ame thither.

Thus hopeless are all attempts to find any traces of Highland learning.
Nor are their primitive customs and ancient manner of life otherwise than
very faintly and uncertainly remembered by the present race.

The peculiarities which strike the native of a commercial country,
proceeded in a great measure from the want of money. To the servants and
dependents that were not domesticks, and if an estimate be made from the
capacity of any of their old houses which I have seen, their domesticks
could have been but few, were appropriated certain portions of land for
their support. Macdonald has a piece of ground yet, called the Bards or
Senachies field. When a beef was killed for the house, particular parts
were claimed as fees by the several officers, or workmen. What was the
right of each I have not learned. The head belonged to the smith, and
the udder of a cow to the piper: the weaver had likewise his particular
part; and so many pieces followed these prescriptive claims, that the
Laird's was at last but little.

The payment of rent in kind has been so long disused in England, that it
is totally forgotten. It was practised very lately in the Hebrides, and
probably still continues, not only in St. Kilda, where money is not yet
known, but in others of the smaller and remoter Islands. It were perhaps
to be desired, that no change in this particular should have been made.
When the Laird could only eat the produce of his lands, he was under the
necessity of residing upon them; and when the tenant could not convert
his stock into more portable riches, he could never be tempted away from
his farm, from the only place where he could be wealthy. Money confounds
subordination, by overpowering the distinctions of rank and birth, and
weakens authority by supplying power of resistance, or expedients for
escape. The feudal system is formed for a nation employed in
agriculture, and has never long kept its hold where gold and silver have
become common.

Their arms were anciently the Glaymore, or great two-handed sword, and
afterwards the two-edged sword and target, or buckler, which was
sustained on the left arm. In the midst of the target, which was made of
wood, covered with leather, and studded with nails, a slender lance,
about two feet long, was sometimes fixed; it was heavy and cumberous, and
accordingly has for some time past been gradually laid aside. Very few
targets were at Culloden. The dirk, or broa