seven times. The first round, two Brahmins laid hold of her to support her; she, in an audible voice, declined their assistance, and said she could walk alone-and indeed the oftener she went round, her step appeared the more firm and determined. This ceremony being completed, she entered the inclosure, and seated herself on the pile in an upright posture, and placed the head of her deceased husband in her lap. Ghee, in large quantities, had been previously poured on her head and garments; pieces of cam phire, cow dung, plaintain grass, rice, flour, &c. &c. were then strewed over the body of the dead man. Billets of wood were then placed by the officiating Brahmins in a pyramidical form around her, and a few bundles of very dry brushwood were placed at the top near her head; the sacred fire was then given by one of the Brahmins to her son, who presented it to his mother. The head Brahmin remained in conversation with her for a quarter of an hour, during which period she held the light in her hand. A leaf of the Shaster was also carried in, and as the Brahmin did not bring it out again, I suppose this was also placed on the pile. The Brahmin then took leave of her, and when he came to the door (as if anxious that an Eropean should be a witness of her setting fire to the pile with her own hands) he beckoned me to approach, when immediately I saw her bow her head on that of her husband, and on raising it, set fire to the brushwood above her. It did not burn as quick as was expected, during which time she sat as composed as if she had no interest in the affair. The Brahmin close to me seeing this, threw some fire on the pile, and in two seconds the whole was a complete conflagration. While the bodies were burning, the Brahmins kept dancing round the funeral pile with enthusiasm and apparent satisfaction.

The conduct of the officiating

Brahmins was liberal and open to a great degree; and so far from opposing my approach, they appeared anxious that I should see the whole minutely, that I might relate that every thing had been conducted without deceit or persuasion. I accordingly took my station by the angle post at the door, where I remained the whole time,

the Suttee at not more than three feet distance from me. She appeared so totally absorbed in her prayers, and performing the necessary ceremonies, and in conversation with her son, that she paid not the smallest attention to any thing round her, excepting once, when she waved her hand to me not to advance nearer. During the whole ceremony, which lasted considerably more than an hour (for I was too much interested to look at my watch) she was as firm and collected, and perhaps more so, than most of the bystanders. I never took my eyes off her the whole time, and dare assert, that not the smallest degree of compulsion was used; and that, upon the whole, this instance of fortitude and heroism may have been equalled, but never surpassed, and may certainly be accounted as extraordinary a display of the powerful effects of religion upon the human mind, as any upon record in the annals of either ancient or modern nations, and induces us to credit the otherwise almost improbable narratives of antiquity.

abundance of excellent slate; and crossing over the ferry in the morning, we bad farewell to Lochaber, and entered the famous vale of Glencoe, rendered so by the base and cowardly slaughter of the Macdonalds in 1691; and also for the extraordinary ruggedness and terrific majesty of the mountains overhanging it on each side. Perhape there is no one place in Glencoe, taken separately, that may not be equalled, and even surpassed by other parts of Scotland; but taken. altogether, it is certainly a scene of the most horrid grandeur that is any where to be met with in the British dominions. Such an accumulation of the awful and sublime can hardly be conceived. It is also supposed by some who are versed in the Gaelic etymology, that this was the birth-place of the poet Ossian; and that the river is the Cona so much celebrated in these songs. of ancient times; and, indeed, the names of several of the adjacent mountains seem to warrant such a conjecture. You will observe, my dear Sir, that I have no doubts respecting the existence of the bard; but whether his heroes had any, save in his brain, may perhaps turn out a point that will admit of discussion. Glencoe is, however, stocked with excellent sheep, that is what we are sure of; but it is hard now to discern where so many people could have resided in the glen, as seem to have lived there previous to the revolution. The day was very hot, and we arrived at the Kings' house, in the Black mount, almost parched with thirst."Have you any porter?" said Mr L. on entering-" haneal," said the wife, -" And ale ?" said he" oh! that's very good." We were very sorry to find she had answered in Gaelic, and that she had neither the one nor the other. She had, however, plenty of tea, the only beverage in the Highlands that a stranger can partake of freely. We then came over the Black mount. Rested at Inverouran; and

