The chiefs of Grant - Electric Scotland

448 SIR .TAMES GltANT OF GKANT, I'.AUOXKT. [1773-
Mr. Gniiii liimseir pivpai-cd a scries of ix'^-uliiiioiis for tlie village of
CJranlowu ])roviding- for cleanliness, pvo|)cr feiu-Iiii;' of the various holdings,
and care of tlie marcli icnces, )-C])air of broK-en windows, etc., also against,
ir.iiviorality, under |ienaUies of five sliillings foi' eacli ofli w-jc.^ Among otliC)-
i;.licmes lor the welfare, of (lie inluiMi ;;iits, Mr. Grant , .ojceted a school or
'•asylum for the education of ehildrei,," in wliich, ap]. .ently, )iot only an
ordinary Eu'dish education was to be oiven, l>nt the r-hildren were to be
instructed in A'arious arts and tnides. This plan, however, was discoui'aged
by Lord Karnes, who suggested to jNIr. Grant that the prci'eralde mode ol'
giving technical instruction would be found in iilling the town "with
the best artists that work in such things, for which there was a demand
in the IIighla,nds, wheel-wrights, ]ilougii-wrights, house carpenters, etc.,
smiths, masons, Aveavers," and his Lordship jnomised aid from the Annexed
Estates' fund to provide for apjirenticing chihlrcn to such trades. He
advised Mr. Grant against being too precipitate in his schemes."
Of the village of Grantown in 1785, ^Irs. Grant of Laggan, authoress
of "Lettei-s from the IMountains," thus Avrites :— "Strathspey is c^uite a
civili.sed country compared to this (Laggan), and has a good neat village in
it, where the father of the district has been clicrishing some exotic manu-
ftictures, \\ hich do not seem to find the soil congenial. In flict a High-
lander never sits at ease at a loom ;
'tis like putting a deer in the plough."^
The same writer, in a later Avork, ]-epeats lier statements as to the unfitness
of Highlanders for a manufacturing calling, and deprecates enforced
residence in villages, A\-hile, at the same time, she pays a high tribute to
the memory of Sir Janres Grant, then lately deceased.^
After his efiorts had brought the village of Grantown Into a thriving
condition, ]\Ir. Grant resolved to extend sunllar advantages to his depen-
dants in Urquhart, and In 17G9 he had plans prepared for the erection of a
town thci-e, to be called LewistoA\n. The site selected was a moor near
the Castle of Urquhart, and the town was to consist of one great street
about sixty feet wide, and other smaller streets about twenty-four feet
' Draft l!fgu!ation3 at Castle Grant. ^ Letters from the Mountains, vol. ii. p. 103.
* Letter ilateJ 31st Aui^ust 1707, vol. ii. of tliis ^ Essays on the Sniierstitious of the Highlanders,
work, p. 450. 1811, vol. ii. mi. 142151.