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A STATE of the BAROMETER in inches and decimals, and of Farenheit's THERMOMETER, in the open air, taken before sunrise, and the quantity of rain-water fallen, in inches and decimals, from the 31st of July 1786 to the 30th of August 1786, near the foot of Arthur's Seat.

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T

VIEWS IN SCOTAND.

Number Eighteenth.

DUNOLLIE CASTLE.

HERE is no tradition refpecting the time Dunollie Cafile was builte It has been time immemorial the feat of the M*Dougals of Lorn,, and still continues fo. It is built on a high rock that almoft overhangs the fea, oppofite to the island of Mull, in the divifion of Lorn and county of Argyle. There is a remarkable rock in the neighbourhood of the Cattle, known by the name of the Dog Stone, as reprefented in the drawing. It ftands on plain ground, unconnected with any other rock; its height is nearly about feventy feet, and its diameter from twenty to twenty five.

H

Some Particulars concerning the Ancient IRISH BARDS.

ISTORIANS obferve a profound filence with respect to the Irish bards, till Tighernmas fucceeded to the monarchy (a. m. 2815.) This prince, not lefs glorious in arms than wife in council, being defirous of confining every rank of his people within its proper sphere, ordained a fumptuary law, called Ilbreachta, for that purpofe. By this law, the peafantry, foldiers, and lower order of the people, were to have their garments of but one colour; military officers and private gentlemen two; commanders of battalions three; beatachs, brughnibbs, or keepers of houfes of hofpitality, four; the principal nobility and knights five; and the Ollamhs, or dignified bards, fix; which was only one colour lefs than was worn by the royal family. Can that nation be deemed barbarous in which learning fhared the next honours to royalty? Warlike as the I

rifh were in thofe days, even arms were lefs refpected amongst them than letters.

At a very diftant period, feminaries or colleges were inftituted in different parts of the kingdom for the education of the bards.

The most celebrated of these col

leges were founded at Clogher, Ar. magh, Lifmore, and Tamar; and, in general, all the eminent fchools delectably fituated, which were eftablifhed by the Christian clergy in the 5th century, were erected on the ruins of thofe colleges.

It was in those feminaries that the Druids inftilled into the minds of the Bards the rudiments of hiftory, oratory, and laws, thro' the medium of poetry, in which was wrapped all the knowledge of those ages. The courfe of a Bard's education was feldóm completed in lefs than twelve G 2

years.

* From Walker's Hiftorical Memoirs, 4to, just published.

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