which by many is fuppofed to be the only tru: Highland drefs. Every foldier muft naturally entertain a predilection for the drefs of a body of men fo diftinguished for military prowefs. At the fame time, there is every reafon to believe, that the tregus, as worn by the Rothfay and Caithness Fencibles, is not only an ancient part of the drefs of the Scottish Highlanders, but rivals the belted plaid in antiquity, as well as in utility and elegance. Dr Henry, who has delineated the ancient hiftory of this country with fo much diligence and difcernment, is decidedly of opinion, that trowfers were a part of the ancient drefs, not only of the Celtic nations in general, but of the Scottish Highlanders in particular. "For a confiderable time," fays this refpectable hiftorian †," the ancient Britons, and other Celtic nations, had no other garments but their plaids, or mantles, which, being neither very long nor very broad, left their legs, arms, and fome other parts of their bodies naked. As this defect in their dress could not but be fenfibly felt, it was by degrees fupplied. It is indeed uncertain, whether the tunick or doublet, for covering more closely the trunk of the body, or breeches and hofe for covering the thighs and legs, were first invented and used by these nations ; tho' the limbs being quite naked, while the trunk was tolerably covered by the plaid, it is probable, that these last were moft ancient, as they were most necef In tracing the antiquity of this drefs, it is neceffary in the first place to afcertain, whether it was worn by the ancient Celtic nations, from whom the Scottish Highlanders are acknowledged to be defcended. As my leifure, at prefent, does not admit of engaging in fuch refearches, I fhall take the liberty of quoting modern, rather than ancient authors, but at the fame time fuch as have inveftigated that fubject. The opinion of the celebrated Gibbon *, and the authorities he quotes, are, on this head, extremely important. He ftates, that Tetricus, who had been declared fary. But, however this may be, it is Emperor in Gaul, when led in triumph by Aurelian, was clothed in Gallic trowfers; and he remarks in a note, that the ufe of braccha, breeches or trowfers, was ftill confidered in Italy as a Gallic and barbarian fashion. The Romans, however, had made great ad vances towards it. To encircle the legs and thighs with fafcia, or bands, was underflood, in the time of Pompey and Horace, to be a proof of ill health and effeminacy. In the age of Trajan the cuftom was confined to the rich and luxurious. It gradually was adopted by the meaneft of the people, in proof of which he refers to a curious note in Cafaubon ad Sueton. in Auguft. c. 82. In fact the trees or trowfers feem to Have been een a characteriflical part of the ancient drefs of the Gauls or Celts, and the bare knees to have been a Roman, rather than a Celtic fashion. abundantly evident, from the teftimonies of many ancient authors, (which have been carefully collected by the two modern writers quoted below +,) that the ancient Gauls, Britons, and other Celtic nations, wore a garment which covered both their thighs and legs, and very much refembled our breeches and stockings united. This garment was called, in the Celtic tongue, the common language of all these nations, braxe, or bracce, probably because it was made of the fame party, coloured cloth with their plaids, as breac in that language fignifies any thing that is party-coloured. Thefe braxe or clofs trowfers, which were both graceful and convenient, and difcovered the fine shape and turn of their limbs to great advantage, were ufed by the ge nuine pofterity of the Caledonian Bri 7 + Hiftory of Great Britain, vol. 2. p. 341. Pelloutier Hift. Celt. I. 2. c. 6. b. 1. Gibbon's 's Hiftory, vak 2. p. 47. octavo p, 307. &c. Clav. Germ. Antiq. l. 1. €. `16. edition 1792. p. 115, &c.* tons ५ tons, in the Highlands of Scotland till very lately, and are hardly yet laid a fide in fome remote corners of that country." The evidence of ancient fongs may alfo be adduced in fupport of the trews, more especially the well known verfes in "Tak' your auld Cloak about ye;" from which it would appear, that in the reign of one of the Roberts, probably Robert Bruce, it was an ufual part of the dress of the Scots a "In days when our King Robert rang, trews. There is an engraving of James I. of Scotland, in the poffeffion of George Chalmers, Efq; of the Board of Trade, in which that monarch is dreffed in the close trews; and as the picture from whence that engraving was taken must have been executed in Scotland, there being a view of Dumbarton Cafle in it, there is thence every reafon to imagine, that it was the drefs of that sovereign during his refidence in his own kingdom. In a work, though written many years ago, yet only lately printed, entitled, "The Hillory of the Troubles and Memorable Tranfactions in Scotland from the year 1624 to 1645, from the original MS. of John Spalding, then Commiffary Clerk of Aberdeen it would appear that the trews were very commonly worn at that period. 