interested Lord Glenonau to attempt the rescue of Dulsibella, while her father left her on the only inducement that could have removed him so far from his castle. The Dowager Baroness, superior to nar row prejudices, directed her interment at THE LISTENER. HOW TO PROCURE HEALTH AND TO TIMOTHY HEARWELL, ESQ. SIR,-The great age to which you have attained, and the excellent health that you enjoy, prove that you have constantly attended to those great requisites to obtain them-temperance in drinking, moderation in eating, wholesome and frequent exercise, with change of air. The art of living long has often been thought to owe its success to the moral character: I treat of it merely in a physical sense; the ideas that people form of happiness are so varied and fugitive, that it would be too large a field to enter into; therefore when I say learn to live well, I only mean avoid sorrow and restraint as much as possible, and multiply, as far as lies in your own power, every virtuous enjoyment. mirth and gaiety, this young lady had fallen a victim to her vanity! If health is an important requisite to happiness, gaiety of mind is likewise necessary, notwithstanding the contrary is the opinion of Madame de Stael; it is only in a romance that excessive sensibility is replete with charms; in our intercourse with the world it only excites ridicule, and is tiresome to every one. But, you will say, this gaiety does not depend on ourselves. Agreed: it cer tainly gains the dominion over us or flies from us, according to our sleep, or of our want of it the preceding night; whether, we have been lucky or unlucky at cards, in love, or in other worldly affairs. A young man of my acquaintance came to London from the east of England. He took lodgings in the Borough, in a dark, melancholy looking house, and took his dinner at an adjoining tavern: he seldom To arrive at this desired end, two things went to any other place of amusement but are absolutely requisite; good health, and the Surrey Theatre or the Cobourg-each moderation. In spite of the example afwell calculated to afford exquisite enterforded us in the celebrated Scarron, it is tainment, but then he went no where else, difficult to persuade ourselves that gaiety and all the morning he was employed in and felicity can be inmates of an unhealthy studying medicine, or attending anatomical and debilitated body. The most import-dissections; and I should have said, it was ant care, then, is that of our health; and || but seldom he visited those two little pleato effect that, we should carefully avoid sant theatres, for his evenings were, in colds and indigestion; ladies should care- general, devoted to political studies. What fully abstain from using strong perfumes, was the consequence? The poor fellow and should be very cautious of wearing || fell sick, was ordered change of air, and I their shoes too small: a recent instance has transported him to the balsamic air of the taken place of a lady dying suddenly at|| Parks; where, every morning, he can cona ball, from wearing a corset that was too|| template the verdure of the grass, and the tight, with a steel busk. I was fortunate || pure azure of the heavens. As soon as he enough once to save the life of a young was well enough to get out, I took him to lady, when long stays were in fashion, and the Haymarket Theatre, the English Opwho could hardly breathe in those she era; and after visiting the Panorama in wore; with one stroke of a penknife I cut Leicester-square, I took him to the neighthe lace, and set her palpitating heart at bouring confectioner's, where I made him ease. What affliction. would it not have partake of some excellent soups and jellies; caused to her mother and ourselves, if, and having an excellent cook of my own, during a day which we had devoted to I often led him, after these excursions, to || my own home to dinner. As to the dry and receives occasionally a few select study of politics, with which he has nothing friends: but some lovely female neighbours to do, I scarce allow him to read the first seemed lately about to disturb the tranquil column of a newspaper: and now, from hours of this poor fellow; he abides by my the poor, half-starved looking creature he || directions; and I have ordered some beauwas when he first came to town, he is tiful painted blinds for his apartment; become gay, fat, and always cheerful: he never suffering them to be drawn up till has procured a library of well-chosen books, || the young ladies have retired from that and a collection of fine engravings; he has part of the house which his lodgings overbought an excellent curricle, has a small, look. well-stocked cellar of unadulterated wine, MEDICUS. A PICTURESQUE TOUR THROUGH THE GRISONS. (Continued from page 73.) THE Valley of Fliola (otherwise called Val Flæg, Val Sépia, or Val de Suss) opens near the village of Suss, which is watered by the Süsasca, that issues from the valley. This valley is four leagues long. Its ramifications form the vale of Fless, on the limits of Val-Ferraina, which