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to regularity, might, even from the most ordinary utenfils; and the art of working it was therefore more generally practifed than that of working ftone. Hence feems to have. originated the fashion of thofe wooden houses, several of which still remain in towns, here and there, as monuments of the ftate of the arts among our ancestors, and of the modes of life which they followed. Another circumftance which might contribute to eftablish this fashion in many places, was the fcarcity of lime, and the unfkilfulness of the ancient inhabitants of this country, after the Roman arts were loff, in forming mortar.

firft, give this an advantage over many of our old burghs. Several parallel ftreets run in a direction parallel with the river, as far as a right can bear this relation to a curve line, nearly between East and Weft. Thefe are again interfected by others extending between North and South. It should seem, that anciently particular streets were inhabited, each by a particular clafs of Artifans. The names ftill preferved, indicate as much. The fhop-keepers or merchants occupied one ftreet: the ham mermen a third, and other crafts occupied, in the fame manner, each à feparate ftreét.

Many of the houses in that ftreet called the Water-Gate, feem to be very old buildings. Towards the fouthern end of the Water-Gate ftands the famous palace of the Gowrie family. The buildings in the High-Street have probably been often renewed fince the origin of the city. I do not recollect that many of them have a very antique afpect. Here are ftill, or at leaft lately were, I believe, fome houfes or parts of houfes conftructed folely of wood. There was a time when mafonry was an art far from common among our ancestors; and they were even little fkilled in quarrying and hewing ftones. They knew no medium between huts of turf or loofe ftones, and caftles of ftrength to refift an hoftile attack, the builders of which were often foreign mafons. When cities came to be formed, and houses of decent ftructure,-neither huts nor caftles, to be erected in them; wooden ftagés or whole houfes were a contrivance which afforded greater elegance and convenience than mere huts, yet required not the pains and expence of fabrics of ftone. In thofe days, our natural woods had not yet exhausted; timber was there. fore easily obtained; wood was employed as a material for many of the

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The Church in which John Knox harangued, ftill ftands, and is now divided into three, named the eaft, the middle, and the west kirks. The caft kirk has not very many years fince, been very handfomely modernifed within. There is an old hofpital, confiderable building, the founding of which is, if I recollect right, alcribed to King James VI. The, Town-Houfe fhuts up the eaftern end of the High-ftreet. Meeting the High-ftreet at right angles, towards its eaftern extremity, and continuing the Water-Gate northward, is George's-Street, confifting of new houfes regularly built in a very handfome ftyle. At the northern end of this ftreet, and joining it on the western fide, nearly at right angles, is Charlotte's-Street, built in a ftyle of equal or greater neatnefs and elegance. A plan has been propofed by Mr Anderfon, proprietor of the ground, for a New Town, to be built at a fmall distance weftward from Charlotte's - ftreet, and precisely I believe, where once ftood the monaftery of the Black Friars in which James I. was murdered.

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Adjoining to the angle formed by the junction of Charlotte's-fireet with George's-ftreet, ftands the bridge not many years fince, thrown

over the Tay, at Perth, The communication at this place, between the northern and the fouthern banks of this river was formerly by an wooden bridge. This was very unfuitable to the depth and width of the river, and to the throng of paffengers who had continual occafion to pafs it. This ftately bridge of ftone was therefore projected and reared at the expence of about five and twenty thousand pounds Sterling. Government contributed liberally out of the revenue of the forfeited estates for the execution of this ufeful public work. The magiftrates of Perth advanced what the Burgh-Funds could afford. A large fum was raifed by a fubfcription. And, the late Earl of Kinnoul, a man whose name is never to be mentioned without praise, procured a loan, upon the credit of a Toll to be levied, which made up what farther was wanted to defray the expence of the bridge. The debt thus contracted has fince been repaid, and the toll abolished. This bridge confiits of nine ftately arches. The measurements of its length and breadth I have forgotten. It is truly a fine structure: but would have been more so, if the breadth had admitted of a foot-path on the northern, as there is on the fouthern fide.

member right, the name of the Dochart. Here it meets with another tiver which flows hither by a more north-easterly course. The waters are diffufed into the famous Loch Tay, fixteen miles in length. Iffuing from this fpacious lake, at Kenmore, the Tay is foon after increased by the acceffion of the Lyon. It proceeds onward in an eastern direction through Athol, receiving, as it advances, all the waters in the country, till at Logierait it is joined by the large river of Tummel. Here it bends to the fouth, and advancing about eight miles, reaches Dunkeld; whence taking a more northern direction, it continues its course towards Perth; being as it advances, ftill augmented by the acceffion of various tributary ftreams; the most confiderable of which is the Almond. At Perth it turns to the fouth-east, and receiving, as it proceeds, the waters of the Earne, paffes by Abernethy, once the capital of the Pictish kingdom. Soon after this, it expands itfelf to the breadth of three miles. Contracting its breadth, as it approaches Dundee, it there opens into the German Ocean.