after crossing the Orchay, and the beautiful extensive sheep farm of Auch, arrived in the evening at Tynedrum; an excellent inn in that district of Breadalbin, called Strathfillan, where the great lead mines are situated.From thence we departed next morning, and in our way saw St, Fillans, or the Holy Pool; and I took occasion to question a farmer, a native of that place, concerning that extraordinary superstition. But how astonished was I to hear, that even in this enlightened age, it was as firmly believed in as ever! yea to hear its infallible efficacy attested with great warmth; and numberless late instances adduced as unanswerable evidences. It is just a common pool in the water of Fillan, the topmost branch of the great river Tay, and bears an exact resemblance, in every respect, to a pool high on Tweed, called the Wisdom Pool, and which, I am persuaded, hath formerly been used for the same purpose. This pool the inhabitants believe to be supernaturally endowed with an extraordinary quality on a certain returning day each quarter of the year, and on these days, all the people, both far and near, that are in any degree deranged in their minds, are brought to it as a certain restorative. Beside the pool is an altar, or rather cairn of stones, on which an offering is first laid with great reverence to St Fillan, the tutelary Saint of the country, by whose agency this miracle is brought about; after that, the patients are tumbled into the pool over head and ears; then pulled out dropping wet; bound hand and foot with strong ropes, and locked up in the chapel, where they are suffered to remain until the sun rise next morning. If they are found then bound in the same manner as when left the preceding day, it is looked on as a bad omen, and they are carried home with wailings, because their offerings have not been accepted: but Mr RC, my informer, assured me, that this did

not

.

not happen above once in seven years; for though you bound them with all the ropes in Strathfillan, they would be loosed in part next day. He also assured me, that there were numbers thus bathed and were bound every year; and I found, on conversing with a south-country man who resided there, that its good effects were so visible, that it was allowed, by the most sensible people of the place, to contribute mach to the recovery of such as were thus affected. The latter also told me, that he once saw seven ducked all at once, one of whom was a weaver, who was as much knave as fool. This fellow declared afterwards, that he, with a great deal of difficulty, disengaged himself, and afterwards loosed all the rest. It is certainly not a little remarkable that this superstitious belief should prevail in an enlightened country, so late as the present day; and as no person can now have any interest in carrying it on as a trick, it can only be accounted for from some experience of its efficacy. This then must certainly be accounted for in some more natural way than the supernal virtues of its waters on such days; and if it is beneficial to persons thus afflicted, which is at least dubious, any day of the year, and any pool and chapel will do as well as these of St Fillan; or otherwise, it is a very well contrived plan to work on the imagination. After this, we turned down Glendochart; rested at Sui; and then mounted the hills, by a foot path, into the braes of Balquhidder. From the height, we had a fine view of Loch Tay, and the mountains of Breadalbin, several of which are amazingly high, and specked with eternal snow. BenLawers, supposed the highest of the range, properly called the Grampians, is elevated upwards of 4000 feet above the sea. Ben-More, Ben-Leo, and Ben-Doran, are all said to be below that height, but very near it. The whole of Bredalbin, with its adjacent glens, is an excellent sheep country,

and it being the first on which the improved breed of short sheep was tried, it hath long produced large droves of the best wedders, most of which are bred at home; yet the draft ewes which that country sends to the south, are commonly of an inferior quality. This must either bet owing to their age, or bad treatment, as it is evident from the samples of their wedders what the country can do. The Earl of Breadalbin now sets his pasture farms very high, some of them being, by computation, five shillings and nine-pence for each sheep. It abounds with a variety of scenes of great natural beauty. We now descended into the country of Balquhid der, the hills of which are inferior to none in the Highlands for sweet na、 tural pasture-ground. You are better acquainted with that country than I am, and also with the finely contrasted scenery on the banks of Loch-Lubnich, of which we got a good view as we passed along. Afterwards, passing through Callander, we slept that night at Down; and the next day, taking seats in the Stirling fly, we returned by Edinburgh and Peebles into Ettrick-Forest. As you have travelled all these roads in idea with me formerly, I shall not take up your time, and my own much longer, in detailing the other trifling adventures we encountered by the way. We arrived in Yarrow precisely in five days from the time of our leaving Harries. -Thus terminated the unfortunate journey, as it is generally called. Nor

will you refuse your assent to the pro

priety of the denomination, when you consider that it was not productive of one good effect: that we never, in our way out, walked an hour without being drenched to the skin, and mudded to the knees: that we never went on the sea, though but for a few miles, without encountering storms, accidents, and dangers: nor ever, after leaving Greenock, proceeded one day by the route we intended, but either

lost

lost our way by land, or were thwart ed by the winds and the sea. Yea, so visibly were we crossed in the very smallest matters, that the latent sparks of superstition, believed to be inherent in our countrymen, were aroused; and we all three concluded, that an overuling Providence frowned upon our designs; and the event hath now fully justified the prediction. Now, my dear Sir, acknowledge that I have fulfilled your injunctions to a tittle, in giving you an account of my Highland journies; and as I am resolved never more to take another journey, of such a nature, at my own expence, and it is most probable no other will employ me, so I expect this will be the last letter ever you will receive from me on these subjects. I will therefore take my leave, with assuring you, that I remain

