nert, too, of the Greek tragedians changed and perverted the characters of the Iliad and Odyssey, when they brought them upon the stage: as appears from the Ulysses and Menelaus in the plays of Sophocles and Euripides, still extant; which are gross caricatures of the samne characters in the Homeric poeans. It was probably from some caricature of this kind that Horace took the portrait of Achilles which. he recommends to dramatic writers: for it is extremely unlike the hero of the Iliad, who is, indeed, impiger, iracundus, acer; active, irrascible, and eage but so far from renouncing or denying any of the established rights and institutions of law, morality, or religion, that he is a steady and zealous observer of all: pious to his gods, dutiful to his parents, hospitable and polite to his guests; kind and generous to his subjects, faithful and affectionate to his friends, and, open, honourable, and sincere towards all. Neither is he an inexorable enemy, till exasperated by the loss of the man most dear to him, and soured by despair and impending death.

Despising his own life, as a frail and transitory possession of little value; while the pride of conscious su periority taught him to consider, that of others of still less value, he be comes sanguinary thro' magnanimity, and gives an unbounded scope to his resentment from not thinking the objects of it worth sparing. Considered in this point of view, the seeming incongruities in the characters of several of the mighty heroes and conquerors of real history bebecome consistent and united.

In their private and individual transactions, where their particular sympa. thies have been called forth, they have been mild, generous, and compassionate; but in dealing with mankind in the mass, they have consi

a delusive mockery of vain hopes and fears, which it was almost a matter of indifference either to preserve or destroy.

Had the 'Achilles of the Iliad, or the Ulysses of the Odyssey, been such as Horace has described the one, or Euripides exhibited the other, they would not have interested the untutored, but uncorrupted feelings of an Homeric audience, how well soever they might have succeeded on the Attic theatre: for men, in the early stages of society, when manners are general substitutes for laws, are scrupulously observant of whatever custom or public opinion has esta blished as a criterion of politeness or good breeding; the principles of which, as before observed, are the same in all ages and all countries, howsoever the modes of showing them may vary. Hence neither the violent and attrocious passions of the first of these heroes, nor the wily artifice and versatility of the second, ever make either of them deviate from the character of a gentleman, even according to our present notions of that character, allowing always for the change of exterior forms or ceremonies of fashion. Though the one is impetuous, and the other tempe rate in his expressions of resentment; both equally preserve the dignity of high pride and conscious superiority; and both are invariably kind, civil, and attentive to all, whom the weakness of sex or age entitled to their protection or compassion.Any of that unfeeling rudeness with which the Ulysses of Euripides rejects the supplications of the captive Hecuba for the life of her last remaining child, or any of that selfish coldness, with which the Æneas of Virgil treats the unfortunate princess, whose affections he had seduced, would have so degraded either of the Homeric heroes in the estimation of the simple but gallant warriors, to

whom

ter of fact, and wears a certain solid and practical air, which inspires confidence. The Remarks" are less valuable in this view, though better written; and the "Eight letters" are the best written, but contain least information of all the three.

The first question is, whether a depopulation has actually taken place in the Highland estates. And of this there seems hardly the least ground to doubt. The throwing numerous farms into one, the employment of machinery, and the necessity under which high rents place the farmer of exacting from one man the same degree of labour which was performed by two or three, must all contribute to produce this effect. It has taken place in fact to a great extent, even in those parts of the low country where great improvements have been carried on; but much more in the highlands, where the whole number of people which the produce of the land was capable of maintaining, were actually collected upon it. This depopulation is accordingly asserted by Lord Selkirk, and amply confirmed by Mr Brown, who says,

The author is correct in stating, that the present generation of proprietors are more intent on obtaining an adequate return in money for their lands, and less disposed to sacrifice their real interest, than their predecessors, whose ambition, warranted by sound policy, it was to retain a numerous body of idle adherents. What was sound policy at one time, might prove gross folly at a subsequent period, when circumstances were completely changed.

An assertion is made, (p. 24), that some proprietors, from vanity or tenderness, still retain their people, by the sacrifice of their pecuniary interest. But, in fact, no examples have occurred in the course of my acquaintance with the Highlands, of proprietors maintaining their dependents in feudal idleness, against their own interest; though there may be, perhaps, a solitary instance, of some small proprietor, the doubtfnl

claimant of high ancestry, who has the vanity to affect the pomp and state of his grand ancestors. Even such va. nity is not unaccompanied with some of, or rather a contemp: for, useful ingood effects. It generates a disregard dustry, and it also leads to pecuniary embarrassments, which ultimately bring the estate to the hammer.

These estates are commonly transferred to men who have made money in trade, or in the East or West Indies. Such new proprietors are well qualified to repair all the mischiefs which the ridiculous affectation of chieftainship had produced. In place of a gang of idle menials, which his exsublimity kept about his person, and of lazy and slovenly tenants, who, in place of cultivating, wholly neglected the land; the new proprietor excites, and liberally rewards, useful industry; and effecting the improvement of the estate on an enlightened and prudent plan, contributes to the permanent capital of the nation.

Strictures p. 13. 15.

Recruiting in the High ands is now completely an an end, on the former plan; and his Lordship cannot point out an instance of any one proprietor, who sacrifices the substantial contents of a rent-roll, for a parade of idle retainers. Ditto, p. 86.

Is it reasonable to suppose, that a factor, unless he saw it to be for the advantage of his constituent, would prefer a numerous race of people on an estate to a few substantial tacksmen?

He generally receives a certain percentage of his employer's income; and it may easily be conceived, that if a large estate of Scool. or 10,000l. ayear was let to twenty or thirty tenants, the duty of the factor in uplifting the rents, and of superintending the internal management of the estate, would be much more agreeable and easy, than to collect the same rent from seven or eight hundred tenants, and to enter on a complex management of a population.

numerous

Ditto, p. 90.

