleafing incidents of life.

The knowledge of one profeffor foon procured me the notice of the reft, and I did not want any token of regard, being conducted wherever there was any thing which I defired to fee, and enter

tained at once with the novelty of the place, and the kindness of communication.

To write of the cities of our own ifland with the folemnity of geographical description, as if we had been caft upon a newly difcovered coaft, has the appearance of very frivolous oftentation; yet as Scotland is little known to the greater part of those who may read thefe obfervations, it is not fuperAluous to relate, that under the name of Aberdeen are comprised two towns, ftanding about a mile diftant from each other, but governed, I think, by the fame magiftrates.

Old Aberdeen is the ancient epifcopal city, in which are ftill to be feen the remains of the cathedral. It has the appearance of a town in decay, having been fituated, in times when commerce was yet unftudied, with very little attention to the commodities of the harbour.

New Aberdeen has all the bustle of profperous trade, and all the fhow of increafing opulence. It is built by the water-fide. The houfes are large and lofty, and the ftreets fpacious and clean. They build almoft wholly with the granite ufed in the new pavement of the streets of London, which is well known not to want hardness, yet they fhape it easily. It is beautiful, and must be very lafting.

What particular parts of commerce are chiefly exercised by the merchants of Aberdeen, I have not enquired. The manufacture which forces itself upon a ftranger's eye is that of knit-stockings, on which the women of the lower clafs are vifibly employed,