a journey to-第23章

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spirit；　it　can　subsist　more　commodiously　in　any　place；　than　in
remote　and　unprofitable　provinces；　where　it　can　commonly　do　little
harm；　and　whence　it　may　be　called　forth　at　any　sudden　exigence？

It　must　however　be　confessed；　that　a　man；　who　places　honour　only　in
successful　violence；　is　a　very　troublesome　and　pernicious　animal　in
time　of　peace；　and　that　the　martial　character　cannot　prevail　in　a
whole　people；　but　by　the　diminution　of　all　other　virtues。　　He　that
is　accustomed　to　resolve　all　right　into　conquest；　will　have　very
little　tenderness　or　equity。　　All　the　friendship　in　such　a　life　can
be　only　a　confederacy　of　invasion；　or　alliance　of　defence。　　The
strong　must　flourish　by　force；　and　the　weak　subsist　by　stratagem。

Till　the　Highlanders　lost　their　ferocity；　with　their　arms；　they
suffered　from　each　other　all　that　malignity　could　dictate；　or
precipitance　could　act。　　Every　provocation　was　revenged　with　blood；
and　no　man　that　ventured　into　a　numerous　company；　by　whatever
occasion　brought　together；　was　sure　of　returning　without　a　wound。
If　they　are　now　exposed　to　foreign　hostilities；　they　may　talk　of
the　danger；　but　can　seldom　feel　it。　　If　they　are　no　longer　martial；
they　are　no　longer　quarrelsome。　　Misery　is　caused　for　the　most
part；　not　by　a　heavy　crush　of　disaster；　but　by　the　corrosion　of
less　visible　evils；　which　canker　enjoyment；　and　undermine　security。
The　visit　of　an　invader　is　necessarily　rare；　but　domestick
animosities　allow　no　cessation。

The　abolition　of　the　local　jurisdictions；　which　had　for　so　many
ages　been　exercised　by　the　chiefs；　has　likewise　its　evil　and　its
good。　　The　feudal　constitution　naturally　diffused　itself　into　long
ramifications　of　subordinate　authority。　　To　this　general　temper　of
the　government　was　added　the　peculiar　form　of　the　country；　broken
by　mountains　into　many　subdivisions　scarcely　accessible　but　to　the
natives；　and　guarded　by　passes；　or　perplexed　with　intricacies；
through　which　national　justice　could　not　find　its　way。

The　power　of　deciding　controversies；　and　of　punishing　offences；　as
some　such　power　there　must　always　be；　was　intrusted　to　the　Lairds
of　the　country；　to　those　whom　the　people　considered　as　their
natural　judges。　　It　cannot　be　supposed　that　a　rugged　proprietor　of
the　rocks；　unprincipled　and　unenlightened；　was　a　nice　resolver　of
entangled　claims；　or　very　exact　in　proportioning　punishment　to
offences。　　But　the　more　he　indulged　his　own　will；　the　more　he　held
his　vassals　in　dependence。　　Prudence　and　innocence；　without　the
favour　of　the　Chief；　conferred　no　security；　and　crimes　involved　no
danger；　when　the　judge　was　resolute　to　acquit。

When　the　chiefs　were　men　of　knowledge　and　virtue；　the　convenience
of　a　domestick　judicature　was　great。　　No　long　journies　were
necessary；　nor　artificial　delays　could　be　practised；　the　character；
the　alliances；　and　interests　of　the　litigants　were　known　to　the
court；　and　all　false　pretences　were　easily　detected。　　The　sentence；
when　it　was　past；　could　not　be　evaded；　the　power　of　the　Laird
superseded　formalities；　and　justice　could　not　be　defeated　by
interest　or　stratagem。

I　doubt　not　but　that　since　the　regular　judges　have　made　their
circuits　through　the　whole　country；　right　has　been　every　where　more
wisely；　and　more　equally　distributed；　the　complaint　is；　that
litigation　is　grown　troublesome；　and　that　the　magistrates　are　too
few；　and　therefore　often　too　remote　for　general　convenience。

Many　of　the　smaller　Islands　have　no　legal　officer　within　them。　　I
once　asked；　If　a　crime　should　be　committed；　by　what　authority　the
offender　could　be　seized？　and　was　told；　that　the　Laird　would　exert
his　right；　a　right　which　he　must　now　usurp；　but　which　surely
necessity　must　vindicate；　and　which　is　therefore　yet　exercised　in
lower　degrees；　by　some　of　the　proprietors；　when　legal　processes
cannot　be　obtained。

In　all　greater　questions；　however；　there　is　now　happily　an　end　to
all　fear　or　hope　from　malice　or　from　favour。　　The　roads　are　secure
in　those　places　through　which；　forty　years　ago；　no　traveller　could
pass　without　a　convoy。　　All　trials　of　right　by　the　sword　are
forgotten；　and　the　mean　are　in　as　little　danger　from　the　powerful
as　in　other　places。　　No　scheme　of　policy　has；　in　any　country；　yet
brought　the　rich　and　poor　on　equal　terms　into　courts　of　judicature。
Perhaps　experience；　improving　on　experience；　may　in　time　effect　it。

