AI. KOHL'S SCOTLAND.
Tan tour is characterized by the usual qualities of M. KonL; or if there is any difference, he is somewhat less minute and elaborate in his descriptions, as well as more rapid in his narrative. Scot- land, however, has not the interest of the author's Ireland; from the nature of the case, and the character of the country. We were curious to learn the effect produced upon the mind of an in- telligent and experienced foreign traveller by the appearance of the Irish peasantry, and to learn his idea of their misery, lawlessness, and violence : but there is no such extrinsic interest about the Scotch. The difference in subject is just the same as between a steady, respectable man, who is to be seen every day pursuing his regular business, and that of some rather notorious personage who is caught by the police or a committee of management, and is to be exhibited to the public. To Southern readers, too, the tour may want the stimulus to curiosity which is always felt by persons when they themselves are about to be limned either by pen or pencil.
Notwithstanding this inevitable want of comparative attraction,
M. KOHL'S Scotland may be recommended as an agreeable tour,— brief, light-running, and well relieved by intermingled description and remarks, which coming from a stranger have more pith and character than the observations of a native, to whom striking fea- tures are often palled by familiarity. The skilful bookmaker is visible in occasional dressing-up, as well as in the use made of sta- tistics, and topographies or city-guides; but the use is sparing, and seems to have been suggested by the objects themselves—as the im- provements in the navigation of the Clyde. It must also be borne in mind, that M. Kont, was writing for Germans ; to whom facts touching our vast improvements in locomotion and all its appli- ances, as well as our growth in wealth and manufactures, really furnish new and desired information.
M. Konr.'s route was not very extensive; perhaps because his
time was limited by the season, for his Scottish tour was a con- tinuation of his Irish jaunt. This was not begun till autumn, and he left Belfast for Glasgow in October ; traversing part of the High- lands on foot in November, when the mountains began to put on their winter-livery and ice to form in the lower lands. How- ever, he made the most and best of his time. Glasgow, the com- mercial capital—Edinburgh, the metropolis of learning, science, and politeness—served him for specimens of cities ; Stirling and
Perth were his examples of antiquity—Drummond and Tay-
mouth Castles, of modern baronial residences; the Lakes and their circumjacent Highlands presented specimens of Scotch natu- ral beauty ; of which, however, the tourist thinks but little, ex- cept Eskdale, that enraptured him on his return. But houses and hills, streets and streams, with all the other features of what is called art and nature, soon tire in description. The reader desires something of man—of life, in pictures of incident and character— of moral results, in remarks on society, industry, or art. And in this kind of matter Scotland rather abounds. M. KoHL's German frankness, and his repute as a traveller, gave him confidence to in- troduce himself; and he was met by Scotch hospitality and love of knowledge with equal frankness. Besides his chance-encounters on the road, he seems to have made a point to vary a dull evening in a place by calling upon the schoolmaster or clergyman ; and in no instance does his freedom appear to have been repulsed or mis- conceived. Here is a little scene at the village of Mutbill.
SCOTCH AND GERMAN SCHOOLMASTERS.
In the schoolmaster of Muthill, as in many of his colleagues, I found a very clever, well-informed person ; and his apartments were not only pleasant and neat, but even elegant in their arrangements. I could not help silently com- paring this abode with those of our village-schoolmasters in Saxony, and won- dering at the progress made of late years, in this respect, in Scotland. I expressed aloud the agreeable surprise I felt at this change ; and my new friend declared that he was content with his position. On the whole, however,. he added, " there was a good deal of discontent among the parish-school- masters, on account of the smallness of their pay." I replied, that the same complaint was often heard in Germany : and he inquired what was the average pay of our schoolmasters. " It varies a good deal," was my answer; "some have a hundred, some a hundred and fifty, but many no more than fifty dollars." [Rix-dollars.] " How many pounds go to a dollar ? " asked he. " Seven dollars go to a pound," said I.
" What !" he exclaimed, springing up from his chair ; "do you mean to tell me that they pay a schoolmaster with severs pounds a year ? "
" Even so," 1 replied, "seven pounds: but how much, then, do they get with you ? " " I know no one who has less than from forty to fifty pounds in all Scot- land ; but the average is 70/. or 80/., and many go as high as 1500 " What !" cried 1, springing up in my turn, "1501.'.—that makes 1,050 dol- lars. A baron would be satisfied in Germany with such a revenue as that : and do you mean to say that there are schoolmasters who grumble at it ? "
" Yes," said he ; " but recollect how dear things are with us. Sugar costs eightpeuce a pound, coffee two shillings; chocolate is still dearer, and tea not much cheaper. And then bow dear are good beef and pork, and plume and puddings, and every thing else!" I could not deny this ; but I thought that our poor schoolmasters were content if they had but bread. [Did the Muthill schoolmaster really talk of "plums and puddings," not to mention "pork "? It smacks more of the South.] SCOTCH SABBATH AND SERMONS.
Although to the stranger from the Continent the Sunday in London ap- pears grave and sober in the extreme, yet it is far more so in the Scottish- cities ; and Glasgow and Edinburgh look down upon London in the matter of Sabbath- keeping, as upon a real Sodom and Gomorrah. In Glasgow, on Sunday, nothing is seen or heard all day but long processions of ladies and gentlemen going from one church to another. I also visited two or three churches this day; but I cannot say that 1 was particularly edified by the discourses I heard, although one of the preachers was especially recommended to me as the best and moat eloquent pulpit-orator in Glasgow. There is a certain exaggerated vehemence, a certain Oriental, hyperbolic tone of expression, in the language of the Presbyterian divines, which ill accords with the simplicity of their religious ceremonies and their outward appearance. Besides, all their oratorical flowers and flourishes are of so stereotyped a kind, that they never have the appear- ance of coming warm and fresh from a heart glowing with enthusiasm.
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