a journey to-第16章

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about　the　Laird's　honour　or　safety。　　The　commodiousness　of　money　is
indeed　great；　but　there　are　some　advantages　which　money　cannot　buy；
and　which　therefore　no　wise　man　will　by　the　love　of　money　be
tempted　to　forego。

I　have　found　in　the　hither　parts　of　Scotland；　men　not　defective　in
judgment　or　general　experience；　who　consider　the　Tacksman　as　a
useless　burden　of　the　ground；　as　a　drone　who　lives　upon　the　product
of　an　estate；　without　the　right　of　property；　or　the　merit　of
labour；　and　who　impoverishes　at　once　the　landlord　and　the　tenant。
The　land；　say　they；　is　let　to　the　Tacksman　at　six…pence　an　acre；
and　by　him　to　the　tenant　at　ten…pence。　　Let　the　owner　be　the
immediate　landlord　to　all　the　tenants；　if　he　sets　the　ground　at
eight…pence；　he　will　increase　his　revenue　by　a　fourth　part；　and　the
tenant's　burthen　will　be　diminished　by　a　fifth。

Those　who　pursue　this　train　of　reasoning；　seem　not　sufficiently　to
inquire　whither　it　will　lead　them；　nor　to　know　that　it　will　equally
shew　the　propriety　of　suppressing　all　wholesale　trade；　of　shutting
up　the　shops　of　every　man　who　sells　what　he　does　not　make；　and　of
extruding　all　whose　agency　and　profit　intervene　between　the
manufacturer　and　the　consumer。　　They　may；　by　stretching　their
understandings　a　little　wider；　comprehend；　that　all　those　who　by
undertaking　large　quantities　of　manufacture；　and　affording
employment　to　many　labourers；　make　themselves　considered　as
benefactors　to　the　publick；　have　only　been　robbing　their　workmen
with　one　hand；　and　their　customers　with　the　other。　　If　Crowley　had
sold　only　what　he　could　make；　and　all　his　smiths　had　wrought　their
own　iron　with　their　own　hammers；　he　would　have　lived　on　less；　and
they　would　have　sold　their　work　for　more。　　The　salaries　of
superintendents　and　clerks　would　have　been　partly　saved；　and　partly
shared；　and　nails　been　sometimes　cheaper　by　a　farthing　in　a
hundred。　　But　then　if　the　smith　could　not　have　found　an　immediate
purchaser；　he　must　have　deserted　his　anvil；　if　there　had　by
accident　at　any　time　been　more　sellers　than　buyers；　the　workmen
must　have　reduced　their　profit　to　nothing；　by　underselling　one
another；　and　as　no　great　stock　could　have　been　in　any　hand；　no
sudden　demand　of　large　quantities　could　have　been　answered　and　the
builder　must　have　stood　still　till　the　nailer　could　supply　him。

According　to　these　schemes；　universal　plenty　is　to　begin　and　end　in
universal　misery。　　Hope　and　emulation　will　be　utterly　extinguished；
and　as　all　must　obey　the　call　of　immediate　necessity；　nothing　that
requires　extensive　views；　or　provides　for　distant　consequences　will
ever　be　performed。

To　the　southern　inhabitants　of　Scotland；　the　state　of　the　mountains
and　the　islands　is　equally　unknown　with　that　of　Borneo　or　Sumatra：
Of　both　they　have　only　heard　a　little；　and　guess　the　rest。　　They
are　strangers　to　the　language　and　the　manners；　to　the　advantages
and　wants　of　the　people；　whose　life　they　would　model；　and　whose
evils　they　would　remedy。

Nothing　is　less　difficult　than　to　procure　one　convenience　by　the
forfeiture　of　another。　　A　soldier　may　expedite　his　march　by
throwing　away　his　arms。　　To　banish　the　Tacksman　is　easy；　to　make　a
country　plentiful　by　diminishing　the　people；　is　an　expeditious　mode
of　husbandry；　but　little　abundance；　which　there　is　nobody　to　enjoy；
contributes　little　to　human　happiness。