1 In the first volume of that work, (p. 39,) we are told, that the Laird Bal-' nadalloch, efcaping from a twenty days' imprisonment, goes, with his coat and trews all rent and worn, to the place of Innes; and it would appear, (from p. 37,) that it was the ufual ga b he wore, for he had been fitting at fupper in it in his own houfe. In the fecond volume (p. 196.) the Marquis of Huntly, the moft powerful Chieftain in the North, is defcribed as croffing the Spey, dreffed in a coat and trews, with a black bonnet on his head, In the fame volume (p. 232.) we are told, that the celebrated Marquis, of Montrofe, coming from England to commence that fuccefsful career which has rendered his name fo famous, came fecretly to Scotland, clad in coat and trews. Traditional evidence is certainly in favour of the point 1 with to establish. ** A very intelligent officer of the Breadalbane Fencibles, Capt. Robinson, informs me, that in Athol the trews did not fall into difufe till about the beginning of the prefent, or end of the lift century, and that it was not totally dif continued till within the last thirty years. He remembers being told, by a very old gentleman of that country, that he recollects the Marquis of Athol muf tering all his numerous vaffals and tenants at Dunkeld, a great part of whom, and the Marquis himself, were dreffed in trews. He alfo remembers being told by an old gentleman prefent upon the occafion, that when the firit Dake Captain Robinson, who has paid particular attention to fuch inquiries, is of opinion, that the trews was undoubtedly the ancient dress of people of condition, or of any refpectability, both in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland; it was more especially worn by perfons on horseback, often without boots; it was commonly made of a kind of chequered stuff called Tartan, though fome times of stuff of one colour only. It completely supplied the place of breeches and ftockings, covering the feet, the legs, and the thighs. As a winter drefs, particularly in time of fnow, it was reckoned infinitely preferable to the kilt. When the trews were worn upon a journey, the plaid was carried over the left fhoulder, and drawn under the right arm. In addition to the circumftances above mentioned, it may be proper to add, that when the wearing of the Highland drefs was prohibited, by act 19 George II. c. 49. after the rebellion in 1745, the trews were included among the other articles enumerated upon that occafion, as a part peculiarly belonging to the Highland garb, and confequently, is mentioned in the act 22 George III. c. 63. by which that prohibition was repealed. Thefe are hints which I thought it right to take this opportunity of throwing together and preferving, in cafe the point to which they relate, though a matter of curiofity rather than of real ufe, fhould ever become the subject of future difcuffion. N. B. Some additional information upon this fubject will, I understand, be laid before the Public by Mr Pinkerton, in one of the Numbers of his Portraits of the Illuftrious Perfons of Scotland. 1 ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORY, RELIGION, AND MANNERS OF THE HINDOOS *. THAT part of Afia, known to Eu- The magnificent proofs of ancient granropeans by the name of Hindooftan, deur, however, which are still to be extends from the mountains of Thibet found, and which have been fought for on the north, to the fea on the fouth, with the most fuccefsful affiduity, by and from the river Indus on the weft, many of our countrymen in India, give to the Burampooter on the east, com- the moft irrefragable teftimony of the prehending, within its limits, a variety antiquity of their empire, and feem to of provinces, many of which have been confirm the affertion of its hiftorians, famous, from the earliest ages, for that its duration is not to be parallelthe falubrity of their climate, the rich- led by the hiftory of any other portion nefs of their productions, and the fer- of the human race." To account for tility of their foildosOf this country, this extraordinary degree of permanenthe Hindoos are the Aborigines. Over cy, we must direct our attention, not the origin of this celebrated people, to the barriers formed by nature around time has caft the impenetrable mantle their territories, but to those internal of oblivion. Their own annals trace it caufes arifing from the nature of their back to a period of remote, fo far be- government, their laws, religion, moral Ford the date of European chronology, prejudices, and established manners. lise to be rejected by European pride. as * From Tranflation of the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah, by Eliza Hamilton, lately published. The ancient government, throughout Hindooftan, appears to have been a federative union of the various states, each governed by its own rajah, or chief, but fubjected, in à fort of feudal vaffalage, to the fovereignty of the fupreme Emperor, who was head of the whole. to command; of this tribe were the ancient rajahs. He next produced the Bice, or Banyan, from his thighs and beily, affigning him the occupations of agriculture and commerce. And lastly, i He created from his feet the tribe of Sooder, and to him allotted the duties of fubjection, labour and obediencè. The refpective, and peculiar virtues of thefe different cafts are admirably defcribed in the following paffage of the Bhagvat Geeta, an episode, from their great epic poem, tranflated into English by Mr Wilkins. The manner in which the rajahs of the Hindoos exercised the rights of dominion over their people, bears fo little analogy to that practifed by the petty fovereigns of fuch European ftates as are placed in circumftances nearly fi milar, that it would be doing the greatest injuftice to the amiable and benevolent character of the Hindoos, to bring them into comparison. There, the right of fovereignty bore the mild afpect of parental authority. The The natural duty of the Bramin is prince confidered the people in the light of children, whom he was appointed by heaven to protect and cherish; and the affection of the fubject for the prince, under whofe aufpices be enjoyed the bleffings of freedom and tranquillity, was heightened, by eftcem for his virtues, into the most inviolable attachment. The divifion of the Hindoos into four cafts, or tribes, to each of which a particular station was alloted, and peculiar duties affigned, might doubtlefs be another caufe, which lent its aid toward the prefervation of the general harmony. This divifion muft have been made at a period too remote for inveftigation; and which feems to fet conjecture at defiance. It