Ossian Collection > Journey to the western islands of Scotland

36S A JOURNEY TO THE
This, however, is not the only impedi-
ment. The Bcots^ with a vigilance of jea-
loufy which never goes to fleep, always
fufped that an Engli/hman defpifes them
for their poverty, and to convince him
that they are not lefs rich than their neigh-
bours, are fure to tell him a price higher
than the true. When LeJIey, two hundred
years ago, related fo pundilioufly, that a
hundred hen eggs, new laid, were fold in
the Iflands for a peny, he fuppofed that
no inference could pofTibly follow, but that
eggs were in great abundance. Pofterity
has fince grown wifer 5 and having learn-
ed, that nominal and real value may differ,
they now tell no fuch ftories, left the
foreigner fhould happen to colled, not that
eggs are many, but that pence are few.
Money and wealth have by the ufe of
commercial language been fo long con-
founded, that they are commonly fuppofed
to be the fame ; and this prejudice has
fpread