Your most affectionate,
Obliged and faithful Shepherd,
J. H.

so very young

very young; and as his guardian destined him to occupy the farm when he should be of age, a learned education was not thought necessary. But he soon discovered, from perusing books of agriculture, that few pursuits can be extensively cultivated without elevating the mind beyond mere mechanical knowledge; and in the first instance, he perceived it would be necessary to study chemistry. With this view, he resolved to attend Dr. Cullen's Lectures, who, although surprised that one should have formed this resolution, had soon reason to admire his pupil's laudable curiosity and good sense, and liberally afforded him every encou ragement in his power. To chemistry he added the study of other collateral branches; and entered upon his farm at the age of fifteen, with knowledge superior to most of his neighbours, and an enterprising spirit, which induced him to attempt improvements, whereever they could be introduced with apparent advantage. Among these was the small two-horse plough, now

J

ANDERSON.

the world.

vals, he prosecuted his studies with indefatigable zeal, and attended a private course of lectures, which Dr Cule len delivered to a few favourite pupils. Mr Anderson was the only one who took minutes of these lectures, which were afterwards unfairly obtained from him, and advertised to be published; but he prevented this, as he was afraid that his imperfect transcripts might tend to injure the fame of his master.

In a few years, he left Hermiston, and took a long lease of a large farm of 1300 acres, in Aberdeenshire, which was almost in a state of nature. While endeavouring to cultivate this unpromising soil, he began his literary career by publishing, in 1777, Essays on Planting, which he had written in 1771, in the Edinburgh Weekly Magazine, under the signature of Agricola All his early works were composed during a residence of more than

20 years at Monkshill, the name of this farm.

The fame of these works procured him a very extensive acquaintance and correspondence with persons of eminence, who wished to profit by the knowledge of so able a practical farmer. In 1780, the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by the University of Aberdeen, in a manner highly honourable to him, and without the least solicitation on his part.

In 1783, having previously entrusted the management of his farm to proper persons, ne removed to the neighbourhood of Edinburgh; partly with a view to the education of his numerous family, and partly to enjoy the society of those literary persons with whom he had corresponded. About this time, he printed and circulated a tract among his friends, on the subject of the establishment of the North British Fisheries, with a view to alleviate such extreme distress as he had witnessed in Aberdeenshire, from the failure of the crops in 1782. This tract, although not published, drew the attention of Government; and he was requested by the Treasury to take a survey of the Western coast of Scotland, for the purpose of obtaining information on this important subject. He readily acquiesced, and performed the task in 1784. The Report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the State of the British Fisheries, May 11, 1785, makes very honourable mention of Mr Anderson's services; but we do not find that he received, or was offered any species of remuneration; and it is well known, he was of a temper too spirited and disinterested to ask for any.

After his return, he resumed his literary labours in various shapes; and, among other schemes, projected a periodical work, intituled "The Bee," to be published weekly, and to consist of the usual materials of a Magazine. Its encouragement was, for a considerable time, such as to enable March 1809.

him to carry on this work with ad, vantage. Agriculturists, scholars, men of taste and fancy, became occasionally his correspondents in the Bee; which, however, owing to some difficulties in the mode of publication, he was compelled to relinquish. He wrote much in this work; not only the principal part of the papers that are without signature, but those signed Senex, Timothy Hairbrain, and Ålcibiades.

Among other papers in the Bee, was a series of Essays on the Political Progress of Great Britain. These having been published during the democratic rage which prevailed at Edinburgh, soon after the breaking out of the French Revolution, the Sheriff sent for Dr Anderson, and demanded the name of the Author. This he refused to give up, and desired to be considered as the Author; a circumstance the more singular, as his sentiments were well known to be directly opposite; but his conduct, in this case, proceeded from his peculiar notions on the subject of literary secresy; and as he had admitted those letters, he thought himself bound to take the blame upon himself. After a second and third application, he still refused; and when the printers were sent for, he charged them, in the face of the magistrates, not to give up the name of the Author. Respect for his talents and character induced the magistrates to let the matter drop. The real Author, a Mr Callander, who thought proper to leave his own country for America *, previous to his departure, waited on the magistrates, and insinuated that Lord G

one

* Where he was accidentally drowned; a death which, in his case, seems to have contradicted the old proverb. He had certainly given many indications of having been born to an exit of a very different and more public kind!