or WEST LOTHIAN, nearly approaches in form to a parallelogram, about 20 miles long from east to west, and from 10 to 13 broad, from north to south. It is bounded by the river Forth on the north; by the river Almond on the south-east; by Lanarkshire on the south-west; and by the river Avon on the west. It is allowed to be one of the richest counties in Scotland, the soil in general being a rich loam, in a high state of cultivation and improvement. Its surface is diversified by gentle swells and fertile plains; and the number of elegant seats almost everywhere to be met with, gives it both a rich and delightful appearance. The whole is a composition of all that is great and beautiful; towns, villages, seats, and ancient towers, decorate each bank of that fine expanse of water, the frith of Forth. The lofty mountains... Linlithgow-tains of the Highlands form a distant, but august boundary towards the north-west; and the eastern view is enlivened with ships perpetually appearing or vanishing, amidst the numerous islands. Hopetoun-house, Bambougle-castle, Calder-house, Craigie-hall, and the seat of General Dundas, are some of the principal ornaments of this county. It contains two royal boroughs, Linlithgow and Queensferry, besides the towns of Borrowstounness, Bathgate, and Kirkliston. It is poorly supplied with running water, the Avon and Amond being the only streams which are deserving of notice. There are many valuable minerals found in it in abundance, such as coal, limestone, and some lead ore. In the reign of James VI., a vein of lead was discovered, so rich in silver, that it was thought worthy of being wrought for the sake of that metal alone. Almost every parish abounds with ironstone, which is extensively wrought in the parish of Bathgate. In many places there are appearances of whinstone or basalt, particularly at Dundas-hill, in the parish of Dalmeny, where there is a solid front of basaltic rock, exhibiting in some places regular columns. The population of this county in 1801 amounted to 17,844. The following is the population of the parishes according to the Statistical History.

| Parish | Population in 1755 | Population in 1792-1798 | |-----------------|--------------------|------------------------| | Abercorn | 1937 | 870 | | Bathgate | 1594 | 3309 | | Borrowstounness | 2668 | 3178 | | Carriden | 1164 | 1450 | | Dalmeny | 1103 | 907 | | Ecclefechan | 351 | 215 | | Kirkliston | 1461 | 1504 | | Linlithgow | 3296 | 3221 | | Livingstone | 598 | 420 | | Queensferry | 451 | 505 | | Torphichen | 1295 | 1069 | | Uphall | 690 | 600 | | Whitburn | 1121 | 1322 |

Increase, 741