ber nothing remarkable, and mounting our chaife again, came about the close of the day to Aberbrothick.

The monaftery of Aberbrothick is of great renown in the history of Scotland. Its ruins afford ample teftimony of its ancient magnificence: Its extent might, I fuppofe, eafily be found by following the walls among the grafs and weeds, and its height is known by fome parts yet standing. The arch of one of the gates is entire, and of another only fo far dilapidated as to diverfify the appearance. A fquare apartment of great loftiness is yet ftanding, its ufe I could not conjecture, as its elevation was very difproportionate to its area. Two corner towers particularly attracted our attention. Mr Bofwell, whofe inquifitiveness is feconded by great activity, fcrambled in at a high window, but found the ftairs within broken, and could not reach the top. Of the other tower we were told that the inhabitants fometimes climbed it, but we did not immediately difcern the entrance, and as the night was gathering upon us, thought proper to defift. Men fkilled in architecture might do what we did not attempt: They might probably form an exact ground-plot of this venerable edifice. They may from fome parts yet ftanding conjecture its general form, and perhaps by comparing it with other buildings of the fame kind, and the fame age, attain an idea very near to truth. I fhould fcarcely have regretted my journey, had

it afforded nothing more than a fight of Aberbrothick.

MONTROSE.

Leaving these fragments of magnificence, we travelled on to Montrofe, which we furveyed in the morning, and found it well built, airy, and clean. The town-house is an handsome fabric with a portico. We then went to view the English chapel, and found a small church, clean to a degree unknown in any other part of Scotland, with commodious galleries, and, what was yet lefs expected, with an organ.

At our inn we did not find a reception fuch as we thought proportionate to the commercial opulence of the place; but Mr Boswell defired me to obferve that the inn-keeper was an Englifhman, and I then defended him as well as I could.

When I had proceeded thus far, I had opportunities of obferving what I had never heard, that there are many beggars in Scotland. In Edinburgh the proportion is, I think, not less than in London, and in the smaller places it is far greater than in English towns of the fame extent. It muft, however, be allowed that they are not importunate, nor clamorous. They folicit filently, or very modeftly, and therefore though their behaviour may ftrike with more force the heart of a stranger, they are certainly in danger of miffing the attention of their country

B

countrymen. Novelty has always fome power, an unaccustomed mode of begging excites an unaccustomed degree of pity. But the force of novelty is by its own nature foon at an end; the efficacy of outcry and perfeverence is permanent and cer

tain.

The road from Montrofe exhibited a continuation of the fame appearances. The country is still naked, the hedges are of stone, and the fields fo generally plowed, that it is hard to imagine where grafs is found for the horses that till them. The harveft, which was almoft ripe, appeared very plentiful.

Early in the afternoon Mr Boswell obferved that we were at no great distance from the house of Lord Monboddo. The magnetism of his converfation easily drew us out of our way, and the entertainment which we received would have been a fufficient recompenfe for a much greater deviation.

The roads beyond Edinburgh, as they are lefs frequented, must be expected to grow gradually. rougher; but they were hitherto by no means incommodious. We travelled on with the gentle pace of a Scotch driver, who having no rivals in expedition, neither gives himfelf nor his horfes unneceffary trouble. We did not affect the impa tience we did not feel, but were fatisfied with the company of each other, as well riding in the chaife, as fitting at an inn. The night and the

day

day are equally folitary and equally fafe; for where there are fo few travellers, why fhould there be robbers?

ABERDEEN.

We came fomewhat late to Aberdeen, and found the inn fo full, that we had fome difficulty in obtaining admiffion, till Mr Bofwell made himself known: His name overpowered all objection, and we found a very good house, and civil treatment.

I received the next day a very kind letter from Sir Alexander Gordon, whom I had formerly known in London, and after a ceffation of all in-. tercourse for near twenty years met here profeffor of phyfic in the King's College. Such unexpected renewals of acquaintance may be numbered among the most pleafing incidents of life.

The knowledge of one profeffor foon procured. me the notice of the reft, and I did not want any token of regard, being conducted wherever there was any thing which I defired to fee, and entertained at once with the novelty of the place, and the kindness of communication.

To write of the cities of our own ifland with the folemnity of geographical defcription, as if we had been caft upon a newly-discovered coaft, has the appearance of very frivolous oftentation; yet as Scotland is little known to the greater part of thofe who may read thefe obfervations, it is not fu

perfluous to relate, that under the name of Aberdeen are comprised two towns, standing about a mile diftant from each other, but governed, I think, by the fame magiftrates.

Old Aberdeen is the ancient epifcopal city, in which are still to be feen the remains of the cathedral. It has the appearance of a town in decay, having been fituated in times when commerce was yet unftudied, with very little attention to the commodities of the harbour.

New Aberdeen has all the buftle of profperous trade, and all the fhow of increafing opulence. It is built by the water fide. The houfes are large and lofty, and the fireets fpacious and clean. They build almost wholly with the granite used in the new pavement of the ftreets of London, which is well known not to want hardness, yet they fhape it eafily. It is beautiful, and must be very lafting.

What particular parts of commerce are chiefly exercised by the merchants of Aberdeen, I have not inquired. The manufacture which forces itfelf upon a stranger's eye is that of knit ftockings, on which the women of the lower class are visibly employed.

In each of thefe towns there is a college, or, in ftricter language, an univerfity; for in both there are profeffors of the fame parts of learning, and the colleges hold their feffions and confer degrees feparately, with total independence of one on the other.