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THE

Scots Magazine,

AND

EDINBURGH LITERARY MISCELLANY,

FOR ARRIL 1812.

Account of Pitkeathly House, and of the Mineral Waters near it.

PITREAT

ITKEATHLY HOUSE is situated about five miles from Perth, at a little distance from the road which leads from Perth to Edinburgh. It is chiefly remarkable for the mineral springs which are situated at a small distance from it. The period when these waters were discovered has not been ascertained; and even tradition says nothing in that respect. The first account of them that we find in print is contained in a paper by Dr Donald Munro, in the London Philosophi cal Transactions. It was read Jan. 23. 1772, and printed in the 62d Volume, from which we give the following extract—

"There are but few salt purging waters which have hitherto been discovered in Scotland. The Pit keathly, situated about six miles. from the town of Perth, is the one in most esteem, and the most frequented.

"As no particular treatise has been published on these waters, and I wished to know their particular nature and contents, I wrote to his Grace the Duke of Athole, whose seat at Dunkeld is within fifteen or sixteen miles of the wells, and begged the favour of him to ask some of the physical people in the neighbourhood, to examine these waters, and give me an account of them: and, in consequence thereof, his Grace was so obliging as to send a letter, from Dr Wood of Perth, giving the following description of them-and afterwards six bottles of the water, which arrived in spring

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It acquires something of a putrid taste by keeping, but retains its purging quality; and it keeps much better in open than in corked bottles. "It purges gently, and without griping. An adult drinks commonly a bottle and a half, or two bot tles, in a morning.

"In scrophulous and scorbutic habits, it is certainly a most useful

water,

"A new spring has been lately discovered, about two or three hundred yards from the old one; but its waters seem to be much of the

same strength and quality as the former."

Dr Moaro, after this, gives an account of his analysis of the water contained in the six bottles sent to him. But an account is published, of the analysis of these waters, by the Rev. Mr Beatson, in his Statis tical Account of the parish in which they are situated, which seems to be more accurate than Dr Monro's, from the imperfect state of science at that period in which he wrote his account,

A Table showing the Contents in a Wine Gallon Measure of each of the Mineral Waters of the estates of Pitkeathly and Dumbarny, by Mess. Stoddart and Mitchell, Druggists in Perth.

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From this analysis, it appears, that these mineral waters are of a similar composition to those of Cheltenham, so much resorted to of late by the fashionable world. Like the Cheltenham, they are "gentle in their operation, have an agreeable effect in relieving the stomach of crudities, procuring an appetite, and exhilarating the spirits, and, instead of weakening, tend remarkably to strengthen the constitution." The water is of a cooling quality, and very efficacious in removing all superabundant heat from the blood, in which respect it

has a considerable advantage over the Cheltenham, by containing no iron, which we have ascertained by repeated trials, with the most accurate tests-an advantage which medical people know well how to appreciate, and which accounts for the little injury that arises from the great quantities of this water sometimes taken by the inferior class of people, who resort, from all quarters, to these salutary springs. By those who resort merely for a relief from a sedentary or irregular mode of living, it should be taken merely as an alterative, in about the same

quantities

quantities as Cheltenham water, that is about two or three bottles in a morning; but even a greater quantity may be taken without any possible injury; a few mornings experience being sufficient to ascertain the useful quantity, according to the constitution and habit of the drinker of this beverage, who has at least this advantage over the drinker of wine, that it will not give him a head-ache afterwards, if he even takes one or two additional bottles.

As to the use of those waters being of great efficacy in scrophulous and scorbutic complaints, we have stated the testimony of the late Dr Robert Wood, than whom there never was a man of more perfect knowledge of disease, attention, candour, and skill in his profession, or more perfectly free from the affectation and parade too much in fashion, in the present age of medical science.

It is one advantage of these waters, which accounts in some degree for the silence of medical men, that they require no preparative medicines in order to drink them, and no danger is incurred in the use of them.

We rather think, however, it would do honour to some of the numerous very able medical men at Perth, were they to pay particular attention to the very numerous cases of persons among the lower classes who resort hither; in order that the efficacy of these waters might be better known.

