PERTH

PERTH, a county of Scotland, including Menteith, Braidalbin, Athol, Stratherne, part of Gowrie, and Perth Proper; is bounded by Badenoch and Lochaber on the north and north-west; by Marr on the north-east; by Argyle and Lennox on the west and south-west; having Clackmannanshire, part of Stirlingshire, and the Forth to the south; the shores of Kinross and Fife to the south-east, and Angus to the east. It extends above 70 miles in length, and near 60 at its greatest breadth, exhibiting a variety of Highlands and Lowlands; mountains, hills, dales, and straths, diversified with pasture grounds, corn fields, and meadows; rivers, lakes, forests, woods, plantations, inclosures, towns, villages, and a great number of elegant seats, beautifully situated, belonging to noblemen and gentlemen. The chief rivers of Perthshire are the Tay, the Teith, and the Erne, besides a great number of subordinate streams. The river Tay is famous for its salmon-fishery. The river Erne rises from Loch Erne, a lake seven miles long, in the mountainous country of Stratherne: this river, after a course of 34 miles from west to east, dur-

ing which it receives many streams and rivulets, falls into the Tay at Abernethy.

"The Tay (says a late traveller), on the southern bank of which the city of Perth stands, is truly a noble river. It rises in Braidalbin, on the frontiers of Lorne. Before it has advanced many miles from its source, its stream is considerably augmented by the accession of several small rills. Soon after, it diffuses its waters into a small lake called Loch Dochart; and indeed the river itself there bears rather the name of the Dochart. Continuing its course from Loch Dochart, it soon again expands into another lake. Out of this it proceeds to Killin, still bearing, if I remember right, the name of the Dochart. Here it meets with another river which flows hither by a more north-easterly course. The waters are diffused into the famous Loch Tay, 16 miles in length. Issuing from this spacious lake at Kenmore, the Tay is soon after increased by the accession of the Lyon. It proceeds onward in an eastern direction through Athol, receiving as it advances all the waters in the country, till at Logierait it is joined by the large river of Tummel. Here it bends to the south, and advancing about eight miles reaches Dunkeld; whence taking a more northern direction, it continues its course towards Perth; being as it advances still augmented by the accession of various tributary streams, the most considerable of which is the Almond. At Perth it turns to the south-east, and receiving as it proceeds the waters of the Erne, passes by Abernethy, once the capital of the Pictish kingdom. Soon after this, it expands itself to the breadth of three miles. Contracting its breadth, as it approaches Dundee, it there opens into the German ocean.

"Such is the noble river; on the southern bank of which, where it has increased into a vast body of water, and not a great many miles above where it discharges itself into the ocean, Perth is advantageously situated. A person acquainted with the general character of great rivers, and with their influence in determining the aspect and the fertility of the districts through which they pass, might readily, without farther knowledge of the local circumstances than what is conveyed in this account of the course of the Tay, and of the situation of Perth upon it, conclude the city to stand amid delightful scenery, and to enjoy most of the advantages which natural circumstances afford, for the promotion of trade and industry."

Free-stone, lead, iron, and copper ores, with some lapis calaminaris, are found in different parts of Perthshire. The soil, being generally rich and well manured, produces excellent wheat, and all kinds of grain. The hilly country abounds with pasture for the black cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and deer. The heaths, woods, and forests, are stowed with variety of game; the rivers teem with salmon and trout; the gardens and orchards are stowed with all kinds of herbs, roots, apples, pears, cherries, plums, and almost every species of fruit found in South Britain. The houses and attire, even of the commonalty, are neat and decent; and every peasant can produce a good quantity of linen, and great store of blankets, made in his own family. Indeed, this is the case through all the Lowlands of Scotland. Flax is reared by every husbandman; and being dressed at home, is spun by the females of his family into thread for linen; this is woven by country weavers, of whom there is a great number through all the low country, and after-

Perth wards bleached or whitened by the good-wife and her servants; so that the whole is made fit for use at a very small expence. They likewise wash, card, spin, and weave their wool into tartan for plaids, kerries, and coarse russet-cloth, for common wearing, besides great part of it which is knit into caps, stockings, and mitts. Plaids, made of the finest worsted, are worn either plain or variegated, as veils, by women of the lower, and even of the middle rank; nay some years ago, ladies of fashion wore silken plaids with an undress: this is a loose piece of drapery, gathered about the head, shoulders, and waist, on which it is crossed, so as to leave the hands at liberty, and produces a very good effect to the eye of the spectator. The Lowlanders of Perthshire are civilized, hospitable, and industrious: the commerce of the country consists chiefly in corn, linen, and black cattle: there are, moreover, some merchants who trade to foreign countries.—For an account of the different divisions of this county above mentioned, see the articles as they occur in the order of the alphabet.

The population of this county in 1801 amounted to 126,366 (A).

The following table shows the state of the population, according to its parishes at two different periods.