The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1857-02-12


yer,<o ,srs.poaisuos Of the Pfeassr sod nsa"r'Ai'
ssssss XIII
EpISyusou. Ssotlasd.
November %. 1856.
We have been almost three months in Scott
lsud; two months Of the time 10 this city.
and will depart on Mooday next to London.
en- route for Hanover, Germany. purpose
now to give you in four or Eve letters. Il brief
sketch Of my owu impressions Of Scotland
aud it, inhabitants
The climate is very disagrceable. During
our sojourn there have been only few days
Of fine weather, and ! believe not one whole
,iay Of clear, bright sunshine, Clouds. fogs.
rains and mists seem to BE- thu prevailing
characteristics Of the climate, and the psople
have th~ sombre aspect ofthe weather. Even
the ladies' look o. serious as preachers and
usually wear upon the streets. either black.
or eomc Of she various hues Of brown or gray.
To stranger. the general aspect Of life here,
is gloomy there is no visible gaiefy' no
brilliant sunshine. | have not heard c0e
hearty laugh among all the natives We have
met siucc our arrival, ye, under oil this grnv-
;ty, there Is much to admir-; these are sim
cerity, kindness and integrity. ! think how
eves. there " an absence Of refined taktr or
appreciation Of the beautiful in nature and
AT.
The cast iron savans Of the Scotch uni
verrities look - IL they bad been made to
orvler-all Of the same fashion n-by old JoHS
KNOX himself yet they are anxious TO pass
not ouly for learned men which they are,
but also for genuine philosophers. They are
~ Of rigid calvanistic philosophers, noted
Ew their adherence TO tlse longer and shorter
catechisms. The appearance Of Hamilton
or . Wilson il only an exception to this
rule The fault Is not in the men, for they
are doubtless justly distinguished for schol'
astic erudition. but in the system OF church
domination which has fashioned Scotch phi
Iosophy into something like pro~-ssion Of
icebcrRS in fog. Emigration. in fact, srins
pecr~ssry TO the full enlightenment AMI ex-
MANSION Of the Scotch mind. At home the
rrest feature Of their nationality. AMI learn
,ua, their fashions their everything approv-
ri ip good society, Is presbyterian the mi
srseeI Scot is of more catholic spirit.
Edinburgh being the centre Of Scotch
wealth, and learning. parents come her eto
educate their children, rciirsd business men
10 rnioy their fortunes Scotch halfpay o.
ecrrs. and gentlrmeu to live . quiet pieasanf
;i,c Il, .ls Ssss sud ,cs-. ,ntellssaal sNci:ty
Of the country. The people although very
civil, sr~ not apt TO b. polite towards stran'
gers. They woad Ssrm in this respect To h.
srl6sb and exclusive. and ~ \ general rub
an. NJ, outside of their own immediate circle
of friends. They give freely TO promote ~
liRious and charitable Objects, but rarely IN
dSler in true hospitality. They arr truthful
and bope-, and ~ individuals exosdingly
Tolerant. Thy are for example. nsariy all
abolition,sts. aud hook upon our country n
in = most lsuentable condition. bui--unike
the Ensiiah. have found them invariabl,
careful 10 avoid making any rrmsrk on Am
~f;c.u sfsirs that might Be o(ensise, yet no
peopls could he moro cerssos'ous, AMI lnfaFT
a., collectively.
They claim for Elinbargh ,k. distinction
OF bring the modern Athens have no'
bsxp able 10 discover any Attic pecuiiarit'e'
IN The city, or IL inhabitants 1here " her
NO evhience Of The DEMOCRATIC sntimeni. ths
srtisaic tasic. the luxurioas eleEaDcc. ihs elo
quence. os the PHILOSOPHY o< aDcieni Atfsu'
--these sse nooe Of the amusemeuss. 'he kns
manly exercisrs. norof the proud military am
conquering spirit. which made t& ci'sn1ss o
that littie state 10 famous
Every eummonity has sour prpmIen
s,ssnre vh,ch asTustA TIE stteptioa u foreign
"a and ther~for~ conststutes it, hixsorica
charncterssic. In Edinbargh. which 10 tb'
tntel,<csusI cvn,sv of Scotland. this - d
r,dy pse;ced % Prsbytsrian,su a. mnel
%. - C>tholiciam u that a ~ that tesouk'
V u,cdesn Rome This srctsr,an'Sm not oal!
pesssihss tie philoscphy of the seho,'s, bn
aho she politics of thr P-opse 1tr cni!
ssessiom vAieA divsde thsm INTO o'xn'cf'ni
paries q u eiecsiouA. are tbSe Sh'ch n
hse ~ church aahirs. the psr'.ss hTne ~
~ ssdn seabyterian.
In tssssin9 II the poait;eal and srial r.
esliazitias u ~ essstsy. Il s inpstsns 4
ohszvs thaG sAss ase thsuagAOss the BrI
tAh Klng,so0a, thfse grad dlvs.ou< of u.
shahsiaata. di1rsinG au.ssaiiy frssu essl
albr - tlsovs '-1er nobaiffy snd l,s.
hsisd proPneson vhs ~ IN he, she her
Gnsy sewfsigD nsxt 10 IL seAk q grs
dassesp u ths middle clASL ooGpxning hsai
~. neAcAAnts sAopksp-s p~r<e~sxa
M. I'D I'll vho can s6sd 10 iisv coatx'
.h,y. Tks clas my rae IN III mrn,esps
iii. and - . povssfa vo.rs a ihr s'
r.k,n. u~vur = - . . shsss e tn q