; the question is, How
many cows a young lady will bring her husband. A rich maiden has from
ten to forty; but two cows are a decent fortune for one who pretends to
no distinction.

The religion of the Islands is that of the Kirk of Scotland. The
gentlemen with whom I conversed are all inclined to the English liturgy;
but they are obliged to maintain the established Minister, and the
country is too poor to afford payment to another, who must live wholly on
the contribution of his audience.

They therefore all attend the worship of the Kirk, as often as a visit
from their Minister, or the practicability of travelling gives them
opportunity; nor have they any reason to complain of insufficient
pastors; for I saw not one in the Islands, whom I had reason to think
either deficient in learning, or irregular in life: but found several
with whom I could not converse without wishing, as my respect increased,
that they had not been Presbyterians.

The ancient rigour of puritanism is now very much relaxed, though all are
not yet equally enlightened. I sometimes met with prejudices
sufficiently malignant, but they were prejudices of ignorance. The
Ministers in the Islands had attained such knowledge as may justly be
admired in men, who have no motive to study, but generous curiosity, or,
what is still better, desire of usefulness; with such politeness as so
narrow a circle of converse could not have supplied, but to minds
naturally disposed to elegance.

Reason and truth will prevail at last. The most learned of the Scottish
Doctors would now gladly admit a form of prayer, if the people would
endure it. The zeal or rage of congregations has its different degrees.
In some parishes the Lord's Prayer is suffered: in others it is still
rejected as a form; and he that should make it part of his supplication
would be suspected of heretical pravity.

The principle upon which extemporary prayer was originally introduced, is
no longer admitted. The Minister formerly, in the effusion of his
prayer, expected immediate, and perhaps perceptible inspiration, and
therefore thought it his duty not to think before what he should say. It
is now universally confessed, that men pray as they speak on other
occasions, according to the general measure of their abilities and
attainments. Whatever each may think of a form prescribed by another, he
cannot but believe that he can himself compose by study and meditation a
better prayer than wi