to Lady Grey; and St. Maur was made happy with his faithful Eleanor.

If the reader be ftricken with the ingenuity difcoverable in the invention and arrangement of this ftory, he will find, on the perufal of the entire work, more to applaud in the manner in which the incidents are detailed, and the characters unfolded; in the propriety of the political and moral fentiments interfperfed through the work; and in the generally neat and correct style in which they are written ;-by a female pen,-unknown to us.

ART. XVI. Tranfactions of the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland, Vol.I. [Article concluded from p. 22.]

E

We now fit down to take notice of those few remaining articles which, in our apprehenfion, correfpond more completely with the title of this volume.-The firft is of a very curious kind; on the Expedients used by the Scots before the difcovery of metals. The paper is fhort; and its author, W. C. Little, Efq. expreffes his hope that his attempt to illuftrate fo obfcure a topic will excite fome future inquirer to a farther investigation. The period of which he writes is much prior to the descent of Julius Cæfar on Britain. Stone, no doubt, as it has been with other nations in an unpolished state, afforded a principal affiftance: in fupport of which idea, Mr. Little appeals to fubfifting relics belonging to the Society: one of thefe, a hatchet, is made of green blood-ftone, very finely polifhed. It may be queried, how the age of this utenfil can with certainty be ascertained?-Flint alfo might be used for arrow heads, javelins, &c. hence, likewife, fays this writer, could be produced a knife, a faw, a piercer; and, by an easy tranfition to bone, the antient Scots were provided with the awl, the bodkin, and the needle: horns and fhells naturally pointed out their uses. Cannell coal, it is obferved, was another fubftitute for metal, as is inferred from a clasp and a large fibula in the Society's collection. I own, (adds Mr. Little), it gives me pleasure to obferve, that even in the most remote period our anceftors were neither deftitute of arms nor domestic conve niences.'

A Differtation on the Scoto-Saxon Dialect is prefented by the Rev. Alex. Geddes, LL. D. It is ingenious, learned, and instructive. The Doctor appears to allow that the Scots received this dialectfrom England, and he affigns various reafons for its progrefs and peculiarities. He fpeaks of the prefent English tongue, (Normanic-Dano Saxon,) as fo much amended, amplified, and embel lished, fince the revival of letters, that it is, confefledly, one of

the moft correct, moft copious, and moft energetic languages in the world. At the fame time, the Doctor remarks that, had the Scots, remaining a feparate nation, continued to improve and embellish their own dialect, inftead of fervilely aping the English, they would at prefent be poffeffed of a language in many points fuperior.-As it is impoffile, however, for us to produce in our work any adequate account of this intelligent and fcientific effay, we fhall only take notice of the manner in which he mentions the Culdees, when he fays of them, whose morals were not the moft edifying, nor their learning the most extenfive.'-Dr. G. fhould at least have informed us to what period of their hiftory he applies fuch a defcription. We leave it, however, to Mr. Ledwich to fettle the point with him.

6

Dr. Geddes's letter was immediately occafioned by his having been elected a correfponding member of the Society. It introduces three Scottif poems, written in the Scoto-Saxon dialect, which, until of late, was the general language of all the Lowlands of North Britain, and is ftill prevalent among the people of the north-eaft provinces. The firft of thefe is an epiftle to the Prefident, Vice-prefident, &c. of the Society. It begins thus,

How fal the Mufe o' modern days
Attemp in geud old Scottis phrafe,
To thank you for the mekil honour
So graciously confer't upon her?'

In this manner it proceeds, with great vivacity and humour. The other poems are, the first Eklog of Virgil, and the firft Idillion of Theocritus, tranflatit into Skottis vers.-The intelligent reader will doubtlefs perufe with pleafure this differtation, and be also amufed by the poetry with which it is accompanied. Some of the affertions and obfervations will certainly admit of debate, at the fame time that they difplay the knowlege and genius of the author.

In a Differtation on the Scottish Mufic, by W. Tytler, Efq. the writer rejects with difdain the notion that David Rizzio was either the compofer or the reformer of fongs in North Britain: I hope, (fays he,) we will no longer hear the abfurd tale, that the Scottish mufic was either invented or improved by an Italian, when we see it proved, by fo great an authority as Tani, that the Scottish melodies, above two centuries ago and in his time, had been adopted in Italy.'-The great æra of poetry, as of mufic, he imagines to have been from the beginning of the reign of James I. to the end of James V.-but it is not practicable for us to attend him in his remarks. We concur with him in admiring feveral of thefe old fongs, fome of which, from their artlefs fimplicity, may probably be attributed to an age

prior to James I. who is efteemed the inventor, or rather the reformer, of the vocal mufic. Mr. Tytler claffes them, as far as conjecture may be allowed, under different æras, to the time of the Union; in doing which he has refpect to those moft diftinguifhed for originality of air, agreeable modulation, and expreffion of the fubject.-'From a review of thefe airs, (he concludes,) they will ftand the teft of comparison with the mufic of any country, and afford entertainment to the moft refined tafte.'

It is a common defect in fome who pretend to fing, to affect to fmother the words, by not articulating them, so as we scarce can find out either the subject or language of their fongs. This is always a fign of want of feeling, and the mark of a bad finger; particularly of Scottish fongs, where there is, generally, fo intimate a correspondence between the air and the fubject, Indeed there can be no good vocal mufic without it.'

Differtation on the Marriage of Queen Mary with the Earl of Bothwell; by Wm. Tytler, Efq. in a letter, written at his re queft, to the late Rev. Dr. Robert Henry. It is intended to prove that the Queen was literally conftrained to this detefted. marriage. A fet of men, the moft daring and profligate that ever difgraced the annals of hiftory, are faid to have fabricated a net into which he was drawn; a rape was perpetrated; and the unfortunate princess was compelled to the connection which fhe abhorred.-For the particular evidence, we refer to the letter.

