ordinary sensation in this metropolis. The charges which it advances are such as we have been long accustomed to hear from our English neigh bours, and have, through custom, become somewhat callous to. But this is the first time that the attack has been made by one of ourselves, and by one who appears to be intimately acquainted with all the penetralia of our household economy. When so strong a part of the garrison is thus found co-operating with the enemy, there seems reason to apprehend that the fortress of national prejudice will not be long able to hold out.

The features particularly noticed are want of cleanliness in the whole management of the household; an indolence which, if we may so speak, appears not in the gross, but in the detail, which performs with activity all great and necessary work, but cannot submit to minute attentions, especially to such as require thought or contrivance; in the treatment of children, a weak and blameable indulgence; and an inveterate attachment to old habits. These faults, it must be remarked, though by no means eradicated, have yet for some time, and in the more cultivated parts of the country, been gradually diminishing. We should be much deceived, were we, from the title page, to imagine that the picture applies to Scottish farmers in general. In the opulent farmers of Lothian and Berwickshire, no one certainly would be able to recognise it, but would rather suspect tendencies of an opposite kind. It still applies however to the little farmers in remote districts, and to most of the peasantry. It is drawn in a masterly stile, and no one who has an opportunity of observing the originals, that is, no Scotsman, can fail to recognize the most striking resemblance. Even where, as in what relates to the treatment of children, the outline belongs to all countries, still the colouring is completely Scotch.

The dialogue (a department in which Mrs Hamilton excells,) exhibits perhaps the purest colloquial Scots that ever appeared in print; the most free from that English mixture, with which compositions in that language are usually softened or corrupted. Retaining such an attachment as we do to the language and manners of our country, with all their imperfections, we are glad that they should thus be handed down to posterity in full purity.

We shall now proceed to lay before our readers a few specimens, which will probably excite a desire to peruse the whole. Mrs Mason, after having acted as an upper domestic in some English families, is led by circumstances to take up her residence for some time with her relation Mrs M'Clarty, who lives in the village of Glenburnie. The following description is given of the entrance to the house :

It must be confessed, that the aspect of the dwelling, where she was to fix her residence, was by no means inviting. The walls were substantial; built, like the houses in the village, of stone and lime; but they were blackened by the mud which the cart-wheels bad spattered from the ruts in winter; and on one side of the door completely covered from view by the contents of a great dunghill. On the other, and directly under the window, was a squashy pool, formed by the dirty water thrown from the house, and in it about twenty young ducks were at this time dabbling.

At the threshold of the door, room had been left for a paving-stone, but it had never been laid; and consequently the place became hollow, to the great advantage of the younger ducklings, who always found in it a plentiful supply of water, in which they could swim without danger. Happily Mr Stewart was provided with boots, so that he could take a firm step in it, while he lifted Mrs Mason, and set her down in safety within the threshold. But there an unforeseen danger awaited her, for there the great whey pot had stood since morning, when the cheese had been made; and was at the present moment

filled with chickens, who were busily picking at the bits of curds, which had hardened on the sides, and cruelly mocked their wishes. Over this Mr Stewart and Mrs Mason unfortunately stumbled. The pot was overturned, and the chickens cackling with hideous din, flew about in all directions, some over their heads, and others making their way by the pallion (or inner door) into the house. P. 135.

Mr Stewart having remonstrated on the absence of the flagstone, received the following answer:

"Indeed, I kenna, Sir," said Mrs MacClarty; "the gudeman just canna be fash'd."

"And cannot you be fash'd to go to the end of the house to throw out your dirty water? Don't you see how small a drain would from that carry it down to the river, instead of remaining here, to stagnate, and to suffocate you with

intolerable stench?"

"O, we're jast used to it,” said Mrs "and we never mind it. MacClarty, We cou'dna be fash'd to gang sae far wi' a' the slaistery."

P. 148.

feast.

"If you are going to clean that table," said Mrs Mason, " you will give yourself more work than you need, by daubing it all over with the porridge; bring your cloth, and I shall shew you

how I learned to clean our tables when I was a girl like you."

Meg continued to make lines with her fore finger.

"Come," said Mrs Mason, “shall I teach you?"

o't.

