of the proportion which it is judged necessary to observe in the size of the volumes. I am very desirous to put it off my hands, and as soon as the dissolution of the partnership of Mundell and Co. is completed, and the literary property settled, I am ready to give my assistance in finishing it. I have no pecuniary interest in it. I will thank your Lordship to point out the poem which seems exceptionable, from the printed copy in your possession. The miscellaneous pieces are of unequal merit, as is usual in the short pieces of our best poets.

"I delayed replying to your Lordship's inquiries concerning Mr. Weber, in the hopes of having an early opportunity of announcing the appearance of his work. When it came out I procured a copy for you, to class with your other collections of that kind, intending to send it by Dr. Trail, whose departure has been delayed by a succession of bad colds and deafness. Mr. Brush has taken it off my table, and put it into his portmanteau. I will send by Dr. Trail Cromek's Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, and some other things, if you think proper. Weber is a German, his mother an Englishwoman, with whom he lives here, as a student, devoting his time chiefly to old English literature. As an editor he is accurate and candid, rather than learned and sagacious. He will be thankful for your Romances, if the success of the present collection encourage the publishers to venture on another, for which there are ample materials. It is elegantly printed, the impression small, and the price high; a book for libraries and book collectors. Mr. Weber is editing Ford's Plays.*

"In going over Goldsmith's Life, I will thank you to point out the particular passages which were thrust into your narrative. Lord Buchan and Lord Woodhouselie make always kind mention of you. My daughter unites in kindest respects and cordial regards to your Lordship, Mr. and Mrs. Meade and family, with your affectionate servant, RO. ANDERSON."

17th June, 1811.

"MY DEAR LORD, "Dr. Trail begins his journey to Ireland this afternoon,

Mr. Weber's edition of Ford's Plays did no credit to his knowledge or sagacity; he never collated the first editions, and was not acquainted with the language of the drama. Mr. Gifford subsequently published an excellent edition of the same dramatist.

and I have pressed somewhat heavily on him by the books I send you.

"I write this note merely for the sake of the inclosed Inscription for poor Robert Bourne. I will write to your Lordship at length by the post, as the package may not reach you for some time.

"I am ever respectfully your Lordship's affectionate humble servant, Ro. ANDERSON." "Inscription for a Mausoleum to the Memory of ROBERT BOURNE, Esq. son of the Rev. Richard Bourne, of Kildress, Ireland.

"Pause on thy way, or friend or stranger, here,
The spirit of the dead salutes thine ear;
Here, where in each endearing grace of youth,
Affection warm, pure Taste, and manly Truth,
And Piety, that heavenward points the road,
Repose, in bright expectance of their God.
Pause then, while Nature on her destin'd bier
Looks down and sheds the sympathetic tear,
To think how short a date on earth is given

To Joy's fair dream, and flowers that sprung in Heaven.
These, shown to mortal eye like angel's smile,
Bloom'd in this holy dust a little while;
Awhile bade Hope her brightest art employ,
And fill'd the friend and parent's heart with joy.
Now, Reader! mark, they deck this youthful urn,
Where sleep the ashes of lamented BOURNE.-
And if through giddy life's bewildered way
Thou followest still the phantoms that betray,
Know that, however fair and bright they bloom,
Like funeral fires, they light but to the tomb.
Yet bid not quickly her dim bounds adieu,
Nor think the grave unlovely to the view.

If thou hast half the saving virtues dear

Which warm'd the breast of him who slumbers here
Pass but this gate, (for know that all must pass,
And few the sands that linger in life's glass,)
Bright, like the rainbow o'er the walks of strife
Shall shine thy prospect of immortal life.
Is joy thy search?-the darkness melts away
Before the light that never shall decay,
Behold, enchanted man! the glorious prize!

Behind this little clod of earth it lies.

Beyond this scene, 'mid bloom of fairest flowers,

Bright burns the lamp that lights true Pleasure's bowers.

Hark! as the everlasting gates unbar

Assembled angels hail thee from afar

Their harps are strung, their brows with garlands crown'd,
That scent the bowers of Paradise around,—

'Come, wanderer! come,' their holy harpings say,
'Come from the grave, thy stains are wash'd away.'-
Hear their blest voice, and fly the walks of Sin,-
Lo! Mercy's gate is ope-prepare to enter in."

* See before, p. 201.

1

Windmill Street, 22d June, 1811.

