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feveral artificial mounts, which had been in former times used as burying grounds. BROUGHTON parish is about 4 miles long and 3 broad, and contains about 265 inhabitants. The parish confifts of two ridges of hills, and the valley between them. It is very bleak, having no natural wood upon it; the foil in general is a wet clay. There are the remains of feveral caftles or towers here, in one of which Macbeth is faid to have lived, which bears his name. There are no gentlemen's feats in the parish. Lord Juftice Clerk, (M'Queen,). is the only proprietor.

DOLPHINGTON extends about 3 miles from E. to W. and 24 from N. to S. and contaias only about 200 inhabitants. The great road from Edinburgh to Leadhills paffes through it. The face of the country is bleak and barren; the foil is a blackifh mould on till, very unproductive, and in which

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neither timber nor even thorn hedges will thrive.

SKIRLING parish lies in the western extremity of the county; it is nearly 2 miles both in length and breadth, and contains 234 inhabitants. The foil is in general light, but lying high, and being much expofed to cold blafts, it is not productive.

Srow. This large parish extends from the head of Gala water to the banks of the Tweed below Innerleithen. It however lies chiefly in the county of Mid Lothian; its length is 15 miles, and medium breadth about 5, making 75 fquare miles, and containing about 37,500 acres, producing in rent about 4,100l. Sterling yearly. It contains about 1400 inhabitants. The face of the whole is hilly, but these mostly covered with good pasture for fheep. (To be continued.)

ABSTRACTS OF NEW ACTS,

PASSED DURING THE LAST SESSION OF PARLIAMENT.
DOG TAX.

EVERY person who fhall keep any greyhound, hound, poister, fetting-dog, fpaniel, lurcher, or terrier; or who fhall keep two or more dogs, of whatever defcription or denomination the fame may be, shall be affeffed annually with the fum of 5s. for each.

And every perfon who fhall inhabit any dwelling-houfe, affeffed to any of the duties on inhabited houses, or on windows or lights, and fhall keep one dog, and no more, not being a greyhound, hound, pointer, setting dog, ipaniel, lurcher, or terrier, fhall be charged with the fum of 3s. for fuch dog.

This duty not to extend to dogs not fix months old: proof to lie on the ow

ner.

The firft affeffment to be made for three quarters of a year, from July 5. 1796; and afterwards for one year from April 5, every year.

Perfons liable to the duties, are to make out, and deliver to the affeffors, lifts and declarations of the number of dogs kept by them, in like manner as they are, under former acts, to deliver lifts of horses.

If any perfon fhould be defirous of

compounding for the number of hounds kept, and fhall give notice thereof to the collector, and pay 251. within thirty days after July 5. 1796; or 20l. within thirty days after April 5, in any fubfequent year; fuch perfon fhall not be liable to be affeffed in respect of any hounds by him kept in the preceding year; and, if they are kept in two or more parishes, he fhall give notice in which parish such composition is intended to be made.

STAMPS ON HAT-LININGS.

Ir is enacted, by 36 Geo. III. c. 125. that, after Aug. 5. 1796, the duty of 3d. on every hat of 4s. value or under; 6d. on every hat above 4s. and not exceed ing 7s. value; 1s. on every hat above 78. value,and not exceeding 128.; and 2s. on every hat valued at 12s. and upwards, fhall be calculated according to the full price of the hat, and of all the mountings and other ornaments, except gold and filver lace, fold therewith.

And every hat made wholly of felt, wool, ftuff, beaver, or leather, or dry mixture therewith, fhall be liable to the duties.

And every fuch hat shall, previous to the fale and delivery, be lined or covered in the infide of the crown with filk,

linen, or other proper materials, with à durable stamp affixed thereon to denote the above duties.

And if any perfon-other than licenced dealers buying hats from other licenced dealers-fhall receive on fale, or if any person shall, after April 5. 1797, wear or ufe any hat wherein no lining or infide covering fhall be affixed; or if the lining or covering fhall not be ftamped according to this act, or not have the ftamp placed therein in a visible manner, every such person shall forfeit Iol.

PARTRIDGE SHOOTING.

