The art of joining fquares of glafs with lead is little ufed in Scotland, and in fome places is totally forgotten. The frames of their windows are all of wood. They are more frugal of their glafs than the English, and will often, in houfes not otherwife mean, compofe a fquare of two pieces, not joining like cracked glafs, but with one eged laid perhaps half an inch over the other. Their windows do not move upon hinges, but are pushed up and drawn down in grooves, yet they are feldom accommodated with weights and pullies. He that would have his window open must hold it with his hand, unless what may be fometimes found among good contrivers, there be a nail which he may ftick into a hole, to keep it from falling. What cannot be done without fome uncommon trouble or particular expedient, will not often be done at all. The incom. modioufnefs of the Scotch windows keeps them them very closely fhut. The neceffity of ventilating human habitations had not yet been found by our northern neighbours; and even in houfes well built and elegantly furnished, a ftranger may be fometimes forgiven, if he allows himfelf to wish for fresher air. Thefe diminutive obfervations feem to take away fomething from the dignity of writing, and therefore are never communicated but with hesitation, and a little fear of abafement and contempt. But it must be remembered, that life confifts not of a feries of illuftrious actions, or elegant enjoyments; the greater part of our time paffes in compliance with neceffities, in the performance of daily duties, in the removal of small inconveniencies, in the procurement of petty pleafures; and we are well or ill at eafe, as the main stream of life glides on smoothly, or is ruffled by finall obftacles and frequent interruption. The The true state of every nation is the state of common life. The manners of a people are not to be found in the schools of learning, or the palaces of greatnefs, where the national character is obfcured or obli terated by travel or inftruction, by philofophy or vanity; nor is public happiness to be estimated by the affemblies of the gay, or the banquets of the rich. The great mafs of nations is neither rich nor gay: they whofe aggregate conftitutes the people are found in the ftreets, and the villages, in the fhops and farms; and from them collectively confidered, muft the measure of general profperity be taken. As they approach to delicacy a nation is refined, as their conveniencies are multiplied, a nation, at least a commercial nation, muft be denominated wealthy. ELGIN, ELGIN.. Finding nothing to detain us at Bamff, we fet out in the morning, and having breakfafted at Cullen, about noon came to Elgin, where in the inn, that we fuppofed the best, a dinner was fet before us, which we could not eat. This was the first time, and except one, the laft, that I found any reafon to complain of a Scotifh table; and fuch difappointments, I fuppofe, muft be expected in every country, where there is no great frequency of travellers. The ruins of the cathedral of Elgin afforded us another proof of the waste of reformation. There is enough yet remaining to fhew, that it was once magnificent. Its whole plot is eafily traced. On the north fide of the choir, the chapterhoufe, which is roofed with an arch of ftone, remains entire; and on the fouth fide, another mass of building, which we could could not enter, is preferved by the care of the family of Gordon; but the body of the church is a mass of fragments. A paper was here put into our hands, which deduced from fufficient authorities the hiftory of this venerable ruin. The church of Elgin had, in the intestine tumults of the barbarous ages, been laid wafte by the irruption of a highland chief, whom the bifhop had offended; but it was gradually reftored to the state, of which the traces may be now discerned, and was at last not destroyed by the tumultuous violence of Knox, but more fhamefully fuffered to dilapidate by deliberate robbery and frigid indifference. There is still extant, in the books of the council, an order, of which I cannot remember the date, but which was doubtless iffued after the Reformation, directing that the lead, which covers the two cathedrals of Elgin and Aberdeen, fhall be taken away, |