Such is the noble river, on the fouthern bank of which, where it has encreased into a vast body of water, and not a great many miles above where it difcharges itself into the ocean,Perth is advantageously fituated. A perfon acquainted with. the general character of great rivers, and with their influence in determining the afpect and the fertility of the diftricts through which they pafs,might readily, without farther knowledge of the local circumstances than what is conveyed in this account of the courfe of the Tay, and of the fituation of Perth upon it-conclude the city to ftand amid delightful fcenery, and to enjoy most of the advantages which natural circumstances afford, for the promotion of trade

The Tay, over which this bridge is thrown, and on the fouthern bank of which the city of Perth fands, is truly a noble river. It rifes in Braidalbane, on the frontiers of Lorne. Before it has advanced many miles from its fource, its ftream is confiderably augmented by the acceffion of feveral imal! rills. Soon after, it diffufes its waters into a fmall lake, called Loch Dochart; and indeed the river itself there bears rather the name of the Dochart. Continuing its course from Loch Dochart, it foon again expands into another lake. Out of this it proceeds to Killin, ftill bearing, if I re-_and industry. F

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If Perth and its furrounding fcene- of the lines of houfes which compofe

sy present an affemblage of fine objects to the traveller approaching from the fouth, as he croffes the northern shoulders of Moncrief-hill; the profpect though less extenfive, and lefs crowded, is, however, little lefs pleafing, from any station immediately around the town.--It is pleafing to caft the eye upwards from the bridge, upon the course of the river. On the northern bank appears a feries of villas, gardens, fmall parks furrounded, or at leaft partly furrounded with trees, with here ad there a little clump of rifing wood, and here and there a cluster of meaner houses. In the mean time, two or three small boats are perhaps paddling on the river; and, it may be, that the fishermen are bufy with their nets. On the fouthern bank lies the fine level plain, called the North Inch, (in relation to the South Inch,) white half-over with linens which the washerwomen are bufy in fpreading out, or taking up: round the edges of this plain, a few of the citizens are perhaps ftrolling carelessly trees of a moderate height, mark the line upon the left, where the level furface gently fwells, as it recedes fouthward from the river beyond thefe trees, on the rifing ground, are gardens, from which the people of the town are fupplied with fummer-fruits and pot-herbs: fill farther to the fouth-weft are rich corn fields, and, if I remember right, within the limits of the profpect, the enchantingly fituated houfe of Fewe. Farther up the ftream, on the fame fide, are meadows and corn fields furrounded with rows of trees, and partly within fight, feveral houfes of a decent afpect, and feats of manufacturing industry.

If the fpectator, ftill keeping his ftation on the bridge, now turn to mark the courfe of the ftream, as it runs on, eaft by fouth, he has, on his right hand, a back view of one

George's-tireet; (objects, I grant, not otherwife pleafing than by the affociated ideas of the comforts of focial,civilized life which they fuggeft.) Carrying his eye farther on the fame fide, he has a glimpie of the foutheastern edge of the South Inch; and the eye refts on the north-eastern fide of Moncrief-hill. On the rivers are numbers of veffels of various fizes, to the burthen of two hundred tons. Perhaps the failors are bufy in dif~ charging or lading a cargo; or the veffels are advancing up, or moving down the river. On the north-eaftern bank is the famous hill of Kinnoul, which, although, on other quarters it towers up, with a fudden and precipitous elevation, here declines infenfibly to where it bounds the river, on one fide, and till it finks, to the north-weft, into the long ridge which advances up the river. That part of this hill which is here within view, is finely clad with wood. Here and there are vacant spaces, bearing rich crops of corn. The church of Kinnoul, with fome other houses, and a carriage road leading to the fummit of the hill are alfo feen to diverfify the scene. Yet, I must acknowledge, that this station is too near for the fpectator to enjoy the prospect of the wood to the beft advantage. And, there is no very diftant ftation from which it can be feen. I am not fure that the hue of the pines of which it confifts, is not too fombrous for the fituation. Along this bank, lower than the grounds, clad with the wood, runs a line of houses, which may in time be extended farther eastward.

The South Inch is another station from which an agreeable profpect may be had, particularly of a part of Kinnoul-hill. Here is lefs wood, and a larger extent of cultivated ground on the fide of the hill, with an happily enough fituated house, the dwelling of a Mr Moncrief. The majestic,

majeftic, winding courfe of the ri-
ver is at the fame time feen, and on
its fouthern bank, a lower eminence,
interpofed before Moncrief-hill. The
ftranger may, with equal pleasure,
ramble about and gaze around
him, upon
the other fides of this city.
-Yet, after all, it must be confeffed

that as Perth is feated, as it were, in the arena of an amphitheatre, it does not afford the best stations for seeing thefe environs to advantage. The profpects in this tract of country, as may naturally be fuppofed, are to be feen from the towering peaks, and the fwelling ridges fcattered thro' it.

AN ACCOUNT OF WILLIAM EARL OF MANSFIELD.

CONTINUED FROM VOL. I. PAGE 462.