Another circumstance, which tends greatly to encrease this depopulation, is the general prevalence of sheep farming. Mr Brown indeed attempts to disprove that this has any such effect. According to him, the moun

tains

tains now thrown into pasture were formerly covered only with deer, roes, and wild goats; and the only hardship which the Highlander suffers is, being no longer able to spend his time in pursuing these animals. But if so, whence the constant complaints, which we have heard, of ara. ble land converted into pasture, and farmers turned out to make room for this new system. However ill founded the principle of these com. plaints may be, they could hardly have arisen without some foundation in fact! Accordingly the author of "Remarks" clearly admits the depopulating tendency of pasturage, but thinks it is now carrying to such an extent as will lower the price of mutton, and oblige the Highland landlords again to recur to the system of agriculture. However com. fortable a prospect this may open for the supply of our low country tables, we are afraid it will not be soon verified to any great extent; nor, even supposing it certain, does it appear what the expelled labourers are to do in the mean time. The author of the letters agrees entirely with Lord Selkirk as to the depopulating tendency of the new system.

The next question is, whether those who have been thus dispossessed of their farms may not be advantageously employed in their native country. Before proceeding to the details of this subject, it may be proper to enquire into the general principle, whether emigration, considered in itself, and when not attended with individual hardship, be not really a national benefit. This position, however paradoxical it may be thought, appears to us to rest on the most ascertained principles of political e

Now, let us apply

20 or 25 years. this to the relative condition of Great Britain and America. Suppose that of the ten millions which the former country contains, one should emi, grate. There is no likelihood of the number being nearly so great; but whatever holds in regard to this greater, must hold still more unquestionably as to any smaller number. Now, it is evident, that in the course of 20 years, the remaining nine millions would not only repair, but would much more than repair this loss. They might multiply, in that period, to eighteen millions, a much greater population than Great Britain would probably, by that time, be able to subsist. In the mean time, this diminution of numbers would render more comfortable the situation of those that remained. It would produce a mitigation of all those evils which arise from the difficulty of subsistence. The great manufac turers and capitalists might doubtless experience some inconvenience from the increase of wages, but the condition of the great body of the people would be improved by it.

Let us now follow our colony over to America, to those immense deserts, through which Rochefaucault describes himself as travelling for days without seeing the vestige of a human habitation.

Here the great

want, if we may use the expression, is that of a capital stock of population, with which to begin; for a geometrical progression does not encrease rapidly, unless the first term be of some magnitude. Canada is not supposed by Volney to contain above 200,000 inhabitants; not nearly the hundredth part of what it might be able to maintain. The emigrating million, therefore, finding full scope for multiplying itself, may, in the course of a century, amount to 30 millions, which, but for this otiginal emigration, would never have existed, The emigration from Bri

tain to America seems therefore, in itself, to have a decided tendency to increase the total amount of human existence and enjoyment. This argument is rendered stronger, if we admit with Lord Selkirk, that a considerable number of men are turned out from their old employments, without capacity or inclination for any new ones which this country may offer. The author of "Remarks" indeed asserts, that when children are put very young into a cotton manufactory, they become as good workmen as any others; but this makes no provision for such as are grown up.

We are aware that, admitting the correctness of these general principles, the present period does not seem quite the most favourable for their application. The high wages given in every branch of labour, seem to shew, that Britain does not labour under any superabundance of inhabitants. But the most important circumstance by far, is the present political situation of the empire, and the necessity of keeping up a large military establishment. For emigration, though it may be an economical improvement, certainly tends to diminish the national military resources. The more comfortable is the condition of a citizen, and the higher his wages, the less comparatively eligible will be the profession of a soldier, and the more difficult will recruiting become; not to men. tion the direct tendency of diminished numbers to produce fewer re eruits. And, notwithstanding the change which may have taken place in the Highland character, still, certainly, the troops, which stormed the batteries of Aboukir, and subdu ed the invincibles on the plains of Alexandria, must form a most valuable portion of the British army. Let recruiting serjeants then be sent thro' the Highlands; every man, whom they can detain from going to America, is gained to his country. The

author of " Letters" has in fact asserted, that 3 or 4000 recruits have been lately obtained, But we do not see much occasion for government bestirring itself in order to furnish pacific employment to those who would otherwise emigrate.

In these pamphlets we meet with a good deal of information on the state of the Highlands, which, tho' from its partial and local nature, it does not seem very materially to affect the general question, is yet of considerable interest in itself.

A practice, called crafting, is said to be becoming general. When an extent of country is thrown into sheep farms, that part of it which appears best fitted for arable is divided into lots of ten, twelve, or more acres, upon each of which one family is set down. The first year the tenant pays, perhaps, a rent of s. per acre: the second 7s. 6d. : and so on, until the rent may amount to 20s. or 30s. per acre.

It is a curious fact, that scarcely an instance has occurred, where a crofter, i. e. a person who holds a distinct lot of land, has shewn the smallest disposition to emigrate. This clearly shews this mode of occupancy to be suitable to the genius and circumstances of the people; and were it universally adopted, in all proper situations, it might become an abundant source of population.

It is to be observed, in regard to those tracts in the North-west Highlands and Isles, held by tacksmen, though not stocked with sheep, nor calculated for that stock, that most of

them are approaching rapidly to a different system of management. In many districts, the tacksmen's farms are falling fast into the hands of small ten. ants, who, instead of being cottars, or subtenants, as formerly, now hold directly of the proprietor. The proprietors of most of the estates on the Long Island, and other islands, have greatly ameliorated the situation of their people, the same time, they have much increaby this mode of management, while, at sed their incomes.

Lord Selkirk seems to lay particular

stress