As　the　mind　must　govern　the　hands；　so　in　every　society　the　man　of
intelligence　must　direct　the　man　of　labour。　　If　the　Tacksmen　be
taken　away；　the　Hebrides　must　in　their　present　state　be　given　up　to
grossness　and　ignorance；　the　tenant；　for　want　of　instruction；　will
be　unskilful；　and　for　want　of　admonition　will　be　negligent。　　The
Laird　in　these　wide　estates；　which　often　consist　of　islands　remote
from　one　another；　cannot　extend　his　personal　influence　to　all　his
tenants；　and　the　steward　having　no　dignity　annexed　to　his
character；　can　have　little　authority　among　men　taught　to　pay
reverence　only　to　birth；　and　who　regard　the　Tacksman　as　their
hereditary　superior；　nor　can　the　steward　have　equal　zeal　for　the
prosperity　of　an　estate　profitable　only　to　the　Laird；　with　the
Tacksman；　who　has　the　Laird's　income　involved　in　his　own。

The　only　gentlemen　in　the　Islands　are　the　Lairds；　the　Tacksmen；　and
the　Ministers；　who　frequently　improve　their　livings　by　becoming
farmers。　　If　the　Tacksmen　be　banished；　who　will　be　left　to　impart
knowledge；　or　impress　civility？　　The　Laird　must　always　be　at　a
distance　from　the　greater　part　of　his　lands；　and　if　he　resides　at
all　upon　them；　must　drag　his　days　in　solitude；　having　no　longer
either　a　friend　or　a　companion；　he　will　therefore　depart　to　some
more　comfortable　residence；　and　leave　the　tenants　to　the　wisdom　and
mercy　of　a　factor。

Of　tenants　there　are　different　orders；　as　they　have　greater　or　less
stock。　　Land　is　sometimes　leased　to　a　small　fellowship；　who　live　in
a　cluster　of　huts；　called　a　Tenants　Town；　and　are　bound　jointly　and
separately　for　the　payment　of　their　rent。　　These；　I　believe；　employ
in　the　care　of　their　cattle；　and　the　labour　of　tillage；　a　kind　of
tenants　yet　lower；　who　having　a　hut　with　grass　for　a　certain　number
of　cows　and　sheep；　pay　their　rent　by　a　stipulated　quantity　of
labour。

The　condition　of　domestick　servants；　or　the　price　of　occasional
labour；　I　do　not　know　with　certainty。　　I　was　told　that　the　maids
have　sheep；　and　are　allowed　to　spin　for　their　own　clothing；　perhaps
they　have　no　pecuniary　wages；　or　none　but　in　very　wealthy　families。
The　state　of　life；　which　has　hitherto　been　purely　pastoral；　begins
now　to　be　a　little　variegated　with　commerce；　but　novelties　enter　by
degrees；　and　till　one　mode　has　fully　prevailed　over　the　other；　no
settled　notion　can　be　formed。

Such　is　the　system　of　insular　subordination；　which；　having　little
variety；　cannot　afford　much　delight　in　the　view；　nor　long　detain
the　mind　in　contemplation。　　The　inhabitants　were　for　a　long　time
perhaps　not　unhappy；　but　their　content　was　a　muddy　mixture　of　pride
and　ignorance；　an　indifference　for　pleasures　which　they　did　not
know；　a　blind　veneration　for　their　chiefs；　and　a　strong　conviction
of　their　own　importance。

Their　pride　has　been　crushed　by　the　heavy　hand　of　a　vindictive
conqueror；　whose　seventies　have　been　followed　by　laws；　which；
though　they　cannot　be　called　cruel；　have　produced　much　discontent；
because　they　operate　upon　the　surface　of　life；　and　make　every　eye
bear　witness　to　subjection。　　To　be　compelled　to　a　new　dress　has
always　been　found　painful。

Their　Chiefs　being　now　deprived　of　their　jurisdiction；　have　already
lost　much　of　their　influence；　and　as　they　gradually　degenerate　from
patriarchal　rulers　to　rapacious　landlords；　they　will　divest
themselves　of　the　little　that　remains。

That　dignity　which　they　derived　from　an　opinion　of　their　military
importance；　the　law；　which　disarmed　them；　has　abated。　　An　old
gentleman；　delighting　himself　with　the　recollection　of　better　days；
related；　that　forty　years　ago；　a　Chieftain　walked　out　attended　by
ten　or　twelve　followers；　with　their　arms　rattling。　　That　animating
rabble　has　now　ceased。　　The　Chief　has　lost　his　formidable　retinue；
and　the　Highlander　walks　his　heath　unarmed　and　defenceless；　with
the　peaceable　submission　of　a　French　peasant　or　English　cottager。

Their　ignorance　grows　every　day　less；　but　their　knowledge　is　yet　of
little　other　use　than　to　shew　them　their　wants。　　They　are　now　in
the　period　of　education；　and　feel　the　uneasiness　of　discipline；
without　yet　perceiving　the　benefit　of　instruction。