IN 1765, the Bishop of Gloucester (Warburton) republished his Divine Legation of Mofes, which he dedicated to Lord Mansfield in an addrefs, wherein, with great ability, he pointed out the rife and progrefs of the spirit of irreligion and licentiousness which then prevailed. In the course of the narrative (which deferves at this time to be read) he mentions, as a peculiar fortunate circumftance," that while every other part of the community feems to lie in face Romuli, the administration of public juftice in England runs as pure as where nearest to its celeftial fource; purer than Plato dared venture to conceive it, even in his feigned Republic."

He proceeds, "Now whether we are not to call this the interpofing hand of Providence; for I am fure all history doth not afford another instance of so much purity and integrity in one part, co-exifting with fo many infirmities in the reft; or whether profounder politicians may not be able to discover some hidden force, fome peculiar virtue in the effential parts, or in the well-adapted frame of our excellent Conftitution; in either cafe, this fingular and fhining phænomenon hath afforded a chearful confolation to thinking men amidft all this dark afpect from our diforders and diftreffes."

"But the Evil Genius of England would not fuffer us to enjoy it long; for, as if envious of this laft fupport of Government, he hath now inftigated his blackeft agents to every extent of their malignity; who, after the most villainous infults on all other orders and ranks in fociety, have at length proceeded to calumniate even the King's Supreme Court of Juftice, under its ablest and most unblemished administration.

"After this, who will not be tempted to defpair of his country, and fay with the good old man in the fcene

"Ipfa fi cupiat falus "Servare, prorfus non poteft, hanc Familiam ?"

"Athens, indeed, fell by degenerate manners like our own; but the fell the later, and with the lefs difhonour, for having always kept inviolable that reverence which fhe, and indeed all Greece, had been long accustomed to pay to her august Court of Areopagus. Of this modeft. referve, amidit a general diforder, we have a striking inftance in the conduct of one of the principal inftruments of her ruin. The witty Ariftophanes began, as all fuch inftruments do (whether with wit or without) by deriding Virtue and Religion; and this in the brightest F 2

exemplar

exemplar of both, the godlike Sorates. The libeller went on to attack all conditions of men. He calumniated the Magiftrates; he turned the Public Affemblies into ridicule; and, with the most beastly and blafphemous abufe, outraged their Priefts, their Altars, nay, the very eftablished Gods themselves. But here he stopped; and, unawed by all befides, whether of divine or human, he did not dare to caft fo much as one licentious trait against that venerable Judicature; a circumstance which the readers of his witty ribaldry cannot but obferve with furprize and admiration,—not at the Poet's modefty, for he had none, but at the remaining virtue of a debauched and ruined people; who yet would not bear to fee that clear fountain of justice defiled by the odious fpawn of buffoons and libellers.

"Nor was this the only confolation which Athens had in its calamities. Its pride was flattered in falling by apoftate Wits of the first order while the agents of public mischief amongst us, with the hoarfe notes and blunt pens of ballad-makers, not only accelerate our ruin but accumulate our difgraces; wretches the most contemptible for their parts, the most infernal for their

manners.

"To conclude. Great men, my Lord, are fent for the times; the times are fitted for the reft, of common make. Erafmus and the prefent Chief Juftice of England (whatever he may think) were fent by Providence for the fake of Humanity, to adorn two periods, when Religion at one time, and Society at another, most needed their fupport; I do not fay of their great talents, but

of that heroic moderation lo neceffary to allay the violence of public dif orders: for to be moderate amidst party extremes requires no common degree of patriotic courage.

Such characters rarely fail to perform much of the talk for which they were fent; but never without finding the labour ill repaid, even by thofe in whose service it was employed. That glory of the Priesthood left the world he had fo nobly benefited with this tender complaint- Hoc tempore nihil fcribi aut agi protest quod non pateat calumnia; nec raro fit, ut dum agis circumfpectiffime utrumque partem offendas, quum in utraque fint qui pariter infaniant. A complaint fated, alas, to be the motto of every man who greatly ferves his country."

A change in the Adminiftration took place in 1765, which introduced the Marquis of Rockingham and his friends to govern the country, and the measures then adopted not agreeing with Lord Mansfield's fen timents, he for the first time became an opponent of Government. On the Bill for repealing the Stamp Ac he fpoke, and divided against it, and is fuppofed to have had fome share in the compofition of the Protests on that occafion, though he did not fign them. In the fame year he is faid to have animadverted with no fmall de, gree of feverity on the incautious expreffions of Lord Camden on the affair of prohibiting the exportation of corn, that it was but a forty days tyranny at the outside *.

In 1767, the Diffenters' Cause was determined, in which Lord Mansfield delivered a fpeech which has fince been printed, and the events of the fucceeding year were the causes of the public Prints being deluged with

*The Speeches in the Debate were never printed, but the fubftance of them all was confolidated in a pamphlet published at the time, entitied, "A Speech against the Sufpending and Difpenfing Prerogative," 8vo. fince reprinted in Debrett's Des bates, Vol IV. p. 384.

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