is part of Prättigau, and that of the Grielesch, bounded by the Val Disma, in the country of Davos. Below the village of Suss, opens Val Sagli- || aints; and half a league further, in the neighbourhood of Lavin, the Val-Lavinuez: facing which is discovered the vale of Zeznina, inhabited by bears, wolves, foxes, lynxes, weazles, and chamois. On the W. || of Lavin rises the Colossean Piz Linard; on the E. the Piz da Gonda, and facing it || the Piz Mesdi. The Linard is the highest mountain in Engadine, and is seen from the plains of Suabia. When the snow begins to melt, large fragments of rocks descend annually from its summit, and roll into the pasturages: the avalanches from the Gonda also render the gerous during that season. corn and salt, with Davos. that of Avers, in the vicinity of the Septimer. Curiosities.-In order to take a proper view of this wild and gloomy country, wherein nature exhibits her most dreadful and sublime phenomena, you must leave the road to Splüghen, upon entering the Rofflen, a little beyond Andeer, and enter the valley of Ferrera, which you find on your left. You soon after cross the torrent of Avers over a bridge, the appearance whereof is equally tremendous and majestic; at half a league higher up you find another cascade; and a quarter of a league further a third, more beautiful still than the two former. The valley widens at Vorder- Ferrera. From thence to HinterFerrera you have to cross over the fragments of a mountain that crumbled down in 1994. From Ferrera to Cananeul the road runs across a desert full of enormous blocks of granite, covered with moss and ancient lichens, and overshaded in various road very dan-places by huge fir trees. The silence which Suss trades in prevails in this solitude is interrupted only by the roaring of the torrent of Avers, which sometimes precipitates itself, and rushes impetuously through the fragments of the rocks, and forms two magnificent cascades, whose spray flies against gloomylooking fir trees, and sometimes seems forgetful of its fury in a peaceful basin, as, The valley of Ferrera opens eastward of for instance, at the Plan di Chiavroidi. In that of Schams, close to the entrance of the the midst of this chaos of ruins, heaped up Rofffen, and to the castle of Berenbourg. above one another on a line a league and a This lateral valley extends four leagues half long, every object gives rise to the towards the E. and makes but one with || most serious reflections, which soon make The Val Ferraina (or valley of Varaina) is the most elevated and the wildest part of Prättigau, and situated on the northern flank of the Salvretta, whose glaciers, from whence issues the Landquart, descend into the vallies of Ferraina and Sardasca. room for delightful serenity upon the tourist entering the fields of the verdant and peaceable valley of Aversa, where no more forests are to be met with. The vallies of Ferrera and of Aversa are much insulated. The winter is of eight months' duration in the latter, which is situated above the limits of the forests. The summer babitations of Cananeul are situated at half a league above the village, towards the E. They are known by the name of sterleca, and are nothing but huts made of interwoven twigs and branches. The trouts of Ferrera are excellent: they are spotted with black, and their flesh is red. The valley of Pontresina opens facing Celerina, and extends on the S. towards mount Bernina. The great passage which, from Engadine, leads to the valley of Pos chiavo, and into Valteline, runs through this valley. The valley of Poschiavo (in German, Pusklaverthal) is situated on the southern Hauk of mount Bernina, in the canton of the Grisons. This beautiful and rich transversal valley is six leagues in length: it opens at Tirano, in Valteline, where all its waters unite with those of the Poschiavino, which falls into the Adda. The entrance through which this valley communicates with Valteline is so very narrow, that it may very properly be considered as a country by itself. in fish of the choicest kind, especially in trout and ombres.* At no great distance is a periodical spring. At the further extremity of the lake commences the valley of Brusasca, a league and a half in length, and which reaches Valteline: the vale of Brusasca is very narrow, and covered with clusters of chesnut trees; but much exposed to lavanges, and to the fall of mountains. Near the lake is seen on the high road a place called Bruscio (in German, Brüs), where there is a superb cascade; and a little further the village of Madonna di-Tiran, where nature displays rapturous beauties. The Bernina is a mountain in the canton of the Grisons, with a much frequented passage, which leads from Upper Engadine into Valteline, through the valley of Poschiavo. From Samade, through Pontresina, to the three inus situated on the Bernina, three leagues: the best inn is that which stands in the middle. Then, after proceeding along the lakes, one of which, the Weisser See, is a league long, you climb to the summit of the Camirz in