The　last　law；　by　which　the　Highlanders　are　deprived　of　their　arms；
has　operated　with　efficacy　beyond　expectation。　　Of　former　statutes
made　with　the　same　design；　the　execution　had　been　feeble；　and　the
effect　inconsiderable。　　Concealment　was　undoubtedly　practised；　and
perhaps　often　with　connivance。　　There　was　tenderness；　or
partiality；　on　one　side；　and　obstinacy　on　the　other。　　But　the　law；
which　followed　the　victory　of　Culloden；　found　the　whole　nation
dejected　and　intimidated；　informations　were　given　without　danger；
and　without　fear；　and　the　arms　were　collected　with　such　rigour；
that　every　house　was　despoiled　of　its　defence。

To　disarm　part　of　the　Highlands；　could　give　no　reasonable　occasion
of　complaint。　　Every　government　must　be　allowed　the　power　of　taking
away　the　weapon　that　is　lifted　against　it。　　But　the　loyal　clans
murmured；　with　some　appearance　of　justice；　that　after　having
defended　the　King；　they　were　forbidden　for　the　future　to　defend
themselves；　and　that　the　sword　should　be　forfeited；　which　had　been
legally　employed。　　Their　case　is　undoubtedly　hard；　but　in　political
regulations；　good　cannot　be　complete；　it　can　only　be　predominant。

Whether　by　disarming　a　people　thus　broken　into　several　tribes；　and
thus　remote　from　the　seat　of　power；　more　good　than　evil　has　been
produced；　may　deserve　inquiry。　　The　supreme　power　in　every
community　has　the　right　of　debarring　every　individual；　and　every
subordinate　society　from　self…defence；　only　because　the　supreme
power　is　able　to　defend　them；　and　therefore　where　the　governor
cannot　act；　he　must　trust　the　subject　to　act　for　himself。　　These
Islands　might　be　wasted　with　fire　and　sword　before　their　sovereign
would　know　their　distress。　　A　gang　of　robbers；　such　as　has　been
lately　found　confederating　themselves　in　the　Highlands；　might　lay　a
wide　region　under　contribution。　　The　crew　of　a　petty　privateer
might　land　on　the　largest　and　most　wealthy　of　the　Islands；　and　riot
without　control　in　cruelty　and　waste。　　It　was　observed　by　one　of
the　Chiefs　of　Sky；　that　fifty　armed　men　might；　without　resistance
ravage　the　country。　　Laws　that　place　the　subjects　in　such　a　state；
contravene　the　first　principles　of　the　compact　of　authority：　　they
exact　obedience；　and　yield　no　protection。

It　affords　a　generous　and　manly　pleasure　to　conceive　a　little
nation　gathering　its　fruits　and　tending　its　herds　with　fearless
confidence；　though　it　lies　open　on　every　side　to　invasion；　where；
in　contempt　of　walls　and　trenches；　every　man　sleeps　securely　with
his　sword　beside　him；　where　all　on　the　first　approach　of　hostility
came　together　at　the　call　to　battle；　as　at　a　summons　to　a　festal
show；　and　committing　their　cattle　to　the　care　of　those　whom　age　or
nature　has　disabled；　engage　the　enemy　with　that　competition　for
hazard　and　for　glory；　which　operate　in　men　that　fight　under　the　eye
of　those；　whose　dislike　or　kindness　they　have　always　considered　as
the　greatest　evil　or　the　greatest　good。

This　was；　in　the　beginning　of　the　present　century；　the　state　of　the
Highlands。　　Every　man　was　a　soldier；　who　partook　of　national
confidence；　and　interested　himself　in　national　honour。　　To　lose
this　spirit；　is　to　lose　what　no　small　advantage　will　compensate。

It　may　likewise　deserve　to　be　inquired；　whether　a　great　nation
ought　to　be　totally　commercial？　whether　amidst　the　uncertainty　of
human　affairs；　too　much　attention　to　one　mode　of　happiness　may　not
endanger　others？　whether　the　pride　of　riches　must　not　sometimes
have　recourse　to　the　protection　of　courage？　and　whether；　if　it　be
necessary　to　preserve　in　some　part　of　the　empire　the　military
spirit；　it　can　subsist　more　commodiously　in　any　place；　than　in
remote　and　unprofitable　provinces；　where　it　c