Gazetteer of Scotland

ROX
ROX
the influence of various natural pro-
penfities, which induced men to flock
to the icene where active talents were
conftantly employed, honour acquir-
ed, and the ftrongeit natural antipa-
thies gratified, there were obvious
considerations of intereft, which rend-
ered the lituation of the borders more
eligible, after violence and hoftility
were repreffed by the union of the
two crowns, and the confequent in-
terpoiition of the legiflature of both
the kingdoms. The inhabitants of
the borders, while the taxes and com-
mercial regulations of the two king-
doms were different, enjoyed the op-
portunity of carrying on a very ad-
vantageous contraband trade, without
danger to their perfons or fortunes.
Into England they imported fait, ikins,
and malt, which, till the Union, paid
no duties in Scotland ; and from Eng-
land they carried back wool, which
was exported from the Frith of Forth
to France, with great profit. The vef-
tiges of 40 malt barns and kilns are to
be feen in the town of Jedburgh alone,
while at prefent there are only 3 in
actual occupation. The proprietors
of eftates upon the borders, were well
aware of the detriment which their
property would fuffer by the incor-
porating Union, and very ftrenuoufly
oppofed it ; and the commiflioners for
carrying on that treaty, were fo fenfi-
ble of the lofs they would fuftain, that
they agreed (according to De Foe) in
his " Kiftory of the Union,'" to appro-
priate part of the equivalent money,
as it was called, to their indemnifica-
tion and benefit. The Union has alfo
been the caule of the depopulation of
the border country, by enlarging the
iphere, and facilitating the means of
emigration. While the two countries
were in a hoftile ftate, there was nei-
ther inducement nor opportunity to
move from the one to the other. The
inhabitants often made inroads upon
one another ; but, when the incurfion
was over, they returned to their own
homes. Their antipathy and refent-
ments were a rampart, which ex-
cluded all focial intercourfe and mix-
ture of inhabitants. In this lituation,
mifconduct and infamy at home were
the only motives to emigration ; and,
while this was the cafe, the exchange
of inhabitants would be nearly at a
par ; but, after the union of trie two
kingdoms, and the decline and extinai
tion of natural antipathies, the balance
ariling from the interchange of inha-
bitants would run much in favour of
the more wealthy country. Artificer:;
and labourers would naturally refort
where wages were higher, and all the
accommodations of life more plenti-
ful, efpecially if this could be erfeCted
without the unpleaiing idea of relin-
quiihing home. To pafs from the
borders of Scotland into Northum-
berland, was rather like going into
another parifh than into another king-
dom." But, of late, the border coun-
try of Scotland is becoming richer
and better cultivated ; and by the at-
tention of the inhabitants to their
natural riches, viz. their fheep and
woollen manufacture, the population
is greatly on the increale. Roxburgh-
fhire, like other paftoral countries,
js ornamented with many feats of the
nobility and gentry. Of thefe, the
chief are Flews, the feat of the Duke
of Roxburgh ; Dryburgh- Abbey, a feat
of the Earl of Buchan ; Mount-Te-
■viot, a feat of the Marquis of Lo-
thian. SpringwooJ-Park, the feat of
Sir George Douglas, Bart. ; Aacrum,
the feat of Sir John Scott ; Harden,the
feat of Mr. Scott ; M'mto and Stobbs,
feats of the Elliot family, &c. There
are many old caftles and fortifications,
which had been in ufe in the border
wars; and the Roman way, commonly
called the rugged caufeway, can be
traced all the way from Hounam to
the T-weed. There is no coal, and but
little limeftone has been hitherto
wrought in this diftrict: ; neither have
any other minerals of confequence as
yet been difcovered, except freefcone
and marl. Roxburgh fends one mem-
ber to parliament, and gives title of
Duke to the noble family of Kerr.
The valued rent of the county is
315,594!. 14s, 6d. Scots, and the real
land rent is eftimated at 102,350k
fterling.
ROXBURGH ; a parifh in Rox-
burghthite, about 8 miles long, and
4 broad at its extremities, compre-
hending an area of 7000 acres. The
I general appearance is flat and Moping;
I and the foil is moftly a rich loam,
i well calculated either for wheat or
! turnip hufbandry. It is watered by
J the Tzueed and Teviot, the banks of
I which are covered with beautiful plan-