The articles which we have here felected, united with thofe in our former account, are fuch as appear moft properly to fall under the title of this volume, as being relative to antient and diftant periods: there are others, fuitable indeed to the work, though of not very remote reference; and there are alfo fome which, in our view, do not fo well accord with it.

Account of the Parish of Haddington, by the Rev. Dr. George Barclay, may be confidered as a ftatistical history, or work of the topographical rather than the antiquarian kind.

Account of the Parish of Uphall in Weft Lothian, communicated by Lord Buchan. This article is ingenious and fenfible. The noble author alfo prefents the Society with, Memoirs of the Life of Sir James Stewart-Denbalm, Baronet, who was born A. D. 1713, and died in 1780. It is a well written and agreeable performance, though it cannot boaft of being antique. We tranfcribe from it the few following lines; in which his lordhip, writing concerning the earlier years of his relation, obferves,

His attention to the elements of language was diverted by the want of perception, at that early period, of their connection with utility, and there were few, if any eyes at that time fharp enough, to forefee

the

the refpendent and beautiful bloffom of his faculties, in the contracted bud. The confideration of this circumftance, which is not uncommon in the experience of schools, ought to incline the protectors and conductors of them, to wait with patience for the later fruits of the human understanding; and the appearance of early and promifing bloffoms ought, on the other hand, to be observed, with moderate expectation, as often arifing from premature exertion, and giving birth to no future greatness or ability.'

A Plan for a royal Foreft of Oak in the Highlands of Scotlands by Mr. John Williams, mineral-furveyor, furely merits a very ferious regard; and must excite the exertions of those perfons who have a fuitable refpect for their own private property, or for the public benefit. This effay is followed by a report on the fubject, by the late Sir Alexander Dick, of Prefton-field, Baronet, who warmly expreffes his approbation of the patriotic fcheme.

The Defcription of the Parish of Aberlady, by the Rev. Neil Roy, D. D. is exprefsly ftyled topographical. We fhall extract from it one fhort paragraph, because it seems to convey fome ufeful hints:

There are no charity funds, or mortified money, in the parish, but the 1600 merks by Sir Peter Wedderburn. The poor, who are not very numerous, are fupported by the weekly collections at the church-doors, aided occafionally by a voluntary parochial affeffment, of which the tenants pay one half. These affeffments have been fo are and fo moderate, that for one and twenty years paft, the heritors have contributed, at an average, no more than one pound feven fhil lings fterling annually. The valued rent of the parish amounts to 74451. 6s. 8d. Scots."

Obfervations on the Vifion, by W. Tytler, Efq.-The Vifion is a poem, faid to have made its first appearance in a Mifcellany called the Ever-green, published by Allan Ramfay in the year 1724; it was united with others which were known to be of fome antient date: but, as it is found only in this collection, doubts have arifen concerning its antiquity. Mr. Tytler of fers reafons of fufficient validity to affure the public that this, together with another poem entitled the Eagle and Robin Red breaft, are of Ramfay's compofition: each of them bears at the end the fignature of A. R. Scot, which he now discovers to fignify Allan Ramfay, Scotus. Other evidence is almoft needlefs, when we are informed that a daughter of the poet yet living made an explicit and pofitive declaration that her father

was the author.

Letter from the Countess-dowager of Nithfdale to her fifter the Countess of Traquair, giving an account of the Earl's escape out of the Tower in 1716. This fenfible and fpirited lady, who faved her husband's life and preferved the family eftate for her fon,

was

was the daughter of William Marquis of Powis. The relation is curious and interefting.

Original Letter of Bishop Burnet to the Bishop of Edinburgh.This letter was written in the early part of Burnet's life. It is dated 5th March 1666. In this year, as he himself informs us, he executed a refolution which he had formed of drawing up a memorial of the grievances which Scotland lay under by the bad conduct of the bishops. His defign was communicated to none: but he fent copies of this memorial to all the bishops of his acquaintance. He was called before them, and treated with great severity. To his diocefan, the bishop of Edinburgh, he apologizes for his conduct; and, at the fame time, with a modeft and manly fpirit, he recommends a reformation.

Life of Mr. James Short, optician. Lord Buchan, much to his honour, here pays a tribute of refpect to the memory of a very ingenious man. Mr. Short was born at Edinburgh, A.D. 1710, and died at Newington Butts, near London, in 1768. His mechanical genius difcovered itfelf early, and happily found encouragement. His proficiency in optics, and his improvements of telescopes, cannot foon be forgotten. He accumulated a handsome fortune; two-thirds of which he left to two nephews, and the refidue in legacies to his friends. Among thefe legacies, is the bequeft of 1000l. to Lady Mary Douglas, (now Countess of Aboyne,) the daughter of his patron the Earl of Morton; and, in cafe his nephews died without iffue, he configned the reverfion of his eftate to the fame Lady; who, at the defire of her father, generously relinquished it in favour of Mr. Short's brother, Thomas.

We have now enumerated most of the different articles* contained in this volume. When the reader cafts his eye on the dates in feveral papers, in what we may call the fecond clafs, he may poffibly think of the poet's line- Go and pretend your family is young-They are, indeed, worthy of prefervation: but Scottish antiquities lead the inquirer to expect fubjects and eras of more diftant times. The collection, however, prefents to us a very confiderable portion of information and entertainment; and we have perufed it with pleasure. Six engravings accompany it. Some Scotticifms occafionally occur, but they are not fo numerous as might have been expected.

We have paffed, unnoticed, a few papers of inferior importance, for the fake of brevity.

ART.