a journey to-第23节

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diameter；　the　lower　is　a　little　convex；　to　which　the　concavity　of
the　upper　must　be　fitted。　　In　the　middle　of　the　upper　stone　is　a
round　hole；　and　on　one　side　is　a　long　handle。　　The　grinder　sheds
the　corn　gradually　into　the　hole　with　one　hand；　and　works　the
handle　round　with　the　other。　　The　corn　slides　down　the　convexity　of
the　lower　stone；　and　by　the　motion　of　the　upper　is　ground　in　its
passage。　　These　stones　are　found　in　Lochabar。

The　Islands　afford　few　pleasures；　except　to　the　hardy　sportsman；
who　can　tread　the　moor　and　climb　the　mountain。　　The　distance　of　one
family　from　another；　in　a　country　where　travelling　has　so　much
difficulty；　makes　frequent　intercourse　impracticable。　　Visits　last
several　days；　and　are　commonly　paid　by　water；　yet　I　never　saw　a
boat　furnished　with　benches；　or　made　commodious　by　any　addition　to
the　first　fabric。　　Conveniences　are　not　missed　where　they　never
were　enjoyed。

The　solace　which　the　bagpipe　can　give；　they　have　long　enjoyed；　but
among　other　changes；　which　the　last　Revolution　introduced；　the　use
of　the　bagpipe　begins　to　be　forgotten。　　Some　of　the　chief　families
still　entertain　a　piper；　whose　office　was　anciently　hereditary。
Macrimmon　was　piper　to　Macleod；　and　Rankin　to　Maclean　of　Col。

The　tunes　of　the　bagpipe　are　traditional。　　There　has　been　in　Sky；
beyond　all　time　of　memory；　a　college　of　pipers；　under　the　direction
of　Macrimmon；　which　is　not　quite　extinct。　　There　was　another　in
Mull；　superintended　by　Rankin；　which　expired　about　sixteen　years
ago。　　To　these　colleges；　while　the　pipe　retained　its　honour；　the
students　of　musick　repaired　for　education。　　I　have　had　my　dinner
exhilarated　by　the　bagpipe；　at　Armidale；　at　Dunvegan；　and　in　Col。

The　general　conversation　of　the　Islanders　has　nothing　particular。
I　did　not　meet　with　the　inquisitiveness　of　which　I　have　read；　and
suspect　the　judgment　to　have　been　rashly　made。　　A　stranger　of
curiosity　comes　into　a　place　where　a　stranger　is　seldom　seen：　　he
importunes　the　people　with　questions；　of　which　they　cannot　guess
the　motive；　and　gazes　with　surprise　on　things　which　they；　having
had　them　always　before　their　eyes；　do　not　suspect　of　any　thing
wonderful。　　He　appears　to　them　like　some　being　of　another　world；
and　then　thinks　it　peculiar　that　they　take　their　turn　to　inquire
whence　he　comes；　and　whither　he　is　going。

The　Islands　were　long　unfurnished　with　instruction　for　youth；　and
none　but　the　sons　of　gentlemen　could　have　any　literature。　　There
are　now　parochial　schools；　to　which　the　lord　of　every　manor　pays　a
certain　stipend。　　Here　the　children　are　taught　to　read；　but　by　the
rule　of　their　institution；　they　teach　only　English；　so　that　the
natives　read　a　language　which　they　may　never　use　or　understand。　　If
a　parish；　which　often　happens；　contains　several　Islands；　the　school
being　but　in　one；　cannot　assist　the　rest。　　This　is　the　state　of
Col；　which；　however；　is　more　enlightened　than　some　other　places；
for　the　deficiency　is　supplied　by　a　young　gentleman；　who；　for　his
own　improvement；　travels　every　year　on　foot　over　the　Highlands　to
the　session　at　Aberdeen；　and　at　his　return；　during　the　vacation；
teaches　to　read　and　write　in　his　native　Island。

In　Sky　there　are　two　grammar　schools；　where　boarders　are　taken　to
be　regularly　educated。　　The　price　of　board　is　from　three　pounds；　to
four　pounds　ten　shillings　a　year；　and　that　of　instruction　is　half　a
crown　a　quarter。　　But　the　scholars　are　birds　of　passage；　who　live
at　school　only　in　the　summer；　for　in　winter　provisions　cannot　be
made　for　any　considerable　number　in　one　place。　　This　periodical
dispersion　impresses　strongly　the　scarcity　of　these　countries。

Having　heard　of　no　boarding…school　for　ladies　nearer　than
Inverness；　I　suppose　their　education　is　generally　domestick。　　The
elder　daughters　of　the　higher　families　are　sent　into　the　world；　and
may　contribute　by　their　acquisitions　to　the　improvement　of　the
rest。

Women　must　here　study　to　be　either　pleasing　or　useful。　　Their
deficiencies　are　seldom　supplied　by　very　liberal　fortunes。　　A
hundred　pounds　is　a　portion　beyond　the　hope　of　any　but　the　Laird's
daughter。　　They　do　not　indeed　often　give　money　with　their
daughters；　the　question　is；　How　many　cows　a　young　lady　will　bring
her　husband。　　A　rich　maiden　has　from　ten　to　forty；　but　two　cows　are
a　decent　fortune　for　one　who　pretends　to　no　distinction。

The　religion　of　the　Islands　is　that　of　the　Kirk　of　Scotland。　　The
gentlemen　with　whom　I　conversed　are　all　inclined　to　the　English
liturgy；　but　they　are　obliged　to　maintain　the　established　Minister；
and　the　country　is　too　poor　to　afford　payment　to　another；　who　must
live　wholly　on　the　contribution　of　his　audience。

