ters of each parish to meet and assess the several heritors with the requisite sum for building a schoolhouse, and to elect a schoolmaster, and modify a salary for him in all time to come. The salary is ordered not to be under one hundred nor above two hundred merks, that is, not under 57. 11s 1d. nor above 11. 2s. 3d. and the assessment is to be laid on the land in the same proportion as it is rated for the support of the clergy, and as it regulates the payment of the land-tax. But in case the heritors of any parish, or the majority of them, shall fail to discharge this duty, then the persons forming what is called the Committee of Supply of the County (consisting of the principal landholders) or any five of them, are authorised by the statute to impose the assessment instead of them, on the representation of the presbytery in which the parish is situated. To secure the choice of a proper teacher, the right of election on the part of the heritors, by a statute passed in 1693, chap. 22, is made subject to the review and control of the presbytery of the district, who have a right to examine the person proposed as to his qualifications as a teacher, and as to his proper deportment in office, when settled in it This election on the part of the heritors is therefore only a presentment of a person for the ap, probation of the presbytery. The statute of 1646 was repealed on the accession of Charles II. in 1660, on account of its having been passed during the Commonwealth, and lay dormant until after the Revolution, when it was re-enacted by the Scottish parliament in the same form, and remains in force to this hour. All this was excellent; but the income of the schoolmaster, fixed by the provisions of the act, and arising also from the compensations of his scholars, was by much too small. This has been in part remedied: the teachers have now a salary of 15/. per annum, and a portion of land, varying from three to more acres, according to the quality of the land, a small house to reside in, and a school-room built and kept in repair by the society. These teachers are Presbyterians, and under the superintendance of the general assembly, The church establishment of Scotland is favourable to its school establishments; the constant residence of the clergy upon their benefices places the conduct of the schoolmaster and the application of his scholars under the fostering protection of his superintendence, and the teacher himself is often appointed to a vacant benefice. Instruction in these schools is deeply tinged with religion. The Catechism of the Assembly, the Proverbs of Solomon, and the New and Old Testainent, either in English or in Gaelic, impart to the mind of the rustic student a knowledge of the sacred writings, conformably to the doctrines of Calvin, To preserve their flock, and not to enlarge it by proselytism, seems to have been the sound wisdom of the Scottish legislators. I am assured that proselytism is never attempted. In the country, the English language, writing and arithmetic, are taught at the rate of six shillings, and Latin at the rate of ten or twelve shillings a year. In the towns the prices are higher, but in some places lower than the sums mentioned. The Highland schools are of more recent institution, and arise from the beneficial effects already experienced from the parish schools. By the 4th George I. chap. 6, it is enacted, "That of the moneys arising from the sale of the Scottish estates, forfeited in the rebellion of 1715, 2000. sterling shall be converted into a capital stock, the interest of which shall be laid out in erecting and maintaining schools in the Highlands." The charity schools established by the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge are, in the next degree, entitled to our consideration. This association derived its origin from the public spirit of a few private gentlemen in Edinburgh, who, in the beginning of the last century, formed themselves into "A Society for the Reformation of Manners," principally in the Highlands and Hebrides, on account of their remote situation, their total want of schools, the small number of Protestant clergy in the country, the immense extent of parishes, the little intercourse between them and their ministry (who are separated from them by vast mountainous tracts, mountains, arms of the sea, and rivers often impassable), by their language (a dialect of the ancient Celtic, unintelligible to the inhabitants of the Low countries of Scotland), the prevalence of popery in many districts, and the influence of clanship. All these circumstances induced them to erect and endow schools, provided with well qualified teachers, in as many districts of the Highlands as possible, for the instruction of youth in the first principles of religion and literature. Their funds were at first small, but private contributions soon swelled the scanty stream into a noble current; and the subscribers were erected into a body corporate by Queen Ann, in 1709, under the title they now bear; some time after E e 1 wards they obtained from the crown an enlargement of their powers, that they might add to their primary objects the cultivation of the most necessary branches of industry; in consequence of which the women in the remote Highlands, who used to be employed, as is frequently