Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/145

 The Statistical Accounts of Scotland. 133 public utility, Without loss of time a circular letter was dis- patched to every parish minister in Scotland. This letter was accompanied by queries to the number of 160, specifying every minute particular regarding the parish, and everything connected with its history and condition, classified generally under the four heads of geography and natural history, population, productions, and miscellaneous subjects. This was the beginning, and a fairly good start it was. But very soon the energetic mover in this great undertaking began to encounter difficulties enough to have crushed anyone but himself. These difficulties we need not here particularise ; suffice it to say that while the majority of the clergy entered into the project with great willingness and zeal, and replied to the queries addressed to them with readiness, and in many cases with marked literary ability, enabling the editor to issue his first volume in 1791, it was found by the middle of 1792 that of the 938 parishes, 413 had sent in no report. There was no difficulty in accounting for this. It must have been expected that among so many men some would prove to be in- dolent and some jealous, some would be new to their parishes, and some old and ready to leave them, some would be stupid, and many indifferent. Difficulties must also have been expected from the flock, as well as from the pastors. It was natural that they should object to have their circumstances and pursuits minutely enquired into. Many would see in the enquiries of their ministers nothing but an impertinent personal curiosity, and hence their unwillingness to supply the information wanted. Still, the work went on ; and backed by the influence of the Government, and the favour of the educated classes, the laggard contributors being meanwhile stimulated by repeated circulars, and as a final resort, by the appointment of five statistical missionaries, Sir John had the intense satisfaction of seeing this great work, a work extending to twenty-one volumes, completed on the ist of January, 1798. The practical and beneficial results arising from the in- formation given forth in this compilation, were as varied and immediate as they were unexpected. Three of them may be mentioned : (i) The passing of an Act augmenting the livings of the clergy, and fixing ^"150 as the lowest stipend to be paid ; (2) The evidence in these volumes having shown the wholly in- adequate pay received by the parochial teachers, resulted in immediately obtaining for them, either directly from the heritors or by endowment, a considerable addition to many of their