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There still subsists, in many parts of Scotland, a set of people

called cottars or cottagers, though they were more frequent some

years ago than they are now. They are a sort of out-servants of

the landlords and farmers. The usual reward which they receive

from their master is a house, a small garden for pot-herbs, as

much grass as will feed a cow, and, perhaps, an acre or two of

bad arable land. When their master has occasion for their labour,

he gives them, besides, two pecks of oatmeal a-week, worth about

sixteen pence sterling. During a great part of the year, he has

little or no occasion for their labour, and the cultivation of

their own little possession is not sufficient to occupy the time

which is left at their own disposal. When such occupiers were

more numerous than they are at present, they are said to have

been willing to give their spare time for a very small recompence

to any body, and to have wrought for less wages than other

labourers.