An Elm in Tiviotdale, called the Trysting Tree, A Hawthorn in Perthshire, A Pear tree near Edinburgh, feet. in 30 0 19 6 42 84 52 0 90 54 12 0 The second Essay on the Natural History of the Inhabitants of the Highlands,' contains littlethat is not generally known Our author discountenances the common opinion, that they are distinguished by remarkable longevity; he gives us the following result of his enquiries on some islands, Every 12th person was found to be 60 years of age, or upwards, which appears indeed to be a very great proportion. Among each 100 inhabitants, there was one person of 80 or upwards. But only one person of 90 years old, or above it, among 500 people. Some instances exceeded, others fell short of this calculation; but in general, it may be assumed as the proportion of longevity in these islands. Only three persons were found, as mentioned above, of one hundred years old and upwards, in all the islands.' pp. 104.-105. In the third, Dr. W. gives the History of Icolumbkil.' He derives the name Icolumbkil from Y the Island, and Columbecella, the Island of the cell of Columba; and, with Adamnanus, supposes that Iona has the same meaning, substituting for Columba the Hebrew, ; though the people of the country derive it from Y and Iona, the Island of St. John. The history and antiquities of this deserted, yet still highly interesting seat of learning, do not admit of an abridgement, were it necessary in this place. The mineralogy seems curious, but, though not deficient in minuteness, is rather unintelligible; and of the botany, merely Pulmonaria maritima, Salir fusca, Gentiana campestris, (which our author erroneously wishes to confound with G. amarella,) Eryngilum maritimum, Cotyledon umbilichis, Geranium cicutarium, Inula Helenium, and a few cryptogamous plants are mentioned. The Zoology, (to which Spongia Columba, enumerated among the plants, ought to be transferred,) contains little remarkable, except the two shells Arca pilosa, and Bulla scotica. The history of the Island of Jura, in the fourth paper, is interesting. We find here a good account of the celebrated whirlpool of Coira-bhreaggan or Cory-vrekan, which Dr. W. attributes to the resistance given to the tide by a perpendicular submarine rock; he also describes an expedition which he made to the summit of the highest peak on the island, part of which cannot fail being amusing to such of our readers as, like ourselves, are fond of enjoying the perils and fatigues of a mountain ramble-by sympathy. The first part of our progress lay through deep bogs, from which we sometimes found it very difficult to extricate ourselves. We then came to a chain of small but steep hills, where the heather struck us to the breast, and which were cut every where with deep glens and gullies, which we could not have ascended on the opposite side, without the assistance of the junipers and strong heather, with which they were covered. We next travelled along the rocky skirts, of three or four extensive hills, and came to a small gloomy lake, at the foot of the highest mountain. Upon this side, which was to the south, we found the ascent impracticable, being so abrupt and full of precipices, which obliged us to make a circuit to the east. Here we had before us, a very steep and continued ascent of about one thousand five hundred feet of perpendicular height, and composed entirely of loose rocks and stones. They lay upon the side of the mountain, like a great stream, and upon the least motion, gave way all about us, which made our progress both tedious and dangerous. With great difficulty, we made our way against these hurling ruins of the mountain; and at last after an ascent of seven hours, with excessive fatigue, we gained the summit. It was now five o'clock in the afternoon, the day was serene, not a cloud in the firmament, and the atmosphere uncommonly clear; so that the view we now enjoyed, of the earth and the seas below, made us forget the toil of our ascent. Every way we turned, we had a prospect of sea and land, as far as the eye could reach. The sea in many places running out to the sky, and in others, terminated by lands and islands of various shapes, forming a very singular and grand horizon. On one hand we had a thousand hills; the whole alpine coun try Argylshire, the ancient Albion. Here only, our view was intercepted, and that only by mountains at the distance of above fifty miles. In another quarter, we saw distinctly the whole of the Hebrides, and Deucaledonian ocean. Southwards. the vast promontory of Cantire lay under our eyes; and beyond it, in one view, all the west of Scotland rising to the great mass of mountains in the head of Clydesdale and