about an hour and a half. There you find a depôt of merchandize near the lake of Bernina. In the vicinity of the first lake is the entrance of the Val-di-Fiene, remarkable on account of its rich pastures. From the top of the mountain you can reach Pisciadel in four hours, though it be said that the number of horned cattle that cross the Beruina weekly, amounts to seven hundred and fifty. Vehicles may be used from Samade to Pontresina. Particularities. One third of the inha-only two leagues from Poschiavo. It is bitants of this valley profess the Protestant religion; they have pastors at Poschiavo and at Erüs, and are dependent on the chapter of Upper Engadine. The Catholics are of the diocese of the Bishop of Como. The language they speak in this *The ombre-chevalier, or ombre, is a kind of country has a great affinity with the Ita- trout, but of a much larger size. The appellalian. Poschiavo, which is the chief place, tion of this fish, it is reported in Switzerland, is one of the largest and richest in the originated from the following anecdote:-A canton of the Grisous. The trade is rather young woman, an inhabitant of the borders of the lake of Geneva, had got deranged in conseconsiderable, on account of the great pas-quence of the loss of her lover. Owing to her sage across mount Bernina, that serves as a communication between Tyrol and Engadine on one side, and Italy on the other: this road goes through the valley of Poschiavo. At half a league from the town is situated the lake of the same name, which is a league and a half long, and half a league wide, uncommonly deep, and abounds No. 197.-Vol. XX. inoffensive behaviour her friends never bad ber confined; and she availed herself of the indulgence to go daily on the banks of the lake, where a kind of a sentry-box was placed to protect her against the scorching sun. One day as she was stationed there, she saw a fish, of an enormous size, bouncing out of the water, and exclaimed, "Ah! there is the ombre (shade, ghost) of my chevalier." Q STATEMENTS RESPECTING IMPROVEMENTS IN SUTHERLAND. MEINAG! lovely as the first flowers of spring, sportive as the young heathfowl when she first leaves the parent wing for ever, approached the Faery Knowe returning to her native castle. The sun had just dipped his golden beams in the western wave, and Meinag dreaded she must encounter some of the elfin people. She quickened her steps, and her heart beat almost audibly as she drew nearer and more near. To turn aside from the Faery Knowe would be ominous, to traverse the enchanted ground appalling. The high descended nymph invokes the shades of her ancestors and proceeds. When lo! a crowd of malignant fays are assembled around her; they assail her with horrid cries, and try to sully her snow-white garments by throwing filth in all directions; but in place of fixing a stain upon her spotless vesture, its purity is brightened to clear lustre. Thus I am sure must terminate the attacks upon all improvements in Sutherland, or on the measures of the Highland Society. There is not a country, hardly a parish, where the beneficent influence of the Highland Society has not introduced amelioration in the soil, the species of grain, the green crops, grasses, or cattle throughout the Highlands. Many of these facts consist within my own knowledge, and others are gathered from authentic sources of information. B. G. The above fragment of a Gaelic legend may be almost deemed prognostical. Where sources are held out for the encouragement of useful employment and ample subsistence, such who plan them ought to be regarded as the first benefactors of mankind. Mighty and good deeds have been brought to view by an attempt to place them under the shade of obloquy. The following statement holds out an example of wise enterprise and perseverance, which every parent should sanction and recommend: “In 1817, a year of great distress in the Highlands, Lord Stafford extended his relief to the poorer tenants in the estate of Sutherland, to the amount of £10,000. "This distress was much increased by the number of people who had settled on the estate without permission, fifteen hundred of them paying rent to no person, and many more of them holding entirely of the inferior tacksmen. The extreme misery endured by these poor people (a state of things recurring every three years on an average), the great improvement among those who had been settled on the coast, and the rapid extension of the fisheries, pointed out the necessity of delaying no longer the removal of the remainder of the people who still dwelt on the hills to the sea coast-a measure as necessary for them as beneficial to the estate, and advantageous to the country. That these people might have ample time to make this removal, it was intimated to them in the autumn of 1817, that they should be removed to the coast side at Whitsunday, 1819; and that they might have the means of doing so, it was at the same time intimated to them, that they should hold both their old possessions and their new lots, rent free, up to