From and after the 26th April 1796, every person who fhall wilfully take, kill, deftroy, carry, fell, buy, or have in his or her poffeffion, or ufe, within that part of Great Britain called Scotland, any partridge, between the ift day of February and the 14th of September in any year, fhall be liable to, and incur the fame penalties and forfeitures as prefcribed by the act of the 13th year of his present Majesty.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

Profpects from Hills in Fife. By George Wallace, Efq; 28. Bell & Bradfute. IN an advertisement, the Editor informs, that PROSPECTS FROM HILLS IN FIFE were moftly compofed, many years ago, to afford their Author an occafional relief from the aufterity and the vexations of a profeffion very remote from Poetry: Forty copies of a large portion of that poem, having been privately printed, without any view to publication, under the title of Fragments of a Profpect from a Hill in Fife, were prefent. ed to a felect few, diftinguished by tafte and by talents; but as there was reafon to apprehend that an incorrect edition would foon make its appearance: That therefore the prefent impreffion was fent abroad under the eye of a particular friend. So much for the reafons of publication.

The Editor goes on and remarks, that "the merit or demerit of poetical compofitions depends not on the great or fmall number of lines of which they confift. Beautiful imagery, tender fentiment, strong description, harmonious verfification; excellencies which, as well as deep thought, or just observation, may be found both in fhort and in long poems; conftitute their chief recommendations."

We shall endeavour to present our readers with a specimen of the author's manner in each of thefe particulars. Top of the Hill from which the Profpect is taken, &c.

"Here, on the breezy fummit, let me reft Amid the ruftic furze, the fcented brooms, And mingling flocks, that, scatter'd o'er the hill, VOL. LVIII.

Or browfe in innocence the tender herb, Or harmless gaze. Their mufic, wildly fweet,

From rock to rock, harmonious, which refounds,

According with the tuneful linnet's voice, The lark's mellifluous ftrains, the blackbird's pipe

Sonorous, and the throftle's various song, The ftockdove's plaint, and rook's affecting caw,

Compofes man into a penfive mood, And lulls each angry paffion to repofe. The country's charms, refiftless, touch the heart,

And with their own ferenity inspire The pure ingenuous mind, by Nature form'd

To relish calm fincere refined delights. Ambition's felf, that lords it o'er mankind, If haply cloyed with form and show of ftate,

He fteal fuccessful with a chofen few, Or unfuccessful fly in lone chagrin, From bus'nefs, noife, the town, and pub

lic haunts,

Aftonish'd, feels and wonders at their

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To racking jealoufy's tormenting doubt, The victor, mafter of the field and fair, With gloffy plumage and with gorgeous His wings, triumphant, claps, and state

tail

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Love, felfifh love, shares not with deareft friend

Its boons, impartible.-With carking
thoughts,

Corrofive of the husband's, lover's peace,
And breaft, affectionate, by abfence torn,
His ftrays, folicitous, he fondly feeks,
Their devious guides, and cheers their
ling'ring pace.

But fee; a rival there attempts his bounds:
Inftant he darts, all fiercenefs, on his foe,
His collar briftling, and his flashing eyes;
And many a stroke, and many a spring
they make;

Their dropping feathers, and their crim-
fon combs,

And flender legs, run red with pouring blood;

And sharp and corneous bills, and armed feet,

And pointed spurs, and beating pinions,

all

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ly treads

The ground: And oft, with unexpected

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And, for diverfion mere, to maim and kill
Without orcaufe or quarrel; favage sport!
That gallant pair for faireft prize engaged
And sweetest object to the feeling heart.

The remarks on the inconftancy of of the celebrated Thomfon: fortune, are no contemptible imitation

"O think-amid thy diffipation think Of changeful Fortune's infolent caprice, Careffes faithless, unexpected turns, Reverfes fad. Inconftant freakish Dame, To-day the fmiles all pleafantnefs and love, Hugging thee, blifsful, in her circling

arms,

Thy head laid gently on her heaving
breaft,

The next, malignant, fcowls, scarce
And hangs with jasmine kiffes on thy lips;
With harpy claws, a Fury tears thy flesh,
deigns a look,
And laughs to fee thee plung'd in deep

diftrefs.

Thy grandeur, elevation, wealth nathlefs,
To thofe in low dependent ftation born,
The pity, by thy ruthless heart denied
Thou, or thy children, helpless, may im-
plore."

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Her fwelling bofom, and her ivory arms, Her vaunted lineage, and her regal birth, Her golden scepter, her imperial crown, Her rare accomplishments-avail'd her naught.

From thence, alas, Misfortune's blackest train,

Their griefly enfign with a lifted axe And bleeding block and mangled corpfe pourtrayed,

With ghaftly grins purfued her every step

Her forces routed, and difpers'd her friends;

Herfelf difmayed, her loft domains expell'd,

In prison ftern confign'd to fullen guards; For deadly treafons, in a foreign realm, To judgment brought her, not before her peers;

Her fever'd head, convuls'd and ftreaming, thewed

Around a fcaffold clotted with her blood; And blafted lillies tore; and beauty laid, Abus'd and tarnish'd, in a felon grave: A dread example to her fated fons."

