quarries of excellent free-ftone in the parish, the inclosures are chiefly formed by stone dykes, the expence of building • which is from 30s. to 40 s. per rood of 36 yards.

Rents and Mills.-The grounds, to the diftance of an English mile round the town, let at an average of 3 1. per acre. Fields under fown grafs, let for 61. per acre, sometimes as high as 81. There are no less than 11,000 bolls of grain annually made into meal, at the 4 different ftations in the parish, where mills are erected.

Roads, &c.-Turnpike roads began to be formed in the parish of Cupar, only within thefe few years. The measure met, at firft, with almoft univerfal oppofition from the adja cent country. The farmers, however, have already entirely changed their opinion with respect to turnpikes; they pay chearfully at the toll-bars, and feem, in general, to be con vinced of the vast importance and utility of the roads that have been formed. The turnpikes, in the neighbourhood of Cupar, are made on an excellent plan, are formed of the beft materials, and contain a hard and foft, or fummer and winter road. The crofs roads in the parish are, in general, exceedingly ill kept; nor is it likely, that by the statute la bour, as at present applied, they will ever be in better order. As improvements of every kind have advanced fo rapidly, during the last 7 years, it must appear an unaccountable defect, that fo very common, and so very useful a machine, as that of a fill-yard for weighing hay, coals, &c. has never yet been erected in the town of Cupar, nor on any of the roads leading to it.

Wages and Prices of Provifions.-A labourer earns per day, in fummer, from 1 s. to 1 s. 6 d. In winter, from 10 d. to 1 s.

The

The prices of provifions vary little, in the countries adjoining to Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, &c. The vicinity of these great towns did not contribute, in any great degree, to raise the price of provifions, till within the last 30 years. An increased population, and new modes of life, have of late occafioned an immense additional consumption of fish, poultry, &c.-In the Cupar market, beef, mutton, pork, and veal, fell at an average at 4 d. per lib. Dutch weight; hens, 13 d. each; geese, 3 s. each; rabbits, 6 d. per pair; pigeons, 3 d. per pair; butter, 9 d. per lib.; best cheese, 5 d.; coarse cheese, 3 d. tron weight; oat meal, 13 d. per peck; potatoes, 4d.; eggs, 4 d. per dozen; falmon, 5 d. per lib.Though the price of provifions is thus high, and though there has been alfo a great rife on the neceffary articles of leather, foap, falt, candles, &c. yet the labourer at present is better lodged, better fed and clothed, and can give a more de cent education to his children, than his father, who paid only 6 d. or 7 d. for a peck of oat meal; 14 d. for beef and mutton per lib.; who bought eggs at Id. per dozen; butter at 5 d. per lib.; cheese at 1d.; and haddocks in abundance at 1 d. or 2 d. per dozen. This improvement in the fitua tion of the labourer is owing chiefly to thefe caufes: ft, The proportion of the price of his own labour, and that of his family, to the price of provisions, is more in his favour than at any preceding period, 2dly, The introduction of the potatoe, which has been long in general cultivation, affords a vaft additional fupply of food to the labourer and his family, and enables him, at the fame time, to rear pigs and poultry. 3dly, He can depend on being employed during the course of the whole year, an advantage which his father, who received only 5 d. or 6 d. for his day's work, could not always command.

Character of the People.-The labourer and the mechanic are in general able, by the exertions of their industry, to make a decent livelihood for themselves and their families; they poffefs more forefight and economy than those of the fame rank in the neighbouring kingdom. They cherish the laudable pride of not being indebted for their support to the parochial fund, or to the humanity of the charitable. They are in general contented with their humble fituation; friends to that government which extends protection and fecurity to their dwellings; and have had the good fense to refift and to despise the attempts of thofe, who have endeavoured to make them believe, in oppofition to their own happy experience, that they are burdened, oppreffed, and wretched.

Manners.-The manners of the inhabitants of Cupar, of better rank, are, in general, correct and polite. Gentlemen of the military profeffion, having spent their youth in the fervice of their country, frequently fix their refidence here, in the decline of life. Formed in that school, which has long been diftinguished by the eafe and politenefs which it communicates, they have contributed to diffuse an elegance of manners. To this circumftance alfo, perhaps, it is in fome meafure owing, that families refiding in Cupar, and enjoying only a limited and narrow income, make a decent and refpectable appearance; and are enabled, by habits of attention and economy, frequently to exercife an elegant hofpitality.

STATIS

• Viz. Patrick Rigg, Efq; of Morton, James Wemyfs, Efq; of Wemyfshall, Henry Stark, Efq; of Teaffes, Charles Bell, Efq; of Pitbladdo, William Robertfon, Efq; of Middlefield, Peter Walker, Efq; of Kingafk, and John Swan, Efq; of Prestonhall.

+ Viz. the Earl of Crawfurd, Colonel Clephane of Carflogie, James Robertfon, Efq; of Balgarvie, Oliver Gourlay, Efq; of Kilmoran, George M Gill, Efq; of Kemback, Charles Maitland, Efq; of Rankeillor, Henry Weft, Efq; of Foxtown, Mifs Bell of Hillton, and Alexander Low, Efq; of Pittencrieff.