Here the children are taught to read; but by the
rule of their institution, they teach only English, so that the
natives read a language which they may never use or understand. If
a parish, which often happens, contains several Islands, the school
being but in one, cannot assist the rest. This is the state of
Col, which, however, is more enlightened than some other places;
for the deficiency is supplied by a young gentleman, who, for his
own improvement, travels every year on foot over the Highlands to
the session at Aberdeen; and at his return, during the vacation,
teaches to read and write in his native Island.
In Sky there are two grammar schools, where boarders are taken to
be regularly educated. The price of board is from three pounds, to
four pounds ten shillings a year, and that of instruction is half a
crown a quarter. But the scholars are birds of passage, who live
at school only in the summer; for in winter provisions cannot be
made for any considerable number in one place. This periodical
dispersion impresses strongly the scarcity of these countries.
Having heard of no boarding-school for ladies nearer than
Inverness, I suppose their education is generally domestick. The
elder daughters of the higher families are sent into the world, and
may contribute by their acquisitions to the improvement of the
rest.
Women must here study to be either pleasing or useful. Their
deficiencies are seldom supplied by very liberal fortunes. A
hundred pounds is a portion beyond the hope of any but the Laird's
daughter. They do not indeed often give money with their
daughters; the question is, How many cows a young lady will bring
her husband. A rich maiden has from ten to forty; but two cows are
a decent fortune for one who pretends to no distinction.
The religion of the Islands is that of the Kirk of Scotland. The
gentlemen with whom I conversed are all inclined to the English
liturgy; but they are obliged to maintain the established Minister,
and the country is too poor to afford payment to another, who must
live wholly on the contribution of his audience.
They therefore all attend the worship of the Kirk, as often as a
visit from their Minister, or the practicability of travelling
gives them opportunity; nor have they any reason to complain of
insufficient pastors; for I saw not one in the Islands, whom I had
reason to think either deficient in learning, or irregular in life:
but found several with whom I could not converse without wishing,
as my respect increased, that they had not been Presbyterians.
The ancient rigour of puritanism is now very much relaxed, though
all are not yet equally enlightened. I sometimes met with
prejudices sufficiently malignant, but they were prejudices of
ignorance.