Those　who　have　long　enjoyed　dignity　and　power；　ought　not　to　lose　it
without　some　equivalent。　　There　was　paid　to　the　Chiefs　by　the
publick；　in　exchange　for　their　privileges；　perhaps　a　sum　greater
than　most　of　them　had　ever　possessed；　which　excited　a　thirst　for
riches；　of　which　it　shewed　them　the　use。　　When　the　power　of　birth
and　station　ceases；　no　hope　remains　but　from　the　prevalence　of
money。　　Power　and　wealth　supply　the　place　of　each　other。　　Power
confers　the　ability　of　gratifying　our　desire　without　the　consent　of
others。　　Wealth　enables　us　to　obtain　the　consent　of　others　to　our
gratification。　　Power；　simply　considered；　whatever　it　confers　on
one；　must　take　from　another。　　Wealth　enables　its　owner　to　give　to
others；　by　taking　only　from　himself。　　Power　pleases　the　violent　and
proud：　　wealth　delights　the　placid　and　the　timorous。　　Youth
therefore　flies　at　power；　and　age　grovels　after　riches。

The　Chiefs；　divested　of　their　prerogatives；　necessarily　turned
their　thoughts　to　the　improvement　of　their　revenues；　and　expect
more　rent；　as　they　have　less　homage。　　The　tenant；　who　is　far　from
perceiving　that　his　condition　is　made　better　in　the　same
proportion；　as　that　of　his　landlord　is　made　worse；　does　not
immediately　see　why　his　industry　is　to　be　taxed　more　heavily　than
before。　　He　refuses　to　pay　the　demand；　and　is　ejected；　the　ground
is　then　let　to　a　stranger；　who　perhaps　brings　a　larger　stock；　but
who；　taking　the　land　at　its　full　price；　treats　with　the　Laird　upon
equal　terms；　and　considers　him　not　as　a　Chief；　but　as　a　trafficker
in　land。　　Thus　the　estate　perhaps　is　improved；　but　the　clan　is
broken。

It　seems　to　be　the　general　opinion；　that　the　rents　have　been　raised
with　too　much　eagerness。　　Some　regard　must　be　paid　to　prejudice。
Those　who　have　hitherto　paid　but　little；　will　not　suddenly　be
persuaded　to　pay　much；　though　they　can　afford　it。　　As　ground　is
gradually　improved；　and　the　value　of　money　decreases；　the　rent　may
be　raised　without　any　diminution　of　the　farmer's　profits：　　yet　it
is　necessary　in　these　countries；　where　the　ejection　of　a　tenant　is
a　greater　evil；　than　in　more　populous　places；　to　consider　not
merely　what　the　land　will　produce；　but　with　what　ability　the
inhabitant　can　cultivate　it。　　A　certain　stock　can　allow　but　a
certain　payment；　for　if　the　land　be　doubled；　and　the　stock　remains
the　same；　the　tenant　becomes　no　richer。　　The　proprietors　of　the
Highlands　might　perhaps　often　increase　their　income；　by　subdividing
the　farms；　and　allotting　to　every　occupier　only　so　many　acres　as　he
can　profitably　employ；　but　that　they　want　people。

There　seems　now；　whatever　be　the　cause；　to　be　through　a　great　part
of　the　Highlands　a　general　discontent。　　That　adherence；　which　was
lately　professed　by　every　man　to　the　chief　of　his　name；　has　now
little　prevalence；　and　he　that　cannot　live　as　he　desires　at　home；
listens　to　the　tale　of　fortunate　islands；　and　happy　regions；　where
every　man　may　have　land　of　his　own；　and　eat　the　product　of　his
labour　without　a　superior。

Those　who　have　obtained　grants　of　American　lands；　have；　as　is　well
known；　invited　settlers　from　all　quarters　of　the　globe；　and　among
other　places；　where　oppression　might　produce　a　wish　for　new
habitations；　their　emissaries　would　not　fail　to　try　their
persuasions　in　the　Isles　of　Scotland；　where　at　the　time　when　the
clans　were　newly　disunited　from　their　Chiefs；　and　exasperated　by
unprecedented　exactions；　it　is　no　wonder　that　they　prevailed。

Whether　the　mischiefs　of　emigration　were　immediately　perceived；　may
be　justly　questioned。　　They　who　went　first；　were　probably　such　as
could　best　be　spared；　but　the　accounts　sent　by　the　earliest
adventurers；　whether　true　or　false；　inclined　many　to　follow　them；
and　whole　neighbourhoods　formed　parties　for　removal；　so　that
departure　from　their　native　co