Nithsdale in another view, the spiry summits of Arran, and the whole Irish sea, with its shores to the Isle of Man. From the south to the west, the north of Ireland lay as a plain before us, further than the eye could reach. The impetuous strait between the Mull of Cantire and the Fair Head, with his lofty cliffs, was at hand; through which the Irish sea is filled every tide, by the pouring in of the Atlantic. The promontory of the Giants Causeway appeared near and distinct; and beyond it, the high land of Inis-huna, the north extremity of Ireland; beyond this, to the Hebrides, nothing but air and ocean. The emotions in the mind of the beholder, arising from the gandeur of this scene, are not to be excited by any description. The extent of pros pect from this mountain is indeed surprising, not much under three hundred miles, south and north. But the curvature of the earth is here greatly overcome by the elevation of the spectator, and the great height of the distant lands. Nothing else could render the Isle of Skye and the Isle VOL. VIII. 3 M of Man at the same time visible. At three such views, the naked eye might extend from the one extremity of Britain to the other. To stretch the eye over so many different seas, over such a multitude of islands, and such various countries, in different kingdoms, is perhaps a scene that can nowhere be beheld in Europe, but from the summit of Jura.' pp. 229–232. : By the same opportunity, the difference of the height of the mercury at the top, and at the foot, were ascertained to be 2.6 in. The difference of temperature is neglected, for which a correction should be made but assuming 90 feet for each tenth of an inch, the height of the mountain will probably be 2340 feet nearly. Water boiled on the summit at six degrees of Fahrenheit lower than at the foot. It seems that, contrary to what is usually observed in the Highlands, cripples are numerous on this island, owing to the prevalence of a singular disease. It arises from a worm lodged under the skin, that penetrates, with exquisite pain, the interior parts of the limbs. It is termed, in the Gaelic Janguage, Fillun; and is generally lodged either in the knees or ancles. It is first discernible very deep, as the patients themselves say, at the bones. Whether it really affects or penetrates the bones I could not positively learn, though it is very probable, from the extreme pain which it occasions; but in a little time, it makes its way through the cartilages, tendous, and muscles, and penetrates the skin with several small ichorous orifices. The worm disappears soon after this stage of the disease, which, when suffered to come this length, never fails to cripple the patient for life. Both men and women, children and adults, are equally subject to it; and the intense pain with which it is accompanied, sometimes destroys the appetite and spirits, and occasions death,' The subject seems to require a closer investigation than our author has been able to give it; and it is very probable that other remedies might be discovered besides the marrow boiled out of beef bones,' with the root of Pedicularis palustris. Among the Plants, some supposed new species are described; but Pieris britannica seems to be a Polypodium, whose confluent fructifications have misled our author. From a note at the close of this and the 12th essays, we are led to expect a second volume, in which the respective subjects are to be continued. The 5th essay, on the Basse and its productions,' furnishes us with a valuable description of this singular rock, the home, and reputedly the only breeding place, of the Solan goose. The rental of this little spot, not more than the sixth of a mile in circumference, is stated at 461. 13s. 4d. per annum, and the produce at 130l. 13s. 5d. derived almost solely from the geese caught upon it. Besides the Pelecanus bassanus, or Solan goose, Dr. W. observed the P. carbo, Larus canus, L. fuscus, Alca torda, and A. lomvia. The 6th paper, on shell marle,' is undecisive, and of little value. The 7th, a lecture on the utility of natural history,' delivered in 1788, would rank among the best written parts of the volume, were the subject less thread-bare. The 8th is an interesting Memoir' (also delivered as a lecture) of Sir Andrew Balfour,' the founder of the Edinburgh Botanical Gar den, and physician in ordinary to Charles the Second. The 9th appears to be a mere memorandum on the Natural His. tory of Loch Leven,' the extent of which, although stretched, by a writing or printing fault, to about three thousand six hundred miles, yet seems to afford little worth notice besides some good trout. The 10th and 11th are mineralogical journals (journies?) from