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The academy established here in 1790 may be considered as partaking very much of the character and consequence of an university, and is much and justly celebrated. The building containing the schools is more extensive than ornamental. Latin, Greek, French, mathematics, writing, arithmetic, drawing, and geography, are taught here with great success, under the tuition of nine masters, who have small salaries, and chiefly depend on the fees of their different classes, by which, as before, upon a somewhat similar occasion, has been observed, their interest is placed on the side of their duty. The number of youths at this academy was two hundred. The academy spring sessions or terms commence the 2d of January, and close the 28th of May. The autumnal sessions commence the 15th of July, and close the 20th of December. Besides this school for boys, there is a seminary, as I was informed, for young ladies, who are sent to it from remote parts of the Highlands.

Misfortune has always strong claims upon the feelings of a Highlander, and I could not help being highly gratified by a little rebuke which I received in this town from one whose loyalty and devotion to the august family now upon the throne are exemplary: upon designating the royal exile by the usual name of the Pretender-" Do not call him the Pretender," said he," he was the Prince Charles."

CHAP. XIX.

POLICY OF EDUCATION

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ITS EFFECTS IN THE HIGHLANDS ITS GENERAL IMPORTANCE-SINGULAR EFFECTS OF ITS ADVANTAGES SCOTTISH MISSIONARIES ON THE MOUNTAINS OF CAUCASUS-A COMPARISON-SCOTTISH AND IRISH PEASANTS CONTRASTED THE MINERS' LIBRARY-SCHOOLS FOR EDUCATION THE PARISH SCHOOLS-THE HIGHLAND SCHOOLS-THE CHARITY SCHOOLS-PRIVATE SCHOOLS-REMARKS-ANECDOTE.

POLITICIANS have widely differed with regard to the wisdom of enlightening the poor of a country by education. Upon such a subject men of plain understandings would naturally wonder that any variance of opinion could arise. They would conceive that he who prefers darkness to light, who thinks that the common people are most likely to advance the ends of their creation, that they would be more loyal, more brave, and more virtuous, by continuing in a state of ignorance and stupidity, would, by a parity of reasoning, insist that the blind were the most likely to move with certainty, and the crippled with vigour. But a distempered prejudice still maintains that to illumine the head is to

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extinguish the heart; that if the humble are taught reading, writing, and a little useful arithmetic, they will soon fancy themselves under the influence of inspiration, and feel as if they had been intended for some high destiny; that they will desert or disgrace the station of life allotted to them by Providence, and perish upon the dunghill as vagabonds, or by the gallows as forgers. The poor of Scotland seem to have decided this important question: they can read, and yet are loyal; they can write, and yet are honest; they can calculate, and yet are virtuous. By the wise and salutary diffusion of education, particularly in parts which appear to be impenetrable to civilization, upon the sides of frightful mountains, or in dismal glens seldom visited by the rays of Heaven, the astonished and admiring traveller beholds a spectacle at once gratifying and affecting. In a hut of branches and sods, when the hour of labour is over, the young, enlightened by those institutions which do honour to human nature, are seen instructing those who are younger, or consoling the last hours of venerable and sightless age by reading aloud the Scriptures, or some pious book, printed in their own language; yet in this sorry dwelling the benighted traveller may rest in safety amid the howling storm; not a hand will be extended to him but in kindness, not a voice will be raised but to charm his ear with the song of other times, or, if he understands the

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