Biggar road, nearly a mile from the church. It has not, however, been substantially built, for within that time it has twice been necessary to give it very considerable repairs.

The glebe, together with the garden, contains about nine Scots acres, lying quite contiguous to the manse, with a fine exposure to the south. It is well enclosed with hedges, is of excellent quality, and may be valued at L.3 per acre. There is also a servitude for ten sheep on Castlelaw hill.

The stipend is one of those which receive aid from Government. It consists of 42 bolls of victual, partly oats, partly meal, and partly barley, which is paid by the highest county fiars; with L.33, 1s. 4d. money stipend, including L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The allowance received from Government is L.88, 1s. 2d.

There is no Dissenting place of worship in the parish; but there are about 20 Dissenting families who attend a MeetingHouse near Penicuik. Divine service at the Established Church is generally well attended. The number of communicants may be estimated at about 180.

There are no regularly constituted societies for religious purposes established here; but collections are regularly made from time to time in behalf of the General Assembly's schemes.

The average annual amount of collections for the last five years is L.11, 15s. 6d.

Education. The parochial school is not very conveniently situated for the parish. The branches taught in it are, English, English grammar, writing, and arithmetic. Sometimes Latin is taught. The schoolmaster has lately got an addition built to his house, which is now very commodious. He has the maximum salary, with a good garden of half an acre English. He also receives L.3, 3s. as session-clerk. The average amount of school fees for seven years past may be estimated at L.20.

Savings Bank.-There is a savings' bank in the parish of Penicuik, where some have deposited the money they have been able to save out of their wages.

Poor and Parochial Funds.-The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is 8, who receive from 3s. to 6s. per month. There are several individuals besides, who in winter get coals, and occasionally a small supply of money. The annual amount of collections made at the church door, including proclamation and mortcloth dues, &c. may be estimated at L.16, 10s. There is also an assessment of L.30, regularly levied when required, at

EDINBURGH.

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an interval of eight or nine months. The annual amount of contributions for the support of the poor, on an average of five years, is L.42, 6s.

It is to be regretted that there is not the same disposition now among the people who attend the parish church, to contribute to the collections in behalf of the poor. There are many who never

contribute at all.

At one time the people had an aversion to accept of anything from the poor's funds, as they considered it to be degrading to their character and family; but this independent spirit, I am afraid, is dying away.

Fairs.-There is an annual market for sheep held at House of Muir on the first and second Mondays of April, to which sheep are sent from various parts of Scotland, and purchasers attend from a great distance. At one time there was a weekly market there, frequented by the Edinburgh butchers; but that has been discontinued, for more than forty years. The one-half of the custom belongs to the town of Edinburgh, and the other half to the proprietor of the grounds, which is generally collected by his tenant.

Inns, &c.-There are several licensed houses for retailing spirits in the parish, which certainly are injurious to the morals of the people.

Fuel.—The fuel made use of in the parish is chiefly coal, which is obtained from a distance of from four to six miles, and costs at the pit from 7s. to 9s. per ton. A good deal of wood is also burnt from the thinnings of the plantations.

MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS.

Few parishes have undergone a more complete change of external appearance than this since the date of the last Statistical Account. At that time there was very little wood in the parish, but since that period a proportion, equaling in extent one-fifth of the whole parish, has been tastefully planted with trees, to which great attention having been paid, they are in a thriving state, and have arrived at considerable maturity. At that time enclosures were rare, and in bad condition; now, the fields are all surrounded by proper fences, and kept in excellent order. For the greater part of these improvements the parish is chiefly indebted to the taste and public spirit of the late Robert Trotter, Esq. of Castlelaw, who spared no expense in improving his extensive property; and his example was speedily followed by the other proprietors. May 1843.

PARISH OF LASSWADE.

PRESBYTERY Of dalkeith, sYNOD OF LOTHIAN & TWEEDDALE THE REV. M. CAMPBELL MACKENZIE, MINISTER.*

I. TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.

As this parish is now divided into two parishes, quoad sacra, it is proposed to treat of them separately. We begin with Lasswade parish, quoad sacra, including in this account the temporal matters, which are still common to both parishes.

Name.-Chalmers says the name is derived from the Kirktown or village of Lasswade, which signifies a well-watered pasture of common use. Laeswe in Anglo-Saxon signifies a common, and weyde in old English a meadow. As the name of the parish has been seen, in an old Dutch map, spelled Lesserwede, it may be considered to mean the opposite of Legerwood,—the smaller wood of Lasswade being contrasted with some larger wood not far distant.