Na," said Meg, "I sal dight nane I'm gain' to the schul." "But that need not hinder you to wipe up the table before you go," said M's Mason. You might have cleaned it up as bright as a looking glass in the time that you have spent in spattering it, and di tying your fingers. Would it not b pleasanter for you to make it clean, then to leave it dirty?"

I'll no be at the fash," returned Meg, making off to the door as he spoke. Before she got out, she was met by her mother, who, on seeing her, exclaimed, "Are ye no awa yet, ba I never saw the like. Sic a fight to get you to the schul! Nae wonner ye len little, when you'r at it. Gae awake good bairns; for there's nae schulin the morn ye ken, its the fair day."

Meg set off after some farther parley; but Jean continued to catch the flies at the window, taking no notice of he mother's exhortations, though again peated in pretty nearly the same terms

"Dear me !" said the mother, "what the matter wi' the bairn! whatfore wiðna ye gang, when Meg's gane? Rit and ye'll be after her or she wins to the end o' the loan."

"I'm no ga'an the day," says Je turning away her face. "And what fore are ye no ga'an, my dear?"" her mother. "Cause I hinua gotten sy questions," replied Jean.

“O, but ye may gang for a' that." said her mother; "the maister w be angry. Gang, like a gude baire." "Na," said Jean, "but he will be gry, for I did no get them the last t either."

"And whatfore did na ye get them my dear," said Mrs MacClarty, in a soothing tone. "Cause 'twas unco tle, and I cou'd no be fashed;" replied the hopeful girl, catching, as she spoke, nother handful of fies. Her mother, finding that intreaties were of no avai endeavoured to speak in a more peren tory accent; and even laid her o mands upon her daughter to depart mediately: but she had too ofter p mitted her commands to be disputed,

be surprised at their being now treated with disrespect. Jean repeated her determined purpose of not going to school that day; and the firmer she became in opposition, the authoritative tone of the mother gradually weakened; till at length by saying, that "if she did na gang to the schul she sudna stand there," she acknowledged herself to be defeated, and the point to be given up.

P. 162. Mrs Mason could not forbear making some remonstrances, upon which Mrs MacClarty, as might be expected, undertook her daughter's defence, observing

-"the poor thing had na' gotten her questions, and did na' like to gang, for fear o' the maister's anger."

"But ought she not to have got her questions, as her master enjoined, instead of idling here all the morning?" said Mrs Mason. "O ay," returned Mrs MacClarty," she shu'd ha' gotten her questions, nae doubt; but it was unco fashous, and ye see she has na' a turn that gait, poor woman! but in time she'll do weel eneugh."

P. 166. Mrs Mason, by the bribe of half-acrown, prevails upon the servant Grizzy to clean out her room, and then to attempt performing the same friendly office for the kitchen.

But before the window could be approached, it was found necessary to remove the heap of dusty articles piled up in the window sill, which served the purpose of family library, and repository of what is known by the term odds and

ends.

Mrs MacClarty, who had sat down to spin, did not at first seem willing to take any notice of what was going for. ward; but on perceiving her maid beginning to meddle with the things in the window, she could no longer remain a neutral spectator of the scene. Stopping her wheel, she, in a voice indica ting the reverse of satisfaction, asked what she was about? Mrs Mason took it upon her to reply: "We are going to make your window bright and clean for you, cousin, said she. If you step into my room, and take a look of mine, you will see what a difference there is in it; and this, if these broken panes Sept. 1808.

were mended, would look every bit as well." "It does rueel eneugh,” returned Mrs MacClarty. "It wants nae cleanin'. It does just weel eneugh. What's the gude o' takin' up the lass's time wi' nonsense? she'll break the window too, and the bairns hae broken eneugh o' it already."

"But if these panes were mended, and the window cleaned, without and within," said Mrs Mason," you cannot think how much more cheerful the kitchen would appear."

if it were?" said Mrs MacClarty. "It "And how long would i: bide clean would be as ill as ever or a month, and wha cou'd be at the fash o' ay cleanin' at it?"

The following homely picture may perhaps amuse our readers.

"Mistress!" hollowed the voice of

Grizzel from the house, "I wish ye wad come and speak to Meg. She winna be hinderit putting her fingers in the kirn, and licking the cream.'

