On
Emigration and the State of the Highlands
Appendix L.
On this point I have received some very valuable
observations from a most respectable proprietor resident in the Western
Isles, whose name, if I were at liberty to mention it, would leave no
doubt of their accuracy:— I have always looked
upon the indolence attributed to the Highlanders as proceeding in a very
great measure from the misplaced attachment of friends and relations, and
even the native spirit of hospitality, in this respect
to general amongst the lower orders. It is a common practice for people to
go to service in the Low Country for several years; but they almost
uniformly return and are often sent for by their friends, to remain
idle at home, when tired, as they say, of work. Those friends have
frequently but a scanty subsistence for themselves; but no one will refuse
a residence or a share of his homely fare to a friend or connection. They
frequently (unknown) share their little portions of land, so that no one
dreads the danger of absolute want, however idle; and thus a great spur to
industry is withdrawn. From this cause it
proceeds, that no Highlander can he got to be sufficiently industrious, or
to work hard in his own country.
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