scarcely have regretted my journey, had it afforded nothing more than the
sight of Aberbrothick.




MONTROSE


Leaving these fragments of magnificence, we travelled on to Montrose,
which we surveyed in the morning, and found it well built, airy, and
clean. The townhouse is a handsome fabrick with a portico. We then went
to view the English chapel, and found a small church, clean to a degree
unknown in any other part of Scotland, with commodious galleries, and
what was yet less expected, with an organ.

At our inn we did not find a reception such as we thought proportionate
to the commercial opulence of the place; but Mr. Boswell desired me to
observe that the innkeeper was an Englishman, and I then defended him as
well as I could.

When I had proceeded thus far, I had opportunities of observing what I
had never heard, that there are many beggars in Scotland. In Edinburgh
the proportion is, I think, not less than in London, and in the smaller
places it is far greater than in English towns of the same extent. It
must, however, be allowed that they are not importunate, nor clamorous.
They solicit silently, or very modestly, and therefore though their
behaviour may strike with more force the heart of a stranger, they are
certainly in danger of missing the attention of their countrymen. Novelty
has always some power, an unaccustomed mode of begging excites an