is by the Hindoo writers wrapt in the veil of allegory; they fay, tlrat Brahma, the first perfon in their triad of Deity, having received the power from the Supreme, for the creation of mankind, created the Hindoos in the following manner : From his mouth he produced the Bramin, and deftined his rank to be the most eminent; allotting, for his bufinefs, the performance of the rites of religion, and the inftruction of mankind in the path of duty. The next tribe he created was the Khettrie, or war tribe, and this he produced from his arms, his duty being to defend the people, to govern, and peace, felf-restraint, patience, rectitude, wifdom, and learning. The natural duties of the Khettrie, are bravery, glory, not to flee from the field; rectitude, generofity, and princely conduct. The natural duties of the Bice are to cultivate the land, to tend the cattle, and to buy and fell. The natural duty of the Sooder is fervitude; a man by following the duties appointed by his birth, cannot do wrong. A man being contented with his own particular fituation obtaineth perfection." Though all Bramins are not priests, none but such as are of this caft can perform any offices of the priestly function. The members of every other caft preferve for theirs the most refpectful veneration; and a spirit of partiality toward them, feems to breathe throughout their laws, as well as religious inftitutions. Those who take pleasure in pointing the fhafts of farcafm against the order of the priesthood: (without confidering. that invectives against any fociety of individuals are only fatires upon human nature,) will readily affign to the Bramins themfelves, the formation of laws which appear favourable to their interefts; and produce it as an additional proof of prieftly cunning and ambition; but a moment's reflection on the duties, as well as privileges, of this caft, will put an end to invidious exultation. An abhorrence of the shedding of blood, blood, is a principle which pervades are of a different belief; nor does it the whole of the Hindoo religion, but fuffer them to confiter others as lefs the Bramins obferve it in the fricteft favoured by the Almighty than themdegree. They eat nothing that has felves. This fpirit of unbounded tole life in it: the food confifting entirely of fruit and vegetables, and their only luxury being the milk of the cow, an animal for whofe fpecies they have a particular veneration. Not only every act of hoftility, but even every method of defence, is, to them, ftrictly prohibited. Submitting to violence with unrefifting patience and humility, they leave it to God, and their rajahs, to avenge whatever injuries they may fuf tain. The feparation of the different cafts 1 from each other is abfolute and irreverfible: it forms the fundamental prin ciple of their laws, and the flighteft breach of it never fails to incur univer fal reprobation. ration proceeded in a natural course from the fublinie and exalted notions of the Deity, taught by the bramins, and every where to be met with in their writings, and which are only equalled in that gofpel" which brought lite and immortality to light." That Being whom they diftinguish by the different appellations of the Principle of Truth the Spirit of Wisdom! the Supreme! by whom the univerfe was fpread abroad, whofe perfections? none can grafp within the limited circle of human ideas, views, they fay, with equal complacency, all who are ftudiousTM to perform his will throughout the im-“ menfe farily of creation. They deem osits derogatory to the character of this Thus, thofe fources of difquiet, Being, to fay that he prefers one reu which have held most of the empires ligion to another;" to fuppofe fuch of the earth in a state of perpetual agi preference, being the height of impiety, tation, were unknown to the peaceful as it would be fuppofing injuftice toward children of Brahma. The turbulence those whom he left ignorant of his will pr of ambition, the emulation of envy, and and they therefore conclude, that every the murmurs of difcontent, were equally religion is peculiarly adapted to the unknown to a people, where each indi- country and people where it is practic vidual, following the occupation, and fed*. The bramins, who compiled walking in the fteps of his fathers, con- the Code of Gentoo Laws, translated fidered it as his primary duty to keep in the fituation that he firmly believed to have been marked out for him by the hand of Providencebod u 92 161 by Mr Halhed, explain their opinion" upon this fubject i in very explicit terms: the truly intelligent," fay they, "well know that the differences and varieties. 2:In the fpirits of the religion of the of created things are a ray of his glori Hindoos, a ftill more efficient caufe of ous cffence, and that the contrarieties the durability of their ftate, prefents it of conftitutions are types of his wonderfelf to our views Original in its na ful attributes. He appointed to each ture, and abfolute in its decrees, its pre tribesits own faith, and to every fect its cepts induce actotal feclufion from the own religion," and views, in each partireft of mankinda Fary however, fromecular place, the mode of worfhip redisturbing thofe who are of a different fpectively appointed it. Sometimes he faich, by endeavours to convert them, is employed, with the attendants upon it does not even admit of profelytes to the mofque, in counting the facred its own Thought tenacious of their obeads; fometimes he is in the temple own doctrines, incandegree that is und at the adoration of idols, the intimate exampled in the hiftory of any other of the Muffulman, and the friend of the religion, the most fervent zeal in the Hindoo, the companion of the Chrif most pious Hindoos, leads them neither tian, and the confidant of the Jew." to hate, nor defpife, nor pity, fuch as * See Crawford's Sketches. A |