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whose unhappy end was revealed to him by the ghost of Gray. Another opinion was, that the spirit of the nearest relative to the depart ed warrior, collected his vapours over his grave. Thus Ossian says: "Often, blended with the gale, to some warrior's grave, the spirits roll the mist, a gray dwelling to his ghost, until the songs arise."

These superstitions have been rendered sacred by some of the most exquisite poetry in the world, which displays a system with regard to spirits, of the most fascinating description. "Ossian describes ghosts, (says Dr. Blair,) with all the peculiarity of one who had seen and conversed with them, and whose imagination was full of the impression they had made upon it. He calls up those awful and

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tremendous ideas which the Simulacra modis pallentia miris' are fitted to raise in the human mind; and which, in Shakspeare's style, harrow up the soul."

LETTER XXV.

The band of commerce was designed
T'associate all the branches of mankind;
And if a boundless plenty be the robe,

Trade is the golden girdle of the globe. CowPER.

Glasgow, May 18, 1819.

OUR party arrived here in a steam-boat. Thirteen of these vessels sail from Greenock

to Glasgow, on the river Clyde, the scenery of which is not remarkably beautiful; but our voyage of two hours was rendered agreeable by the charming weather which we enjoyed. The Scotch steam-boats bear no comparison with those majestic structures which sweep over our immense rivers. Our beautiful vessels glide over the stream "swift as the tempest travels on the deep." Neither the size, cabbins, construction or rapidity of motion of the Scotch or English steam-boats, can be brought into parallel with ours; although I was prudent not to tell my fellow passengers so, well knowing the mean jealousy of the British of every thing American.

Glasgow derives its name from two Celtic words, which mean a place situated on the slope of a verdant hill: it stands partly on a gentle declivity-but the greatest part of it is in a gentle plain, watered by the Clyde. To say that this city was founded by St. Kentigern is to give but a poor account of its origin; its early history is involved in much obscurity, which let dull Antiquarians dispel, if they can! Nothing worth notice can be said of it before the year 1180, when the village of Glasgow was erected into a burgh by king William the Lion. It was at Glasgow that the great Wallace stood forth the champion of his country's independence. After the infamous massacre of the Scotch patriots at Ayr by orders of Edward I., Wallace with 300 cavalry,

hastened to this city, and entirely discomfited the assassins, whom he drove from his country.

The citizens took an active part in the cause of William III.; for which service his Majesty enacted, "that the city of Glasgow and town council thereof, shall have power to choose their own magistrates," &c. This city suffered a great deal from the unsuccessful rebellion of '45. The expense incurred by the payment of contributions, and raising two battalions for prince Charles, was 14,000 pounds.

An extensive and increasing trade with the United States and the West Indies, gives a great mercantile preponderance to Glasgow, which now supports an immense fabric of commercial prosperity. In contemplating the busy crowd, my imagination recurred to the cities in the Arabian Nights, where all the in-, habitants were enchanted: here, said I, commerce is the fairy that mantles the senses, or intoxicates them with the Lethean draught from her golden cup! The city is swarmed with manufactories, which, by the way, do not much contribute to the morality of its inhabitants. I have visited several of these establishments, particularly Thomson's cotton manufactory, and had the advantage of seeing the whole process "ab ovo usque ad mala." The first is cleaning the crude cotton of its filth; it is then carded and drawn into threads. There are 518 workmen, who are paid by the piece and not by the day-the lassies work as well and as dexterously as the men; but I felt a

sense of melancholy come over me, when I was informed of the abandoned state of their morals. I have been informed that most of the girls in the factories spend the night in the most abject prostitution. The wee fellows at the establishment I have been describing, are paid by the day, and appear as busy as if they did all the work themselves! The whirling noise and endless motion of the machinery, the incessant labour and horrid medley of noises, with the eternal blaze of fire, made me think of Dante's Inferno, and the idea made me shudder with horror. The machinery is kept a going by a steam-engine, the power of which is equal to 80 horses! I felt as if my throat wanted sweeping like an English chimney! I was sickened with the whirling of wheels, the clatter of presses, and the hot atmosphere in which I had been stewing. I have been assured that the workmen in the manufactories become an early prey to diseases induced by unremitting labour, by inhaling the corroding particles of dust, and by confinement in the loathsome atmosphere of a crowded room; or, if they, by a rare chance, live "to scratch old heads," they grow up without morals, without religion, and without a gleam of hope irradiating the dark vista of life-and they bring forth children, who will have to go through the same round of misery-If the women escape prostitution, they marry without any expectations of bettering their condition, and with every prospect of happiness gradually closing around them.

Glasgow is a perfect bee-hive in point of industry; immediately on entering it, I was sensible that I was in a commercial city. Its bustle, activity and noise put me in mind of Amsterdam. The numerous porters ready to carry packages, the busy look of every person in the streets, and that undandy-like appearance so nearly allied to manual industry and moneymaking occupations, soon convinced me that I was out of the sphere of pedantic Edinburgh, or the indolent Highlands. The Exchange is the theatre of mercantile bustle, and is the arena where, it seems, all sort of vulgarity, illmanners, and total disregard to courtesy is displayed. Such cachinni! such cursing! such peels of discord! and such a grotesque assem blage never, I believe, were witnessed before. The jargon which assailed my ears appeared to me a perfect "Babylonish dialect!" If Edinburgh crawls with the vermin of the law, Glasgow swarms with knights of the ledger. But while the former are the most nauseous members of society, the latter add to the prosperity and truest glory of their country. The merchant sends his ships to every region of the habitable globe, and receives in return the richest products of every quarter of the world; and the great manufacturer, (although an indirect cause of the depraved morals of the lower orders,) subdues the elements to his use, and by his skilful speculations, encourages the arts and sciences, and gives life and activity to various branches of the community.

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