these inclosures; and falmon, in fmall quantities, during the Spring and fummer months. Along the Cardrofs fhore there are many fuch inclofures, but those most happily fituated are the properties of Mr Dennistoun of Colgrain, and Mr Noble of Noble-Farm. The rights to thefe yare fifhings prove them to be of very high antiquity, being granted by crown charters above 500 years ago, and confirmed by all fubfequent charters. By thefe, the proprietors of the foil have the right of exercising yare fishings upon the shore to low water-mark. Some of these rights extend as far as a man can ride beyond low water, and from that throw a twelve-feet fpear. This extent of fhore, during the herring feafon, is attentively guarded, that the tifh which may entrap themselves in thefe yares, may neither be alarmed by, nor taken in the nets of the boat-fifhers. It is remarked, from the earliest accounts of this kind of fishing, that the herrings vifit the river Clyde, at nearly 3 equal periods in 100 years, each period confifting of feveral years fishing. The mode of fecuring what fish may be in the yares, is with a hand-net. By ancient custom, two thirds belong to the yare proprietor, and one third to the fifher, if a tenant upon the adjoining lands. But when strangers are permitted to fish, they have only one fourth part of their fuccefs allowed them. Church, &c.-The church of Cardrofs originally ftood in the eastern extremity of the parith, oppofite to Dumbarton, and separated from it by the river Leven. This fituation must have been very inconvenient to the parish, and therefore, in 1643, a new church was built in the place where it now ftands, the moft centrical, indeed, that could have been chofen, and the most convenient to the parish at large. The church is a neat building, well lighted and well feated. It underwent a complete repair in 1775, and, by the care and attention attention of the heritors, it is kept in the beft poffible order. The manfe was built about 60 years ago; fince that period it has undergone frequent repairs. Upon the fucceffion of the prefent incumbent, in 1791, the heritors, with the greatest frankness, laid out 2001. Sterling in repairing of the manfe and offices. The crown is patron, and the minister titular. Cardross is one of the few parishes in Scotland, where the right of titular is vested in the incumbent. From a late investigation, in afcertaining the right of patronage, it appears, that it was neither a mental church, nor ever annexed to any religious house, and therefore, as the Crown is patron, it continues at this day precifely in the fame ftate as before the Reformation; with this difference only, that there has been a dilapidation of 11 bolls of meal. Befide the parish church, there are other two houses for public worship; the one of the Burgher perfuafion in the village of Rentoun; the other of the Relief, lately built in the neighbourhood of DunbarThese diffenters confift chiefly of people connected with the printfields. The farmers, in general, are attached to the establishment. ton. School. The fchoolmafter draws no salary from the heritors. The emoluments of his office arife from his fchool, which, at an average, may be frequented by 40 or 50 fcholars, and from a donation of the family of Kilmahew. This donation confifts in the yearly payment of 5 1. being the intereft of 1001. Sterling funk for the behoof of the fchoolmafter, and placed under the management of the heritors. Befides this fum, which was bequeathed for the above purpofe by a younger branch of the family, the proprietor himfelf executed a deed, difponing to the public teacher a right to an acre of land, a cow's pafture upon a fpecified farm, and 5 bolls i firlot of bear, payable from certain other farms up on on the estate of Kilmahew. Over and above the fees for teaching, and the faid donation, the perquifites of feffionclerk may be equal, communibus annis, to 5 1. Sterling. Poor. The poor are fupplied from two fources-from the weekly collection, which, with the proclamation money, may amount annually to upwards of 30 1. Sterling; and from a legacy bequeathed a few years after the Revolution, by a Mrs. Muir, a native of this parish, and originally of the name of Watton. This legacy confifted of 500 l. Sterling, to be applied under the direction of the ufual managers of the poor, for the behoof of the indigent living within a certain district of the parish, fpecially named in the deed of mortification. The above fum was, early in this century, laid out in the purchafe of land, which, by the laft let, produces a revenue upwards of 701. Sterling per annum. There are no begging poor, and the heritors have never as yet been subjected to any affeffment. The number upon the feffion roll varies, but, in general, there are a dozen and upwards, who receive quarterly a fmall contribution. The number entitled to the benefit of Mrs Muir's mortification alfo varies according to circumftances. Eminent Men.-Contiguous to the village of Rentoun, in the old houfe of Dalquhurn, was born the celebrated Dr TOBIAS SMOLLETT. He was the grandfon of Sir James Smollett of Bonhill, Bart. a gentleman of confiderable property in this county, a member of the laft Scotch Parlia ment, and a commiffioner in framing the Union. The father of Tobias being a younger fon, received, according to the custom of his country, only a small fhare of Sir James's fortune, and, dying at an early period of life, left his family, confifting of two fons and a daughter, in circumftances not the the most affluent. The two brothers received the rudiments of their education in the fchool of Dumbarton. The elder, whose name was James, was bred a foldier, and amongst his acquaintance was diftinguifhed for his addrefs, and thole talents of wit and humour, which afterwards characterised Tobias. A premature death, (he having perifhed at fea off the coaft of America), robbed the world of thofe talents, which, if ripened by time and ftudy, might have shone forth with diftinguished luftre. Tobias, the younger, was educated in the medical line, ferved an apprenticeship to a furgeon in Glaigow, and toon after acted as mate aboard a man of war. In this capacity he was prefent at the fiege of Carthagena, the particulars of which he defcribes in Roderick Random with fo much life. Tobias could not long continue in this fituation. His afpring genius difdained the drudgery to which his profeffional line expofed him. He was a man of the moft polifhed manners, and fineft addrefs, talents which feldom fail to recommend the phyfician. But with thefe he poffefled a pride which counteracted their influence. He could not ftoop to that infinuating flattery fo prevalent in the world, of which even the wife and knowing have often become the dupes. His mind was chiefly turned to the study of life and manners, in delineating which he is perhaps furpaffed by few. In this particular, as a painter of life and character, he has reflected the highest honour upon the place of his nativity, and mult ever be confidered by his country among the first of her fons in literary reputation As a hiftorian, he may be inferior to Hume and Robertfon in retinement of thought, and political oblervation; but when the fubject leads to defcription, or to the delineation of character, his powers appear unrivalled. To the greatest genius, he joined the most unremitting application. One proof of this cannot fail to be noticed, which is, that in lefs than 14 months he collected materials, compofed, and prepared for the prefs, his whole History of England: An effort to which his narrow and ftraitened circumstances might have directed him, but to which nothing but the most distinguished abilities, and the most vigorous application, could have been equal. He married a Jamaica lady, and by her had an only daughter, who was cut off in the bloom of youth. After a life che quered by a variety of incidents, he died at Leghorn, whither he had gone for the recovery of his health, in 1771, in the 51ft year of his age. Adjacent to the place of his nativity, a column was lately raised to his memory by his coufin, with the following inscription: Sifte viator! Si lepores, ingeniique venam benignam ; Immorare paululum memoriae TOBIE SMOLLETT, M. D. Eheu! quam procul a patria, Tali tantoque viro, patrueli fuo, Cui, in decurfu, Lampada Se |