Having described the devastation and cruelty formerly committed during the border wars, our author exclaims,

"Ye genuiné kings of Britain, hail! By Laws,

By Contracts, and by Revolutions made
Or rais'd to rule, and limited, and bound.
Ye vaunt not tyrants of defpotic power.
Deliver'd haply from that tempting fnare,
Ye boaft yourselves the guardians of the
rights,

The franchifes and liberties of men;
Obliged, like other subjects of the state,
To execute and to obey decrees
Enacted freely by the general will.
The people, confcious of their majesty
And claims inherent, liften to your fpeech,
And hear with grateful joy your voice
proclaim,

“Go, yoke your bu̟llocks, go, and fow your farms,

Your harvests gather, and your fences raife,

Your cattle pafture, and your fleeces fheer,
Your gardens cultivate, ingraff your
plums *;
Go, fearless, milk your kine, and fold

your ews.

Their enmities and depredations ceas'd, The hoftile nations now concordant live, And peasants on the adverfe borders dwell

Virg. Ecl. 1. 74.

In perfect friendship and in peace entire Inftead of Halidons by guiltless blood Infamed, and Flowden's drench'd in noble gore,

The ftrengths, along the ftraggling marches built,

Now ufelefs grown, are moulder'd to decay.

Their crops and barns from theft and fire fecure,

Inftead of defolate and naked waftes Inhabited by spoilers and by thieves, Whofe lives, ferocious, rapine were, obferve

The people civilized, with patient ftep, Induftrious exercise the skilful plough; And fineft husbandry, and richeft grounds With plumpeft wheat and choiceft barley clothed.

Even rooted prejudices fee profcribed, And borrowing each from each, improvements learn.

The fields with various clovers are attired;

In ample breaks the ruffet fallow lies; And even in hoary winter's piercing cold The wrinkled earth looks gay with ver

dant crops.

Come Cheviot, Hadden, Hartfell, Cruffel, come;

Ye men of Annan, Teviot, Esk, and Tweed,

awake

With minds at ease, your labours o'er, The pipe, awake the dance, and un

disturb'd,

To reft retired, enjoy a bless'd repofe. Your flocks their mountains, unmolefted, range,

And herds their meads, fecure of quiet, ftray.

Though we have already exceeded the bounds ufually allotted to fimilar pub. lications, we cannot refift tranfcribing the concluding lines;

Defcription of the power of Love:

"Soft flame! but how intenfe! allconquering Power! Diffufive of the sweetest vifions o'er Each animated nature bows, O Love, The heated fancy and the melted heart: To thee, fubmiffive, and refiftlefs owns Thy fway. For thy, thy elegant delights, Regardless of renown, the foldier doffs His arms, and, unpermitted, steals from

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hopes,

The pleafing dreams, of amaranthine
bowers,

Of beds of rofes, and elyfian days,
Alas, that, faithlefs, never were to fhine:-
All, all, for ever gone.-And thou, my
Wifi Friend,

My ftay, my comforter, whose balmy
The fpeech,

Like dew, diftill'd a foftnefs o'er my
griefs,

And trickling tears, adown thy cheeks that ftole,

Reliev'd and footh'd by fharing in my pains;

Thymo mihi dulcior Hyblæ Candidior cycnis, edera formofior alba. Virg. Ec. 7.-Paftor Fido, At, 1. fc. 1. 2.

Thou, too, art gone ;-perhaps for ever
gone-

The dear companion of my youthful joys!
Who knows but death, or fate inexorable,
That mocks unfeelingly at human woe,
Hath made our late, our laft and long
farewell.

Perhaps, thy mangled corpfe, in wat'ry
grave

Ingulph'd, is caft, inanimate, a prey
To fierceft monfters of the rav'nous deep.
Perhaps, thy country's wrongs, thy fov'-
reign's will,

The charm of liberty, and honour's call,
Thy noble fpirit urging, unfuftain'd,
Mid thickest ranks of Britain's foes, in
wounds

To meet a glorious, but lamented end,
Have ftretch'd thee, lifeless, on the bleed-
ing earth.

Perhaps, in far inhofpitable clime,
The damps nocturnal, and the raging
funs,

Have, vertical, confum'd thy boiling
blood;

And weeping friends fhall never see thee

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In filent extacy devouring, keen,
The glorious fpectacle, fo wondrous fair,
Thou wouldft, intranced, have mark'd a
thousand things,
Which, unobferv'd, efcape the vulgar
And

eye;

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