Here is a great number of
young fellows that rival the youth of the capital in spirit and
expence; and I was soon convinced, that all the female beauties
of Scotland were not assembled at the hunters ball in Edinburgh --
The town of Glasgow flourishes in learning as well as in
commerce -- Here is an university, with professors in all the
different branches of science, liberally endowed, and judiciously
chosen -- It was vacation time when I passed, so that I could not
entirely satisfy my curiosity; but their mode of education is
certainly preferable to ours in some respects. The students are
not left to the private instruction of tutors; but taught in
public schools or classes, each science by its particular
professor or regent.
My uncle is in raptures with Glasgow -- He not only visited all the
manufactures of the place, but made excursions all round to
Hamilton, Paisley, Renfrew, and every other place within a dozen
miles, where there was any thing remarkable to be seen in art or
nature. I believe the exercise, occasioned by those jaunts, was
of service to my sister Liddy, whose appetite and spirits begin
to revive -- Mrs Tabitha displayed her attractions as usual, and
actually believed she had entangled one Mr Maclellan, a rich
inkle-manufacturer, in her snares; but when matters came to an
explanation, it appeared that his attachment was altogether
spiritual, founded upon an intercourse of devotion, at the
meeting of Mr John Wesley; who, in the course of his evangelical
mission, had come hither in person -- At length, we set out for the
banks of Lough-Lomond, passing through the little borough of
Dumbarton, or (as my uncle will have it) Dunbritton, where there
is a castle, more curious than any thing of the kind I had ever
seen.
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