Extent.-Lasswade parish, before it was lately divided, consisted of three parishes and a provostry, viz. the parish of Lasswade proper, the parish of Melville, the parish of Pentland, and the provostry of Roslin. At this period, its extreme length was about 8 miles, and its extreme breadth about 5 miles. Its length now is about 6 miles, and its breadth about 3 miles. It comprehends about 8 square miles.

In the twelfth century, the church and lands of Lasswade were bestowed on the Bishop of St Andrews, and Lasswade thus became one of the Mensal churches. But whether Lasswade proper be meant, or Lasswade consisting of a number of parishes, cannot now be ascertained. It is probable that Lasswade proper is intended; for the junction and the consequent suppression of parishes is a device of Protestant and not of Popish times. There can be no doubt that the parish of Melville, including the baronies

This account was drawn up by the Rev. David Brown, Roslin, with assistance of the minister of the parish.

of Melville and Lugton, ceased to form a separate parish only in 1633.

In the reign of James III., the church of Lasswade was, by the Pope's authority, detached from St Salvator's Church, St Andrews, and annexed to the Collegiate Church of Restalrig.

Boundaries. The parish is bounded on the west, by Colinton; on the north, by Colinton and Liberton; on the east, by Dalkeith, Newbattle, and Cockpen; and on the south, by Roslin and GlenIt is extremely irregular in its figure.

cross.

Mountains. The parish extends to the very top of the east range of the Pentland hills. But the narrow strip into which it is reduced, does not include any of the more remarkable elevations. The northern boundary of this strip runs along the very summit of the hills named Kirk Yetton and Allermuir. The higher of these, viz. Allermuir, is 1606 feet above the level of the sea.

Climate. The climate varies considerably, which will not ap pear to be remarkable, when it is stated, that the elevation ranges between 270 and 1600 feet, within the distance of six miles. Around, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the beautiful village of Lasswade, which is situated near the lowest point in the scale of elevation, the climate is mild, and the air soft and agreeable. Hence vegetation is here both early and luxuriant, showing a striking contrast with the more elevated districts of this and the surrounding parishes. And the same circumstance has rendered the village of Lasswade a place of considerable resort to the inhabitants of Edinburgh and Leith, numbers of whom annually spend the summer months in this delightful locality.

River. The river North Esk runs through the parish nearly three miles, and skirts it upwards of another mile. Few streams are more remarkable than this, for lovely and picturesque scenery. The walk from Gorton to Springfield leads through a locality of rich and varied beauty.

Mineralogy.—The general feature of the geological structure of the parish is the same as that of the neighbouring parish of Roslin. In both parishes, red sandstone rests on coal, and there is an abundant supply of both minerals. The coal mines are wrought chiefly in the vicinity of Loanhead, and have been long in operation.

II. CIVIL HISTORY.

Eminent Characters.-Several distinguished individuals have been connected with the parish, viz. William Drummond of Haw

thornden, the celebrated poet; John Clerk, Esq. of Eldin; and the late Lord Melville. The following is an abridged account of each.

Drummond the Poet.-This parish gave birth to William Drummond of Hawthornden, who occupies a distinguished place among the earlier bards of Scotland, and who, both as a poet and a historian, will bear a comparison with the most celebrated names of the age in which he lived.

If ancestry can add anything to the glory of a genius, which itself would have ennobled obscurity, it may be mentioned that Drummond, in addition to his other distinctions, could boast of a long line of illustrious progenitors. His family came originally from Hungary in the reign of Malcom Canmore. One of his ancestors was secretary to "the Bruce," and another, the beautiful, talented, and accomplished Annabella Drummond, was Queen of Robert III. of Scotland, and mother of James I., who may be regarded as discovering his consanguinity, by possessing a spirit, in many respects, congenial with that of our poet.

William Drummond was the son of Sir John Drummond of Hawthornden, Gentleman Usher to King James VI., and of Susannah Fowler, daughter of Sir W. Fowler, Secretary to the Queen, and was born on the 13th of December 1585. To the advantage of a highly finished classical education, he added a familiar acquaintance with many of the sciences, and also with many of the modern languages, particularly French, Spanish, and Italian, which he spoke with the correctness and ease of a native. Inheriting from his father a comfortable independence, he could afford to relinquish the legal profession, for which he was originally destined, and for which he had many superior qualifications, and yield himself up exclusively to his favourite pursuit. Embowered in the woody solitudes of his native Hawthornden, whose romantic scenery was well fitted to call forth his poetic ardour, he had everything to awaken, and nothing to repress his muse; and there he produced those exquisite poems which have rendered his name immortal.

In this retreat he remained during the greater part of his life; but he occasionally visited London, and spent several years on the continent of Europe. Though fond of retirement, he enjoyed the society of his friends; and the fame of his authorship, as well as the wit of his conversation, for which he was remarkable, drew around him the principal literary characters of his own country,