INTRODUCTION. Tis now about twelve months fince I first had the IT honour of circulating among the Clergy of the Church of Scotland a variety of Queries, for the purpofe of elucidating the Natural Hiftory and Political State of that Country. My original idea was, to have drawn up from their returns a general Statistical view of North Britain, without any particular reference to Parochial diftricts. But I found fuch merit and ability, and so many useful facts and important obfervations in the answers which were fent me, that I could not think of depriving the Clergy of the credit they were entitled to derive from fuch laborious exertions; and I was thence induced to give the Work to the Public in its present shape. It would have been more defirable to have had. the accounts of the different Parishes arranged by Prefbyteries or Counties, for the purpose of con nexion, and to prevent repetition, where the circumstances of the different districts were nearly fimilar. But it was not to be expected that complete information refpecting any one of the larger divifions of the Kingdom, could be at once obtained. It was there fore fore thought most advisable to throw as much variety as poffible into the First Volume, that the Reader might be enabled to form fome general idea of the State of the Kingdom éven from this part of the Work. Whether the fame plan is to be perfevered in, or whether more regularity and connexion are to be attended to in future, will depend on the unanimity and dispatch with which the Clergy transmit the neceffary information to the Author. The variety of business, both of a public and of a private nature, in which I have of late been engaged, has prevented me from arranging or abridging, fo completely as otherwise I should have done, the anfwers included in this Volume; and, indeed, that part of the Work must be attended with confiderable difficulty, unless the Clergy in general will do, what many of them have very fuccessfully executed, namely, tranfmit their accounts prepared for immediate publication. Anfwers to the Queries, however, which have been circulated, are still requested; but, where it is equally convenient, it is certainly more defirable that the Clergy fhould confider the Queries merely as a key to inquiry; and the models which are now fet before them, together with the annexed Analyfis, will be of fervice in pointing out the best mode of draw. ing up the Statistical Account of the different di Aricts. It would be improper to conclude without returning my best acknowledgments to the Clergy in general, for the attention they have paid to the different requifitions with which I have troubled them, and for the very polite and flattering manner with which they have perfonally addreffed themselves to me on the occafion. The spirit and alacrity with which they have engaged in fo laborious an undertaking must ever do them infinite credit; and they must feel the utmost fatisfaction from the reflection, that they have contributed to the formation of a Work, of which it may be truly faid, in the words of a refpectable citizen of this country*, "That no Publication of equal "information and curiofity has appeared in Great "Britain fince Dooms-day Book; and that, from the "ample and authentic facts which it records, it must "be reforted to by every future Statesman, Philofo. "pher, and Divine, as the best bafis that has ever yet appeared for political speculation." * George Dempfter, Efq; EDIN. MAY 25. 1791. ANALY ANALYSIS O F The Statistical Account of a Parochial District. As many of the Clergy may be defirous of having a particular form laid down for drawing up the Statistical Account of their respective Parishes, the following plan for that purpofe is fubmitted to their confideration. The name, and its origin Situation and extent of the parish Number of acres Defcription of the foil and furface Nature and extent of the fea coaft Lakes, rivers, iflands, hills, rocks, caves, woods, orchards, &c. Climate and diseases Remarkable inftances of good and bad seasons Quantity and value of each species of crop Total value of the whole produce of the diftrict Total real and valued rent Price of grain and provifions Tota |