ABERDEEN, a fine city, lying on a fmall bay, formed by the Dee, deep enough for fhips of two hundred tuns. The town is about two miles in circumference, and contains thirteen thoufand fouls, and about three thoufand in the fuburbs; but the whole number of inhabitants between the bridges Dee and Don, which includes both the Aberdeens, and the interjacent houses or hamlets, is estimated at twenty thoufand. It once enjoyed a good fhare of the tobacco trade, but was at length forced to refign it to Glasgow, which was fo much more conveniently fituated for it. At present, its imports are from the Baltic, and a few merchants trade to the Weft Indies and North America. Its exports are, ftockings, thread, falmon, and oatmeal: the firft is a moft important article, as appears by the following state of it. For this manufacture 20,800 pounds worth of wool is annually imported, and 1600 pounds worth of oil. Of this wool is annually made 69,333 dozen pairs of ftockings, worth, at an average, l. 10s. per dozen. These are made by the country people, in almost all parts of this great county, who get 4s. per dozen for spinning, and 145. per dozen for knitting, fo that there is annually paid them 62,329 14s. And befides, there is about 2000l. value of stockings manufactured from the wool of the county, which encourages the breed of fheep much; for even as high as Invercauld, the farmer fells his fheep at twelve fhillings apiece, and keeps them till they are four or five years old, for the fake of the wool. About 200 combers are alfo employed conftantly. The thread manufacture is another confiderable article, tho' trifling in comparison of the woollen.

ABERDEEN,

STOCKING
TRADE.

SALMON,

of

The falmon fisheries on the Dee and the Don, are a good branch
VOL. I.

T

ANDREW CANT.

of trade: about 46 boats, and 130 men are employed on the first; and in fome years 167,000 lb. of fish have been fent pickled to London, and about 930 barrels of falted fish exported to France, Italy, &c. The fifhery on the Don is far lefs confiderable. About the time of Henry VIII. this place was noted for a confiderable trade in dried cod-fifh, at that period known by the name of Habberdyn fish.

The town of Aberdeen is in general well built, with granite from the neighboring quarries. The best street, or rather place, is the Castle-street: in the middle is an octagon building, with neat bas relievos of the Kings of Scotland, from James I. to James VII. The Town-house makes a good figure, and has a handsome spire in the

centre.

The Eaft and Weft churches are under the fame roof; for the North Britons observe œconomy, even in their religion: in one I obferved a small ship hung up; a votive offering frequent enough in Popish churches, but appeared very unexpectedly here. But I am now fatisfied that the fhip only denotes the right the mariners have to a fitting place beneath.

. In the church-yard lies Andrew Cant, minifter of Aberdeen, from whom the Spectator derives the word to cant: but in all probability, Andrew canted no more than the rest of his brethren, for he lived in a whining age*; the word therefore feems to be derived from canto, from their finging out their difcourfes. The infcription on his monument fpeaks of him in very high terms, ftyles him vir fuo feculo fummus, qui orbi huic et urbi ecclefiaftes, voce et vita

*In Charles the Firft's time.

inclinatam

inclinatam religionem fuftinuit, degeneres mundi mores refinxit, ardens et amans, BOANERGES et BARNABAS, MAGNES et ADAMUS, &c. &c.

In the fame place are multitudes of long-winded epitaphs; but the following, though fhort, has a most elegant turn:

Si fides, fi humanitas, multoque gratus lepore candor;
Si fuorum amor, amicorum charitas, omniumque Bene-
volentia fpiritum reducere poffent,

Haud beic fitus effet Johannes Burnet a Elrick. 1747.

The college is a large old building, founded by George Earl of Marechal, 1593. On one fide is this ftrange infcription; probably alluding to fome fcoffers at that time:

They have feid,

Quhat fay thay?

Let Yame fay.

In the great room are feveral good pictures. A head of the
Founder. The prefent Lord Marechal when young, and General
Keith, his brother. Bishop Burnet in his robes, as Chancellor of the
Garter. A head of Mary Stuart, in black, with a crown in one
hand, a crucifix in the other. Arthur Jonfton, a fine head by Jame-
Gordon of Strachloch, publisher of

fon. Andrew Cant, by the fame.
the maps; Doctor Gregory, author of the reflecting telescope; and
feveral others, by Jamefon.

In the library is the alcoran on vellum, finely illuminated.

A Hebrew Bible, Manufcript, with Rabbinical notes, on vellum.

Ifidori excerpta ex libro: a great curiofity, being a complete natural

COLLEGE.