or Tweeddale, a county in Scotland, situated between 55° 24' and 55° 50' north latitude, and between 2° 45' and 3° 23' west longitude from Greenwich. It is bounded on the north by Mid-Lothian or Edinburghshire, on the east by the county of Selkirk, on the south by Dumfriesshire, and on the west by Lanarkshire. Its greatest extent from north to south is about thirty miles, and its greatest breadth from east to west about twenty-two; the contents being 229,778 English acres, of which only about a tenth part is fit for cultivation. It is divided into sixteen parishes, twelve of which form the presbytery of Peebles, and four belong to that of Biggar, but all are under the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale.

The surface of this county is hilly, and towards the south mountainous, several of the high grounds in that quarter, such as Hartfield, Harstane, Broadlaw, and Dollarlaw, being from 2800 to nearly 3000 feet above the level of the sea. The general elevation of the pasture lands is about 1200 feet; yet, with few exceptions, the hills are covered with green herbage, heath being almost confined to a few of the highest ridges on the south-east. On the banks of its streams are many pleasant and fertile spots; but, from the want of wood, the general appearance is naked and uninteresting; though of late great attention has been paid to planting; and it is estimated that there are now nearly 7000 acres under wood. The soil of the cultivated land, lying chiefly on the sides of the lower hills and the banks of the streams, is for the most part a light loam, with clay, moss, and moor on the high grounds. Coal, limestone, and freestone abound in the parishes of Linton and Newlands, on the north side of the county, and in the latter ironstone is also found. Limestone and freestone are worked profitably in the parish of Linton; but the coal formerly obtained from Newlands has been abandoned, as not repaying the cost of outlay. Lime, however, may still be purchased at Magbiehill, the coal for burning which is brought from Linton. At Stobo, slate of a good quality is quarried, and sold with advantage to the proprietor. In the parish of Traquair there is also a slate quarry in active operation. The river Tweed, from which this district is often called Tweeddale, rises from a well of the same name, in the parish of Tweedsmuir, in the south-western extremity of the county, about 1500 feet above the level of the sea; and, flowing first north-east and then east, dividing the county into two nearly equal parts, it passes into Selkirkshire at Gatehaup Burn, after a winding course of about thirty-six miles. The Annan and the Clyde have their source in the same hill. Of the other streams, here called waters, the most considerable are Biggar, Lyne, Peebles or Eddleston, Leithan, Mannor, and Quair, which fall into the Tweed; and the North and South Esk, which pursue their course into Mid-Lothian. The lakes or lochs are St Mary's, Waterloch, and Slipperfield. These, as well as the rivulets, abound in the common fresh-water fish, and most of the streams are occasionally frequented by salmon; but salmon are not found in such numbers, even in the Tweed, within the bounds of this county, as to afford a fishery that will pay rent.

The climate of Peeblesshire, owing to its elevation and want of shelter, is perhaps more rigorous than that of any other of the southern counties of Scotland. Cold easterly winds prevail in spring, and greatly retard vegetation; whilst in summer frosts often occur, which injure the potato and other crops; and the winters are frequently so severe as to destroy turnips, the snow lying so deep and so long as sometimes to occasion great loss amongst the flocks.

As this is almost exclusively a pastoral country, the farms are in general large, most of them being from 1000 to 4000 acres. On the arable land they are small, the greater number being below 100 acres. These are in general held on leases for nineteen years, as in other parts of Scotland. Taking the extent and rental as before stated, the average would be nearly five shillings the English acre. This is chiefly derived from live stock, especially sheep, of which there may be about 120,000. These were formerly of the black-faced heath variety, sometimes called Tweeddale sheep, from the name of the county, or Linton sheep, from the name of a village on the northern side of the district, where great fairs are held for the sale of them; but of late years the Cheviot breed, which bears a much more valuable fleece, has been established on many of the lower hills, and the majority of those now fed in the county are of this variety. The crops are the same as in other parts of Scotland, excepting that wheat is cultivated only upon a very small scale. A variety of oats called the red oat, and sometimes the Mag- Peebles, the county-town, is not distinguished for any particular trade or manufacture. The majority of the operatives are hand-loom weavers, whose wages do not average more than from five to seven shillings per week; the remainder of their living being procured by fishing, harvest-work, &c. It is not known when Peebles was erected into a royal burgh; but in 1537 the burgh sent two members to parliament. The property of the burgh, consisting of lands, mills, &c. yields an annual revenue of L.1343, 11s. 2d., which is expended in salaries to teachers, in paving and lighting the streets, supplying the town with water, and other useful purposes. The whole matters of police are regulated by a provost, two bailies, a treasurer, dean of guild, and twelve councillors, chosen by the inhabitants. Considerably more property was secured to the burgesses and inhabitants by charter of James VI. dated the 10th of November 1621; but, as in most of the other burghs, this was dissipated by the members of the corporation.

Peebles is divided into the old and the new town; and it is bounded on the south by the Tweed, and on the north by the Eddlestone Water. It is worthy of remark, that the Tweed runs almost from due west to east, whilst the Eddlestone Water, on the other side of the town, flows exactly in the contrary direction. The population returns for the burgh and parish were, in 1811, 2485; in 1821, 2701; and in 1831, 2750. The real value is estimated at L.9255. Peebles is distant twenty-two miles south of Edinburgh.