is very importunate with me to attend the ceremony; as he is a great match for my cousin, I do not know how to refuse his request. The bride and bridegroom are to dine with me on the wedding-day in Hill Street, the 17th of August; so I cannot set out till the 18th or 19th. I shall stay only a day or two in Yorkshire in my way. As your Lordship is in a great hurry to pay your money, be pleased to order it to be paid to Sir George Colebrooke in Threadneedle Street, and into Mrs Montagu's account; Sir George honours my bills when I draw upon him; but as he has never received any money of mine, he knows nothing of me, but that I can spend it. I had the pleasure of seeing Lady Elliott-Murray, the night before she left London; I told her I was very jealous of her, and desired she would not coquette with your Lordship; but I suppose she will not be so generous to an absent rival. I beg my most respectful compliments to Mrs Drummond; and am, with great regard, my Lord, &c. &c.

&c.

ELIZ. MONTAGU."

CHAP. II.

CHAPTER III

BOOK III.

Lord Kames Pamphlet on the Linen Manufacture in Scotland.

Lord Kames's Pamphlet on the Linen-manufacture in Scotland. He prompts the great Landholders to encourage Manufactures and Industry.—Project of a Canal between the Forth and Clyde.-Other undertakings of the same kind.-Lord Kames publishes Remarkable Decisions of the Court of Session. His opinion on the Rupture with America.—Correspondence with Dr Franklin renewed.—Letter from him to Lord Kames, on American affairs.-From the same, on Agricultural and Economical topics.

IN the end of the year 1765, Lord KAMES published a small pamphlet on the progress of the Flax-husbandry in Scotland, with the patriotic design of stimulating his countrymen to continue their exertions in a most valuable branch of national industry. The linen-manufacture he shews to be in a progressive state of improvement, from the time of the institution of the Board of Trustees for the Encouragement of Arts, in the year 1727, and to have increased five-fold within the preceding eighteen years. This improvement he attributes to the judicious measures adopted by that Board,

in the bestowing of premiums for the raising of flax, the introduction of easy and cheap machinery for its manufacture, and the procuring a favourable market for the commodity, when completely wrought up. It gives equal pleasure to observe, that this important manufacture has, from the period of which we now speak, been rapidly advancing, so as to promise, in a very short time, to double its amount in the year 1765*. A principal object of this pamphlet was to shew the expediency of encouraging the culture of flax of the native growth of the country. At the time when the pamphlet

* The progress of the linen-manufacture in Scotland, from the year 1727 to the present time, may be ascertained from the following table, exhibiting the quantities of linen annually stamped for the duty to Government, and the value of those quantities. The account is taken at the interval of ten years from each period for the first sixty years, and at shorter intervals for the succeeding years.

CHAP. III.

BOOK HI.

He prompts the great

to encourage Manufac

tures and Industry.

pamphlet was written, there was an annual importation of foreign flax to the amount of £.110,000 Sterling, to supply our home manufactures. The yearly saving of so large a sum is not the only benefit to be derived from raising the commodity on our own fields. We pay to foreigners much more than the real value of the material. Besides, they may raise its price at their pleasure, or deprive us of it altogether, and thus throw idle some thousands of industrious manufacturers and artisans. Experience has shewn likewise, that the commodity itself, when of home growth, is of a superior quality to the foreign; and experience shews also, that no crop is more valuable to the farmer, or yields a quicker return for the labour and cost of cultivation *.

But in his laudable endeavours for the promotion of maLandholders nufactures, Lord Kames did not confine himself to general statements of their utility, or arguments to that effect addressed to the public at large. Availing himself of a most extensive acquaintance with the principal landholders in Scotland, and of the friendships he had formed with many of the chief nobility, whose estates supported an immense population, he endeavoured by every persuasive to stimulate their exertions in diffusing the spirit of industry among their cottagers and dependants. He recommended to them the introduction

* The pamphlet on the Progress of the Flax-husbandry of Scotland, was reprinted in the Scots Magazine for January 1766.

introduction of such species of domestic manufactures, suit-
ed to both sexes, as, without any considerable expence or
outlay on the part of the proprietors, (the main obstacle to
such exertions), would amend the condition and multiply
the comforts of their dependants, and thus lay the solid
foundation of an increase of their own revenues.
Nor were
these endeavours without success. Amidst his extensive
correspondence, the letters yet remaining from the venerable
Charles, Duke of Queensberry, from Thomas, 8th Earl of
Kinnoul, and John, 3d Earl of Braidalbane, bear the most
honourable testimony, alike to the disinterested zeal which
counselled, and the liberal and patriotic spirit which adopted
those beneficial plans and improvements.

The following letter of Lord Kames to a favourite correspondent, who possessed, in a very high degree, his esteem and affection, is a proof, that even in those moments, usually the least devoted to topics of a serious nature, those beneficent considerations were perpetually present to his mind.

"As I never incline to visit my favourite pupil, or to write to her, but when I am at ease and in good spirits, which has not been the case for this last fortnight, worn out as I am