The Reflector.

the solemn waters of Loch Con lie hid, and where the heron which shuns the haunts of men, stalks undisturbed, and rears her tender offspring. Proud among these mountains stands conspicuous the "cloud-caped" Benlomond, which to the cold exposure of the north, presents its rugged side variegated with the snows of former winters. The scene is in this quarter closed by the distant hills of Argyleshire.

The loch I believe may be about four or five miles in length, and varies much in breadth. The pernicious system of large farms has so depopulated this country of its former hardy race, that there are not above three dwellings in the whole circuit of the lake-a circumstance which no doubt adds much to the solemnity of the scene. On the north-east end of the lake, if the traveller can place himself under a particular part of the overhanging craig, a fine echo is produced from the opposite shore, the distance being nearly a mile. There are two boats on the loch, one of which is let for viewing the scenery or for fishing, for the last of which the loch is much frequented, abounding in excellent trout.

Duly to appreciate the beauties of this romantic lake, it must be seen. I have heard many prefer it even to Loch Katherine, or the Trosachs, and it only requires another daughter of an exiled Douglas, another leader of Clan Alpin's bands, another knight of Snowdoun, aided by the Minstrel's lay, to be rendered equally popular.*

ON THE

GENERAL DOCTRINE OF PROGRESSION.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR.

The principle of progression is of universal operation, and may in some of its modifications be traced in all the works of

These Reflections bear date June, 1815, and consequently before the appearance of the Novel of Rob Roy, the scene of which is principally laid in the vicinity of Loch Ard.

B.

On the general doctrine of Progression.

creation with which we are acquainted. The vegetable tribes, inanimate as they are, acknowledge its influence, and the tender sapling which scarcely raises its head above the surrounding weeds, by a series of slow growth, at length arrives at that perfection in beauty and grandeur, which we admire in the monarchs of the forest; and after the lapse of a century has brought with it full maturity, decline speedily ensues-and by a like gradual retrogression, decay reduces the stately fabric to ruin.

If the opinions of some philosophers of Nature * be looked upon as any thing more than the extravagancies of a visionary hypothesis, we may conclude that our earth is liable to the same influence, and that the waste of this globe, observable in a variety of instances, goes to form another world, which shall one day rise perfect from the ruins of that, which we now inhabit.

Such of the lower animals too, as are comprehended within the ample range of human observation, are born, live, and perish— and in investigating the particular characters of their various species, we find in each, in different degrees according to the period of their existence, an evident progression. The insect whose being is but of a day, undergoes in the space of a few hours many changes; the heat of the mid-day sun brings into full life the animal which in the morning had inhabited an egg, and whose existence it shall see terminated before it has set. We have every reason to suppose that a miniature life like this experiences all the variety of enjoyment and pain, and passes through the various gradations of perfection which we see exemplified in the less limited existence of some other animals.

The larger sorts of animals are also subject to progression ;— but it is in the history of man that the changes are most frequent, and most in point, as instances of the doctrine.-If we trace it from the first moments of his existence, we see him daily experiencing changes in the state of his body, even till his latest hour.

During the years of youth, he gains the perfection of stature by a slow growth: but a considerable time longer elapses before his form assumes that robust appearance which marks the manhood of life. The stamina of the constitution have now reached

In allusion to Dr. Hutton's theory of the earth.

On the general doctrine of Progression.

their full strength, but still it is liable to be affected by a thousand accidents, which continue to render health but precarious, until ere long the wastings of the main springs begin to be perceived, and a total decay of the vital principle, more or less rapid in different instances, follows.

Nor is it only in the lives of individuals that this progression exists-it is equally observable in the history of nations. This will however be best explained by a familiar example:

From the moment that Romulus assumed the reigns of sov ereignty over his infant colony, till the era when his successor Augustus swayed an empire bounded by the confines of the known world, a regular advancement may be traced. In the first age of its existence, its limited and as yet puny resources admitted but of inconsiderable enterprizes-and the capture of a petty village within a few miles of the city was considered an important atchievment: yet by a chain of continued, though silent successes, the next age saw the unnoticed and despised descendents of fugitives and felons possessed of political consideration, and capable of coping with the most powerful of the Italian states. These by degrees yielded to the perseverance and courage of the rising community, and soon the whole of Hesperia acknowledged its supremacy. Fortune seemed to have adopted it as her favourite, and a few centuries more saw its dominions bounded only by the ocean and the trackless desart. In this situation it could not long remain :-the internal springs were already affected; and ere it could proudly contemplate the elevation to which it had attained, its glory was on the wane, and the wastings of the canker-worm had tainted the roots of the Constitution.

