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388 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
flint iinpleinents, tho latest gay and fanoy fabric of Manchester
and Birmingham. Even the Hindoo and Chinaman's gods and
idols are manufactured in our British workshops, and many other
ai'ticles which are considered peculiar to certain nations. I had
occa.sion to remark this particularly in a Liverpool counting-house,
for on asking what were the goods they exported from this
country, a drawer was pulled out and samples displayed. Tliese
consisted of Spanish hedalgos, s])urs, and brilliant saddles, and
saddle cloths, Spanish mantillas, ifcc, of gorgeous and rich colours,
such as that noble animal the " Bi-itish Crocker," always declares
the British manufacturers can neither rival nor approach.
It is extremely interesting to study the progress from primi-
tive machineiy to the most ad\anced and intricate results of
modern times, and perhaps the Highlands of Scotland afforded till
recently a very good field for such study.
The Lowlands of Scotland long retained their ancient practices
as regards home-mades, and I can myself recall the time before
the modern lucifer match and vesta were introduced, fire was produced
by various simple methods, and when the old gaberlunzie
man wandered round the country, and the chapman paid his accustomed
visit to supply jewellery, and such literature as was then
read, the old cruize lamj) with fish oil and rush which supplied
the poor flicker of light to permit the maids to spin and the
hinds to read.
In the Highland Glens the primitive native arts were continued
to even a later date than in the Lowlands. This would
naturally arise fi'om the difliculty of intercomnmnication in consequence
of the want of roads and sparseness of population. Accordingly
we find the old manners and customs remaining, and the
old modes of cultivation being practised long after they had disappeared
from amongst their more advanced countrymen. It is
to these practices I would iiow draw your attention to-night, and
perhaps it may be the simplest way and most instructive if I
take a glance at a few of the more useful and common arts and
discuss each in detail.
Beginning with 1st, dwellings and utensils ; lliul, a rieulture ;
3rd, food ; 4th, clothing ; 5th luxuries ; and 6th, articles of commerce.
I cannot expect to exhaust any one of these subjects, but I
may touch on a few of each.
The dwelling or shelter naturally comes amongst the first re-
(piirements of a race, and the implements necessary to procure
food and clothing.