the date of their removal. This has been done accordingly; and no exertion was left untried to induce them to take advantage of the last summer, in gradually preparing for their change of residence, but entirely without effect. The lots for the parish of Assynt were, necessarily, on the Western Ocean; and here the people were settled, and are becoming industrious fishermen, as are the people of Strathnaver, who are, of course, settled on their own coast, from the mouth of the Naver to Armadale. The lots for the people of Kildonan, Clyne, Golspie, and Rogart are situated on the side of the great north road leading to Caithness, near the sea, and in the vicinity of the two thriving fishing stations of Brora aud Helmsdale, a country generally as early as East Lothian. Many of these people who lived by illicit distillation, have gone into the heights of Caithness and Rossshire, in preference to settling on their new lots. This has been particularly the case with the people of Kildonan, the parish adjoining to Caithness; this popula tion 'subsisted entirely by smuggling, obtaining grain in Caithness, and thus caṛ nications are now nearly all that could be wished; excellent bridges over the ferries, and the country intersected by roads. The tenantry are now among the wealthiest and most active in Scotland; and a career of improvement has begun, and is carrying on, which leaves far behind the most rapid The improvements known in Scotland. arrangements will be completed in 1820. This has required great exertion, both in the landlord and tenantry, which has been so well seconded by the managers and factors, that the most evident change has taken place in the increased comforts of the inhabitants wherever these arrangements have been carried into effect; while the progress in the cod, ling, and herring fisheries in Assynt, on the north coast, and at Brora and Helmsdale, has been such as rying on their illegal traffic with much facility. The people in the heights of Rogart and Clyne carried on a similar trade, but to a less extent, obtaining their grain from the coast side. The Kildonan people have settled on the adjoining parish in Caithness, their new lots in Sutherland affording no opportunity for carrying on illicit distillation, being old in field, or land of the most improvable quality, and ploughed for them by the voluntary and praise-worthy exertions of the coast side tenants, and by Lord Stafford's own ploughs. To those for whom these lots were too small, farms of from six to twelve acres were offered on Dornock Muir, an improveable district near that place, the landlord binding himself to pay the tenant five pounds for every acre he brought in, and that as soon as the land was in culti-to exceed the most sanguine expectations. vation. To secure a constant demand for their grain, and that they might have no excuse in selling to the illegal distiller, Lord Stafford is erecting a new distillery at Brora, the tenant being bound to consume the grain of the country. The dura-coopers, 520 women, 700 men, 149 boats. tion of their tacks is for seven or fourteen years, varying according to the situation and circumstances; the rent, in many cases, nominal; in all, the lowest in Scotland. By the custom of the country the moss timber of the cottages is the property of the tenant. Upon their removal, as they did not carry it with them, aud as every attention to their interests was shown, it was appraised over to the landlord, paid for by him (to whom it was useless), and then burnt. 1 "In 1812, the county of Sutherland was separated from the rest of Scotland by three dangerous ferries, and without roads, fully a century behind the rest of Scotland. Producing nothing, and cut off from all markets, it was left, in its natural state of neglect, to a numerous tenantry of respect able middle men, though not improving tenants, who, living without employment, pushed their sons forward in the army, by raising men from their farms. The commu The number of barrels of herrings already cured at Helmsdale, have been, in 1816, 4000; 1817, 7300; 1818, 19,390.-In 1817, there were employed there 17 coopers, 130 women, 200 men, 50 boats. In 1818, 70 The number of boats agreed for this year is above 200, besides many at Brora, where the fishing begins this year for the first || time. "The amount of cod and ling caught in Assynt and Strathnaver, 1818, is 93,116. This year the fishing has commenced on the south coast, where one crew frequently brings in from 1500 to 2000 fish, in one tide, caught off a fishing bank, about five miles from land, hitherto neglected. "To encourage the fisheries, Lord Stafford has offered premiums to the most successful boats, during the last two years, amounting to £200 in each year; and to induce the people to build neat cottages on their new lots, Lady Stafford has offered various premiums, differing in amount, to the new settlers on the coast. These premiums, for the last season, are to be awarded in the ensuing month of August."-Report written by James Lock, Esq. June, 1819. |