Even before the decline of the republic, the lofty spirit of its ancient founders was fled. Luxury, and a consequent enervation of morals and of manners, had been substituted for the pureness of patriotic virtue, for which in its earlier times it had been so celebrated; and the increase of effeminacy which attended the purple of Empire paved a speedy way for the decline of the Roman power. No longer were her nobles sought out from the retirement of a rustic life to lead their armies to conquest, and to add new glories to her name; her soldiers were now foreign hirelings, at the disposal of the most liberal in promises and in pay; an universal laxity of public spirit, and of national virtue was the consequence, and depravity of character became the surest

C

Professor of Signs.

claim to promotion. Such a state of things could not last-we all know the fate which befel that once worthy and noble nation.

Thus far have we attempted an illustration of the general doctrine of progression-our remarks might have been enlarged considerably by introducing many more instances-those connected with the arts for instance, which too have their advancements, and retrogressions; but those we have enumerated, go sufficiently to prove, that every thing in this world with which we are acquainted, is liable to constant progression.

May, 1819.

IAGO.

PROFESSOR OF SIGNS:

A TRUE STORY.

66

King James VI. on removing to London, was waited upon by the Spanish Ambassador, a man of erudition, but who had a crotchet in his head that every country should have a Professor of Signs, to teach him and the like of him to understand one another. The Ambassador was lamenting one day before the king this great desideratum throughout all Europe, when the King, who was a queerish sort of man, says to him, Why I have a Professor of Signs in the northernmost college in my dominions, viz. at Aberdeen; but it is a vast way off, perhaps 600 miles." "Were it 10,000 leagues off I shall see him,” says the Ambassador, " and I am determined to set out in two or three days." The King saw he had committed himself, and writes, or causes to be written to the University of Aberdeen, stating the case, and desiring the Professors to put him off some way, or make the best of him.

The Ambassador arrives, is received with great solemnity; but soon began to inquire which of them had the honour of being the Professor of Signs? and being told that the Professor was absent in the Highlands, and would not return nobody could say when, says the Ambassador, "I will wait his return though it were twelve months." Seeing that this would not do,

Professor of Signs.

and that they had him to entertain at a great expense all the while, they contrived a stratagem:— -There was one Geordy, a butcher, blind of an eye, a droll fellow, with much wit and roguery about him. He is got, told the story, and instructed to be a Professor of Signs; but not to speak on pain of death! Geordy undertakes it. The Ambassador is now told that the Professor of Signs will be home next day at which he rejoiced greatly. Geordy is gowned, wigged, and placed in a chair in state, in a room of the college; all the Professors and the Ambassador being in an adjoining room. The Ambassador is now shewn into Geordy's room, and left to converse with him as well as he could; the whole Professors waiting the issue with fear and trembling. The Ambassador holds up one of his fingers to Geordy; Geordy holds up two of his: the Ambassador holds up three; Geordy clenches his fist, and looks stern: the Ambassador then takes an orange from his pocket, and holds it up; Geordy takes a piece of barley cake from his pocket, and hoids that up. After which the Ambassador bows to him, and retires to the other Professors, who anxiously inquired his opinion of their brother. He is a perfect miracle, says the Ambassador; "I would not give him for the wealth of the Indies." "Well," say the Professors," to descend to particulars." "Why," says the Ambassador, "I first held up one finger, denoting that there is one God; he held up two, signifying that these are the Father and the Son: I held up three, meaning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; he clenched his fist, to say that these three were one: I took out an orange, signifying the goodness of God, who gives his creatures not only the necessaries, but the luxuries of life; upon which the wonderful man presented a piece of bread, shewing that it was the staff of life, and preferable to every luxury.

The Professors were very glad that matters had turned out so well; so having got quit of the Ambassador, they next got Geordy, to hear his version of the signs. "Well, Geordy, how have you come on, and what think you of yon man?" The "rascal,' says Geordy, what did he do first think ye? he held up one finger, as much as to say, you have only one eye; then I held up two, meaning that my one was perhaps as good as both his: then the fellow held up three of his fingers, to say that there was but three eyes between us; and then i was so mad at the scoundrel, that I steeked my neeve, and was to