Edinburgh to Elliock, and from Edinburgh to London,-much too vague to be of use, and fortunately now superfluous. The 12th essay, intitied Salicetum, or the botanical History and Cultivation of Willows,' is executed with considerable ability; manifesting much accuracy of observation, and an extensive acquaintance with the subject. The principal defect under which it labours is the want of modern synonyms, which will unavoidably diminish its practical value. Twentytwo species are described, but a continuation is promised. The 13th essay contains, under the title of Mammalia Scotica, an enumeration of those animals belonging to the class of Mammalia, which either have been, or are, found wild in Scotland, or are at present kept in a domesticated state. It does not contain much that is remarkable, but is drawn up with care, according to the Linnean plan of a Fauna. Dr. W. mentions the white hare as a variety of the common species; we are inclined, however, to think it is sufficiently distinct, and are farther confirmed in our opinion by his observations. The white hare is a truly alpine animal; our author fixes its habitation in Scotland at the height of from 1500 to 2000 feet above the level of the sea; it burrows under ground, and is less swift than the common hare; nor have we ever heard of intermediate gradations, as each keeps perfectly separate from the other, in such districts as abound in both. The Statistical Account of the Parish of Collington,' which follows, gives a detailed account of the modes of agriculture pursued by the inhabitants, preceded by observations on the propriety and impropriety of parochial assessments to support the poor. It appears that the poor in Scotland, amounting to fifty thousand persons, have, of public parochial charity, about 43,000l. allotted for their support; which does not afford to each pauper 20s. yearly; a sum, it must be acknowledged, very inadequate to their necessities." parishes in Scotland, which are fully assessed, each pauper is maintained at an expence from 41. to 91. yearly. If assessments were to become universal, and were the poor of Scotland to be supported at the expence of 51. each, they would then stand the heritors ten times what they cost at present, as the sum required would amount at least to 250,000l.' Such of our readers as have not been accustomed to study the manner in which the poor support existence, from the life, will probably be surprised at the following statement of the income of a Scotch labourer. • When allowance is made for the days in which he is debarred from work, by the state of the weather or other accidents, his income cannot be reckoned to exceed 131. a year. Yet upon this, he has often to support a wife, with two, three, or four children; and when sober and industrious, supports them in a decent manner. The wife, generally, by her carefulness and industry, adds something. Yet, whenever the income and expence of a labourer's family come to be compared, as they have often been, and committed to paper, the expence, to a degree of surprise, always turns out higher than the income. Yet they live without running into debt, and thrive, and the children are brought up in a creditable way. This is much to the praise of the poor labourers in Scotland; and no reason can be given for it, but that there subsists among them a degree of frugality and parsimony, which escapes the knowledge and observation of people in higher life. A married ploughman, with all his perquisites, has generally to the amount of 1s. every working day, or about 161. a. year.' The paper concludes with some antiquarian observations on the vestiges of a destructive battle, which are found in this neighbourhood. They consist in the traces of a large camp, a number of cairns, a rude pillar, heads of spears, and numerous remains of dead bodies; but the names of the heroes are lost, the conflicting nations ean only be guessed at, and even the date of the battle has faded from the records of history. Our author is only enabled to infer from vague conjectures that it happened, most probably, in the period between the departure of the Romans, and the establishment of the Saxons, that is, between A. D. 426, and A.D. 547; an era, in which there is very little light afforded by our historians.' The volume concludes with a Memorial concerning the Scarcity of Grain in Scotland. (1801.)' The remedy proposed by our author is, to devote a large portion of land to tillage, particularly to the cultivation of the potatoe and oats. Dr. W. may be intitled to thanks for pointing out the expedient; but unfortunately, in this case, to know the remedy, and to apply it, are very different things. |