the case in uncivilized countries, in the masculine labours of the field, were engaged in sewing, spinning, knitting stockings, and other occupations more appropriate to the sex. By liberal contributions, and by the great disinterestedness and discretion of all parties concerned, the funds of this society are in a flourishing condition, though still unequal to the objects of its application, which are continually increasing; the promoters of it have however the happiness of reflecting that they afford every year the elementary branches of education to nearly 16,000 children. The schools of the society are annually visited by two ministers of every presbytery within whose bounds they are stationed: and at these visitations a report is written and transmitted to the society of the number of the scholars, the branches they are taught, and of their proficiency; also of the character and conduct of the teacher, and of the nature of the accommodations furnished to him, in compliance with the rules of the society and until such report is received at the office of the society, the salary of the teacher is not paid. This society has caused to be translated the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament, as well as a variety of pious and useful treatises, into the Gaelic language, and by means of their schoolmasters have circulated them through the Highlands and islands. The Highlanders, it is well known, are very proud of literary distinction; and their ambition to teach others, after they have been taught themselves, is very great. Hence the society have upon their lists more candidates than they can appoint. The expenses of this noble institution are conducted with the greatest economy and integrity. The following abstracts of the society's establishment for the last two years will exhibit its improving condition : For the Year ending May 1, 1807. 4 Superannuated Teachers on ditto Salaries. £2,645 200 532 20 1 Besides these established schools, the lower classes of people in Scotland, where the parishes are large, often combine together, and form private schools of their own. So convinced are the poor people of Scotland of the advantages of education, that they will submit to almost any privation to procure it for their children, in doing which they have to encounter the expense of clothing and feeding them. At the charity schools nò fees are paid. The benefits derived from these schools to the rural Muse of Scotland are too well known to be enumerated. In opposition to Dr. Johnson's remark, that the schools are deserted in the winter on account of the scarcity of food, it is a wellknown fact that the schools are much more frequented in that season than in summer, when the children of those who are fit for, and are required in domestic services are most wanted. The winter, moreover, is not penurious of food in the Hebrides, as the natives are too careful not to provide for that gloomy season of the year. I shall close my account of these great intellectual sources with the following singular remark made upon them by a Scotchman:-A lady of rank, who had a Highlander in her service, whom she employed as her hair-dresser, one morning as he was adjusting her head, asked him how many traditionary poems concerning Fingal still remained amongst his countrymen ; to which he replied, "When any stranger entered a Highland cottage, the first question always was from the family to the guest, "Know you any thing of Fingal, or Ossian, or Oscar?" If he did, he was called upon to recite what he knew; if he did not, they recited it to him; and upon the lady asking how they could treasure up in their memories so many poems, he said, "Oh, madam! before we had so many schools, we had long memories." As another mode of diffusing knowledge in the Highlands, I must not omit to mention, that, a short time before I arrived at Inverness, a weekly newspaper had been established, with every prospect of success, by a very respectable bookseller, Mr. John Young, which considering the improvements that have been made in the Highlands in agriculture, in external and internal commerce, and the general condition of the people, is like to be of considerabie public advantage, as well as a source of private amusement, by opening new communications of intelligence. It is rather singular that this should have been the first public print in these parts. CHAPTER XX. Inverness continued-berring-fishery-the Caledonian canal-highland workmen-national benefits of the canal remarks on internal improvement-parochial schools-vitrified forts-the Gaelic language-anecdotes of its effects in Asiatic Turkey. TO return to Inverness. The population of the town consists of about six thousand persons. The infirmary, built by subscription, near the town, is a very handsome building, most delightfully situated, and does infinite honour as well to the humanity as the taste of those under whose auspices it has been erected. There are also several other very commendable charitable institutions. Several thriving manufactures, such as woollen, hemp, thread, &c. are carried on, though many of them are young; there is also a foundery. Ships of four hundred tons can ride within a mile of the town; and, at spring tides, vessels of half that burden can come up to the quay, close to the town. |