"

"If I were at you," cried Mrs MacClarty, "I'd gar you"

She was as good as her word; and in order to shew Mrs Mason the good effect of her advice, she ran that moment into the kitchen, and gave her daughter a hearty slap upon the back. The girl went a few steps further off, and deliberately applied her tongue to the back of her hand, where part of the cream was still visible.

"Go! ye idle whippy!" said her mother, "and let me see how weel ye'll ca' the kirn."

"I winna kirn the day," returned Meg; "I'm gain' to milk the kye.Jean may kirn; she has naething else to do."

66

I'm ay set to kirn," says Jean. whimpering. "I never saw sic wark, I tell ye, I wonna kirn mair than Meg. Grizzy can milk the cows hersel.' She does n' want her help."

"But, girls," said Mrs Mason," when I was a little girl like either of you, I never thought of chusing my work; I considered it my business to follow my mother's directions. Young people ought to obey, and not to dictate." "Hear ve that!" said Mrs MacClarty: But Jean will gang to the kirn I ken, like a good bairn; and she sal get a dad o' butter to her bread."

But

"But I wonna haet frae the hairing knife, said Jean, "for the last I got stack i' my throat!"

"Bless me!" cried Mrs Mason, in amazement, "How does your butter come to be so full of hairs? where do they come from?"

"O they are a' frae the cows," returned Mrs MacClarty. "There has been long a hole in the milk sythe, and I have never been at the fash to get it mended; but as I tak ay care to sythe the milk through my fingers, I wonder how sae mony hairs win in."

"Ye need na wonder at that," observed Grizzel," for the house canna be soopit but the dirt flees into the kirn."

"But do you not clean the churn before you put in the cream?" asked Mis Mason, more and more astonished.

"Na, na," returned Mrs MacClarty, "That wad no' be canny, ye ken. Nae. body hereabouts would clean their kirn, for ony consideration. I never heard o' sic a thing i' my life."

The extreme indulgence of the parents, however, gives birth to some traThe eldest son having gical scenes. set out, contrary to his father's command, to a fair, gets drunk and enlists as a soldier. The old man having gone to attempt his redemption, is robbed, and returns in a state of agitation, which throws him into a violent fever. The physician being called too late, gave little hopes, but declared that they all rested on his being kept cool. Against this Mrs MacClarty loudy protested, declaring, "She would never see her gudeman turned out o' his ain gude warm bed into a cauld room." The old man died in a few days; and Mrs Mason, finding herself uncomfortable in continuing with his widow and son, determined to remove into another family, which promised greater docility. Through them, and the example which they set, she found means gradually to effect a general change in the vil lage. Mrs MacClarty alone held out, and took every opportunity of throw ing discountenance upon these innovations. On seeing a flower garden

forming before the door of Mrs Ma son's new host, she remarked to a the warld will come to at last, since old neighbour: “Eh! I wonder what naething can serve the pride o' Wiliam Morrison, but to hae a fore garden, whar gude Mr Brown's middenstead stood sappy for mony a day! he's a better man than will ever stand on William Morrisan's shanks." The other, however, who had hitherto been a most zealous stickler for the d auld gaits, could not forbear replying:

"The flowers are a hantel bonnier than the midden tho', and smell a hantel sweeter too;" which marked the decided change that had taken place in the village. In short, M Mason soon entirely prevailed, and her quondam landlady was left wholly by herself.

2

has

This volume contains also twomuch connected either between thenderplots, if they may be so called, not One consists of the previous history f selves, or with the principal plet. Mrs Mason, and the other of that ef ridicule the inordinate love of a Miss Stewart, which is designed t genti for sometime past been perhaps pers lity and genteel company, which he liarly prevalent in this country. Beth these sketches have merit, particular the latter; neither however possess the liveliness and originality of the hereine, so that upon the whole, they scenes of which Mrs MacClarty is the break the unity of the work, with materially adding to its value.

New Works published in Edinburgh ILLUSTRATIONS of Walter Sets

Lay of the Last Minstrel; cons ting of twelve views on the rivers Borthwick, Ettrick, Yarrow, Tivist and Tweed. Engraved by James Heath, R. A. from designs taken the spot by John C. Schetky of O ford. With Anecdotes and descrip tions, 4to. H. 11s. 6d.