There can be no doubt, however, that they are of great use in scrophulous and perpetic complaints, as well as in those of general debility, or any heat arising from irregular living, or sedentary employ-, ment. While the excellence of the situation in the neighbourhood of most beautiful rivers and walks,

render it calculated for a most agreeable summer residence. There are now also most excellent accommodations for the ladies and gen-, tlemen who chuse to visit these. waters. The principal house is Pitkeathly House, formerly the mansion-house belonging to the estate, but now fitted up in a most comfortable and very elegant manner, for the accommodation of boarders. The present landlord, Mr Menzies, has fitted up about thirty beds; and he is building an elegant ball-room, together with billiard and card-rooms. There is another house at the Wells, the former being about a quarter of a mile distant from them. The Well House contains nearly as many beds as Pitkeathly House, but is not so pleasantly situated.

In the vicinity of these wells within a few miles, you have not only the beautifully situated city of Perth, but you have the Palace of Scone, Dupplin House, the seat of the Earl of Kinnoul; Invermay, the Seat of Colonel Belches; Moncrieff House, and the adjacent hills, denominated by Pennant the glory of Scotland.' Kinfaun's Castle, the seat of Earl Gray; Lyndock, the beautiful cottage of General Graham, with many other delightful scenes, all within an easy morning ride. At no great distance also are situated, Dunkeld, Drummond Castle, Ochtertyre, Duneira, and Loch Earn; also the celebrated Loch Catherine. We therfore think we cannot do a greater service to our readers, than to make known to them this agreeable and salutary means of health and pleasure. Besides the excellent accommodation at the two houses above mentioned, there are several houses for the reception of visitors, at the Bridge of Earn, about a mile from the Wells, and also some farm

houses

houses who admit lodgers: So that although the company of late years has been very numerous, yet they are seldom obliged to go away for want of room. But in order not to be disappointed, we would advise them to write before hand to the landlord of Pitkeathly house, near Bridge of Earn, where there is also the advantage of having a regular Post office, and not only the mail passing every day, but two other coaches, and a third, three times a week.

Observations on the Fifth Exhibition

of Paintings in Edinburgh.

N Monday the 6th April, this exhibition was opened in York Place. We have observed, with great satisfaction, the continued and gradual improvement, which has manifested itself in the artists, since the commencement of this institution.

The attention attracted by it, ever since its first establishment, and the love of art which it seems to be exciting in this metropolis, cannot fail to be productive of the most beneficial effects. The number of similar institutions formed all over Great Britain, and the success they have met with, present a striking feature of improvement in the taste of the present age. There is, however, in this mode of exciting talent by competition, a disadvantage, which appears to us considerable. There is too evident an attention to the opinions of the great mass of visitors at an exhibition; or, in other words, too strong a desire to please the multitude. It is, doubtless, natural enough for an artist to wish to draw the attention of visitors às early as possible to his works, and, as the great proportion of the people, in all ages, have been attracted mere by glitter than real merit, the

artist conceives, that the surest way to secure attention, is the introduction of powerful effect, furious colours, and size of canvass; but the connoisseur knows that art lies deep, and is not to be perceived at a glance..

We wish to impress these truths strongly on the minds of artists, for such feelings as we now describe have unhappily been the means of introducing (since the commencement of the exhibitions at the Royal Academy) a style of colouring and effect more resembling a competition for fan painting, or studies for hearth rugs!

A continuance of these annual exhibitions, we believe, now depends entirely on the artists, and can only be secured by their cultivating the utmost cordiality and liberality amongst themselves. The greatest difficulty, in arriving at this point, arises, we suspect, from the laws of the society, regarding the placing or hanging of the pictures, for, by them, we understand that seven gentlemen of the society (themselves exhibitors) have each a voice in the arrangement. Now, under these circumstances, we suspect it is not in human nature, that one artist should give the preference to the works of another, following the same department of art, however superior in merit. Indeed, we are astonished how the gentlemen of this society fell into such a mistake; for the differences in the Royal Academy, where only three members are appointed to regulate this business, have been evident to every artist in the least accquainted with the state of art in England. It is the decided and manifest partiality resulting from such powers, not the error of judgment, which displeases the exhibitors. But this evil, we fear, will not be corrected, till gentlemen can be found fit and willing to undertake the task, and who are

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