s minerals are in England; and, unlike their
English brethren, this source of wealth is not exhaustive but
re-current.

To the public these plantations are not only objects of beauty and an
amelioration of climate, but the thereby greatly increased wealth of the
country ensures diminished taxation.

These remarks are purposely made in the simplest language, because
chiefly intended to attract the intelligent attention of the commonality
of the people resident in, or connected with, the Highlands, and the
subject will be again brought up.

C. F.-M.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote A: According to present and approved modes of valuation, no
great time need elapse after planting before the wood becomes of
admitted value. Ten years after, the valuation will, if the wood be
thriving, equal three times the original cost, including interest and
rent.]

MONTROSE AT INVERLOCHY.

[WE consider ourselves and our readers very fortunate indeed in
having procured the following as the first of a series of contributions
from Mr William Allan, Sunderland, whose recent publication--"Heather
Bells, or Poems and Songs"--has been so favourably received by the
Reviewers. A prior publication--"Hame-spun Lilts"--was also well
received. Of the author, the _Inverness Courier_ of 19th August,
says--"You will fail, if you try, to find from first to last the
slightest imitation of a single one of the many that, within the last
hundred years, have so deftly handled the Doric lyre. Before
the appearance of this volume, Mr Allan was already favourably
known to us as the author of 'Hame-spun Lilts,' 'Rough
Castings,' and by many lively lilts besides in the poets'
column of the _Glasgow Weekly Herald_. There is about
everything he has written a sturdy, honest, matter-of-fact
ring, that convinces you that, whether you rank it high or low,
his song--like the wild warblings of the song-thrush in early
spring--is from the very heart. All he says and sings he really
means; and it is something in these days of so many artificial,
lack-a-daisical, 'spasmodic' utterances, to meet with anybody
so manifestly honest and thoroughly in earnest as Mr William
Allan." The _Dundee Advertiser_ of August 17th concludes a long
and very favourable review of "Heather Bells, &c."--"The 'Harp
of the North,' so beautiful