They　therefore　all　attend　the　worship　of　the　Kirk；　as　often　as　a
visit　from　their　Minister；　or　the　practicability　of　travelling
gives　them　opportunity；　nor　have　they　any　reason　to　complain　of
insufficient　pastors；　for　I　saw　not　one　in　the　Islands；　whom　I　had
reason　to　think　either　deficient　in　learning；　or　irregular　in　life：
but　found　several　with　whom　I　could　not　converse　without　wishing；
as　my　respect　increased；　that　they　had　not　been　Presbyterians。

The　ancient　rigour　of　puritanism　is　now　very　much　relaxed；　though
all　are　not　yet　equally　enlightened。　　I　sometimes　met　with
prejudices　sufficiently　malignant；　but　they　were　prejudices　of
ignorance。　　The　Ministers　in　the　Islands　had　attained　such
knowledge　as　may　justly　be　admired　in　men；　who　have　no　motive　to
study；　but　generous　curiosity；　or；　what　is　still　better；　desire　of
usefulness；　with　such　politeness　as　so　narrow　a　circle　of　converse
could　not　have　supplied；　but　to　minds　naturally　disposed　to
elegance。

Reason　and　truth　will　prevail　at　last。　　The　most　learned　of　the
Scottish　Doctors　would　now　gladly　admit　a　form　of　prayer；　if　the
people　would　endure　it。　　The　zeal　or　rage　of　congregations　has　its
different　degrees。　　In　some　parishes　the　Lord's　Prayer　is　suffered：
in　others　it　is　still　rejected　as　a　form；　and　he　that　should　make
it　part　of　his　supplication　would　be　suspected　of　heretical
pravity。

The　principle　upon　which　extemporary　prayer　was　originally
introduced；　is　no　longer　admitted。　　The　Minister　formerly；　in　the
effusion　of　his　prayer；　expected　immediate；　and　perhaps　perceptible
inspiration；　and　therefore　thought　it　his　duty　not　to　think　before
what　he　should　say。　　It　is　now　universally　confessed；　that　men　pray
as　they　speak　on　other　occasions；　according　to　the　general　measure
of　their　abilities　and　attainments。　　Whatever　each　may　think　of　a
form　prescribed　by　another；　he　cannot　but　believe　that　he　can
himself　compose　by　study　and　meditation　a　better　prayer　than　will
rise　in　his　mind　at　a　sudden　call；　and　if　he　has　any　hope　of
supernatural　help；　why　may　he　not　as　well　receive　it　when　he　writes
as　when　he　speaks？

In　the　variety　of　mental　powers；　some　must　perform　extemporary
prayer　with　much　imperfection；　and　in　the　eagerness　and　rashness　of
contradictory　opinions；　if　publick　liturgy　be　left　to　the　private
judgment　of　every　Minister；　the　congregation　may　often　be　offended
or　misled。

There　is　in　Scotland；　as　among　ourselves；　a　restless　suspicion　of
popish　machinations；　and　a　clamour　of　numerous　converts　to　the
Romish　religion。　　The　report　is；　I　believe；　in　both　parts　of　the
Island　equally　false。　　The　Romish　religion　is　professed　only　in　Egg
and　Canna；　two　small　islands；　into　which　the　Reformation　never　made
its　way。　　If　any　missionaries　are　busy　in　the　Highlands；　their　zeal
entitles　them　to　respect；　even　from　those　who　cannot　think
favourably　of　their　doctrine。

The　political　tenets　of　the　Islanders　I　was　not　curious　to
investigate；　and　they　were　not　eager　to　obtrude。　　Their
conversation　is　decent　and　inoffensive。　　They　disdain　to　drink　for
their　principles；　and　there　is　no　disaffection　at　their　tables。　　I
never　heard　a　health　offered　by　a　Highlander　that　might　not　have
circulated　with　propriety　within　the　precincts　of　the　King's
palace。

Legal　government　has　yet　something　of　novelty　to　which　they　cannot
perfectly　conform。　　The　ancient　spirit；　that　appealed　only　to　the
sword；　is　yet　among　them。　　The　tenant　of　Scalpa；　an　island
belonging　to　Macdonald；　took　no　care　to　bring　his　rent；　when　the
landlord　talked　of　exacting　payment；　he　declared　his　resolution　to
keep　his　ground；　and　drive　all　intruders　from　the　Island；　and
continued　to　feed　his　cattle　as　on　his　own　land；　till　it　became
necessary　for　the　Sheriff　to　dislodge　him　by　violence。

The　various　kinds　of　superstition　which　prevailed　here；　as　in　all
other　regions　of　ignorance；　are　by　the　diligence　of　the　Ministers
almost　extirpated。

Of　Browny；　mentioned　by　Martin；　nothing　has　been　heard　for　many
years。　　Browny　was　a　sturdy　Fairy；　who；　if　he　was　fed；　and　kindly
treated；　would；　as　they　said；　do　a　great　deal　of　work。　　They　now
pay　him　no　wages；　and　are　content　to　labour　for　themselves。

In　Troda；　within　these　three…and…thirty　years；　milk　was　put　every
Saturday　for　Greogach；　or　'the　Old　Man　with　the　Long　Beard。'
Whether　Greogach　was　courted　as　kind；　or　dreaded　as　terrible；
whether　they　meant；　by　giving　him　the　milk；　to　obtain　good；　or
avert　evil；　I　was　not　informed。　　The　Minister　is　now　living　by　whom
the　pract