rius and Lambinus, who lived in an age more cultivated, but perhaps owed in part to Aretinus that' they were able to excel him. Much is due to thofe who firft broke the way to knowledge, and left only to their fucceffors the task of smoothing it.

In both thefe colleges the methods of instruction are nearly the fame; the lectures differing only by the accidental difference of diligence, or ability in the profeffors. The ftudents wear fcarlet gowns, and the profeffors black, which is, I believe, the academical drefs in all the Scottish universities, except that of Edinburgh, where the fcholars are not diftinguished by any particular habit. In the King's College there is kept a public table, but the fcholars of the Marifchal College are boarded in The expence of living is here, according to the information that I could obtain, fomewhat more than at St Andrews.

town.

The course of education is extended to four years, at the end of which those who take a degree, who are not many, become mafters of arts, and whoever is a mafter, may, if he pleases, immediately commence doctor. The title of doctor, however, was for a confiderable time beftowed only on phyficians. The advocates are examined and approved by their own body; the minifters were not ambitious of titles, or were afraid of being cenfured for ambition; and the doctorate in every faculty was commonly given or fold into other countries. The minifters are now reconciled to distinction, and as it must al

ways

ways happen that fome will excel others, have thought graduation a proper teftimony of uncom mon abilities or acquifitions.

The indifcriminate collation of degrees has justly taken away that refpect which they originally claimed as ftamps, by which the literary value of men fo diftinguifhed was authoritatively denoted. That academical honours, or any others, should be conferred with exact proportion to merit, is more than human judgment or human integrity have given reafon to expect. Perhaps degrees in univerfities cannot be better adjusted by any general rule than by the length of time paffed in the public profeffion of learning. An English or Irish doctorate cannot be obtained by a very young man,. and it is reasonable to fuppofe, what is likewife by. experience commonly found true, that he who is by age qualified to be a doctor, has in fo much time gained learning fufficient not to difgrace the title, or wit fufficient not to defire it.

The Scotch univerfities hold but one term or feffion in the year. That of St Andrews continues eight months, that of Aberdeen only five, from the first of November to the firft of April.

In Aberdeen there is an English chapel, in which the congregation was numerous and fplendid. The form of public worship used by the church of England is in Scotland legally practifed in licensed chapels ferved by clergymen of Englifh or Irifh ordination, and by tacit connivance quietly permitted

in feparate congregations fupplied with minifters by the fucceffors of the Bishops who were deprived at the Revolution.

We came to Aberdeen on Saturday Auguft 21. On Monday we were invited into the town-hall, where I had the freedom of the city given me by the Lord Provoft. The honour conferred had all the decorations that politenefs could add, and what I am afraid I fhould not have had to fay of any city fouth of the Tweed, I found no petty officer bowing for a fee.

The parchment containing the record of admiffion is, with the feal appending, fastened to a ribbandand worn for one day by the new citizen in his hat.

By a Lady who faw us at the chapel, the Earl of Errol was informed of our arrival, and we had the honour of an invitation to his feat, called Slanes Caftle, as I am told, improperly, from the caftle of that name,which once ftood at a place not far diftant.

The road beyond Aberdeen grew more ftony,. and continued equally naked of all vegetable decoration. We travelled over a tract of ground near the fea, which, not long ago, fuffered a very uncommon, and unexpected calamity. The fand of the fhore was raised by a tempeft in fuch quantities, and carried to fuch a distance, that an eftate was. overwhelmed and loft. Such and fo hopeless was the barrennefs fuperinduced, that the owner, when he was required to pay the ufual tax, defired rather to refign the ground.

SLANES.

SLANES CASTLE.

THE BULLER OF BUCHAN.

We came in the afternoon to Slanes Caftle, built upon the margin of the fea, fo that the walls of one of the towers feem only a continuation of a perpendicular rock, the foot of which is beaten by the waves. To walk round the houfe feemed impracticable. From the window, the eye wanders. over the fea that feparates Scotland from Nor-. way, and when the winds beat with violence muft enjoy all the terrific grandeur of the tempeftuous ocean. I would not for my amufement with for a ftorm; but as ftorms, whether wifhed or not, will fometimes, happen, I may fay, without viola: tion of humanity, that I would willingly look out upon them from Slanes Caftle.

When we were about to take our leave, our departure was prohibited by the countefs till we fhould have feen two places upon the coaft, which she rightly confidered as worthy of curiofity, Dun Buy, and the Buller of Buchan, to which Mr Boyd very kindly conducted us.

Dun Buy, which in Erfe is faid to fignify the Yellow Rock, is a double protuberance of stone, open to the main sea on one fide, and parted from the land by a very narrow channel on the other. It has its name and its colour from the dung of innumerable fea-fowls, which in the Spring chufe

this place as convenient for incubation, and have their eggs and their young taken in great abundance. One of the birds that frequent this rock has, as we were told, its body not larger than a duck's, and yet lays eggs as large as those of a goofe. This bird is by the inhabitants named a Coot. That which is called Coot in England, is here a Cooter.

Upon these rocks there was nothing that could long detain attention, and we foon turned our eyes to the Buller, or Bouilloir of Buchan, which no man can fee with indifference, who has either fenfe of danger or delight in rarity. It is a rock perpendicularly tubulated, united on one fide with a high fhore, and on the other rifing steep to a great height, above the main fea. The top is open, from which may be feen a dark gulph of water which flows into the cavity, through a breach made in the lower part of the inclofing rock. It has the appearance of a vast well bordered with a wall. The edge of the Buller is not wide, and to thofe that walk round, appears very narrow. He that ventures to look downward, fees, that if his foot should flip, he must fall from his dreadful elevation upon ftones on one fide, or into the water on the other. We however went round, and were glad when the circuit was completed.

When we came down to the sea, we faw fome boats, and rowers, and refolved to explore the Buller at the bottom. We entered the arch, which

the