Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/144

132 The Library. 11 Another benefit, the extent and value of which perhaps no man with Saxon blood in his veins can duly appreciate, Mr. Sinclair was the chief instrument in procuring for his Celtic countrymen. We allude to the legislative exemption from the painful necessity of wearing breeches. The Act legalizing the philabeg passed in the middle of winter ; yet no sooner did it become known than, in the country north of Stirling, fifty additional square miles of human skin courted the refreshing influence of the mountain breezes. The lo Paeans of the various clans on their enfranchisement from a bondage so distressing were loud, if not musical. Bonfires blazed on Braemar, and tallow candles in the windows of Inverness ; the heart of Thurso was made glad, and wild expressions of gratitude and gratulation awoke all the mountain echoes of Badenoch and Lochaber. Yet some dissentients, though comparatively few, there must have been from the reigning hilarity. The unhappy Lowland tailors who, induced by former similarity of garb, had pitched their shop-boards in these mountain regions, saw the ruin of their hopes in the sudden deluge of kilts which overspread the land. They became at once aware that in the country of the Gael their occupation was gone for ever, and having become bankrupt, and honourably paid nothing in the pound, sought employment for goose and shears among a population less proud of baring their persons to the action of the elements." Such was the man to whom we are indebted for the Statis- tical Account of Scotland. The compilation of this great, and, what might be considered for a single and private individual, an impossible work, was undertaken about the year 1790. The idea of preparing such a work arose thus : In 1785, Sir John published a work " On the Public Revenue of the British Empire." To this book he wished to subjoin a general view of the political and social circumstances of the country, but owing to the insufficiency of reliable material, was compelled to abandon the idea. Not losing sight of it, however, and being subse- quently a lay member of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and on intimate terms with most of the leading men then convened, it occurred to him that by means of the clergy those men each located in his particular parish, and consequently having the best opportunities of being acquainted with the very particulars wanted from them he might be furnished with such information respecting their parishes, which, when carefully and skilfully arranged and digested, might form a work of great