well or ill at ease, as the main stream of life glides on smoothly, or is
ruffled by small obstacles and frequent interruption. The true state of
every nation is the state of common life. The manners of a people are
not to be found in the schools of learning, or the palaces of greatness,
where the national character is obscured or obliterated by travel or
instruction, by philosophy or vanity; nor is public happiness to be
estimated by the assemblies of the gay, or the banquets of the rich. The
great mass of nations is neither rich nor gay: they whose aggregate
constitutes the people, are found in the streets, and the villages, in
the shops and farms; and from them collectively considered, must the
measure of general prosperity be taken. As they approach to delicacy a
nation is refined, as their conveniences are multiplied, a nation, at
least a commercial nation, must be denominated wealthy.




ELGIN


Finding nothing to detain us at Bamff, we set out in the morning, and
having breakfasted at Cullen, about noon came to Elgin, where in the inn,
that we supposed the best, a dinner was set before us, which we could not
eat. This was the first time, and except one, the last, that I found any
reason to complain of a Scotish table; and such disappointments, I
suppose, must be expected in every country, where there is no great
frequency of travellers.

The ruins of the cathedral of Elgin afforded us another proof of the
waste of reformation. There is enough yet remaining to shew, that it was