"MY DEAR LORD, "Your Lordship's very kind letter gave me great satisfaction. Before it arrived Dr. Trail's goodness had anticipated your instructions relative to the books, and I availed myself of the opportunity of the conveyance to the full extent of his convenience. I sent him, at his departure, according to a previous agreement, four small parcels, which might be conveniently put into the carriage; containing Cromek's Reliques of Burns, making a fifth volume of his works;* Collection of Songs, with Burns's Remarks; and Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song; with Scott's edition of Miss Seward's Poetical Works; and the Collection of her Letters, published by Constable; in all thirteen volumes, in extra boards. I was aware of the pressure on the Doctor's luggage, but I could not let the opportunity go by of making some additions that seemed to be suitable to your extensive collection of popular poetry, literary biography, and criticism. The volumes are elegantly printed and high priced; and being intended for libraries are eagerly bought up by the collectors of books, Mr. Cromek has been very successful in his illustrations of popular antiquities and manners; but the genuineness of some of his traditional songs may be reasonably doubted; "The Mermaid" particularly, one of the best. I should like to have your Lordship's opinion of them. He has inserted in the Collection of Songs the account of Ritson's death, which, as it came through your hands and mine, you will not be displeased to see. I wrote for him, among other things, the account of James Tytler, which he has awkwardly acknowledged. Miss Seward's Works, especially her Letters, touch on persons and times interesting to your Lordship. They are written, almost throughout, with a disgusting affectation of verbal ornament, and are everywhere tinctured with personal, political, and poetical prejudices. Her illiberal treatment of Darwin and Hayley, the first objects of her idolatry, admits of no excuse. Sir Brooke Boothby re-assured me yesterday, that Darwin, to his certain knowledge, himself wrote the first fifty lines in the Botanic Garden, from a short copy of verses on his garden at Lichfield, but Miss S.t sent them to the Gentleman's

Select Scottish Songs, with observations by R. Burns, edited by R. H. Cromek, vol. ii. 1810.

The Verses are in the Gentleman's Magazine for May 1783, p. 428; sent by a correspondent who signs M. C. S. and there said to be written by Miss Seward; but it does not appear the Verses were sent to the Magazine by Miss Seward herself.

Magazine with her name, and reclaimed them when he printed the Botanic Garden. Sir Brooke also assures me, from his own knowledge, that Darwin either originated, or wrote over almost anew, the greatest part of the Elegy on Captain Cook. The internal evidence is a strong proof of this account of the composition. Hayley is still living, and must have his feelings hurt by the malignant disclosure of his family differences, upon which it is not safe for a stranger to look, as they involve delicate circumstances which are only known to the parties themselves. Between the poetess and Scott and Southey, her latest idols, the commerce of flattery is extravagant, chiefly on her side. With a few exceptions, the praise of her contemporaries is sparing and invidious. Her strictures on Miss Bannerman's Poems, to which she returns with reiterated animosity in the fifth volume, are particularly harsh and acrimonious. My friend Park and I do not escape her censure for holding an opposite opinion; but mine she reckons of no value, after calling the defunct Leonidas' a fine epic poem, which is not accurately true.

"Mr. Weber has published a collected edition of Ford's Plays, in two volumes, and has in the press a new edition of Beaumont and Fletcher's Plays; and a quarto volume, entitled Northern Antiquities,' furnished by himself, with the assistance of Mr. Jamieson and Mr. Scott. The latter has in the press a new poem, which he thinks the best of his performances, The Vision of Don Roderick," the subject of the Spanish ode of Luis de Leon, Count Julian's bringing over the Saracens, to avenge himself of Don Rodrigo, the last of the Gothic kings of Spain. It is written in the stanza of Spenser, and claims a place among our classical and legitimate poems. I feel as I ought your kindness in allowing me the use of Langbourne, and thank you for the references to Goldsmith, which will be useful. I was glad to see Mr. Brush here, for his own sake and for your sake. He would be struck by the death of Lord President Blair, the week after he saw him on the Bench. Dr. Trail will dilate on this event and the death of Lord Melville. My daughter joins in kindest regards to your Lordship and the family at Dromore House, with your affectionate humble servant, "RO. ANDERSON.

* "Illustrations of Heathen Antiquities, from the earlier Teutonic and Scalvonian Romances." Edinb. 4to. 1814. See Roscoe's" German Romances," vol. iv. p. 8.

"P.S.Dr. Trail was much hurried some days before his departure, and we exchanged letters, not visits, in the uncertainty of finding each other. The Doctor is preparing a Life of Simson the mathematician, including illustrations of the ancient Geometrical Analysis of Pappus."

"MY DEAR LORD, Windmill Street, 17th Aug. 1811. "I would have acknowledged your Lordship's very kind letter, inclosing a draft on London for 87. 11s., the price of the books I sent you, before now, had I not been desirous of having some literary intelligence to communicate that might make my acknowledgment more welcome; and as I looked for the appearance of Mr. Scott's new poem, 'The Vision of Don Roderick,' in a short time, I deferred writing to you from day to day, until my affairs drew me into Fifeshire, where my stay has been prolonged by circumstances which I could not control.

"I remain at home only a few days, and then proceed to Ochtertyre, in Perthshire, to spend some weeks with my friend Mr. Ramsay, in consequence of an engagement I made when he was in town, about two months ago. Mr. Ramsay is a country gentleman who has devoted a large portion of a long life to classical literature and historical antiquities. He was the intimate friend and neighbour of the late Lord Kames, and has been an accurate observer of all the remarkable passages in his time. His lucubrations on the characteristic features of manners, arts, government, religion, and literature in Scotland, during the last sixty years, fill ten folio volumes, of 700 pages each. Besides the benefit which my health and spirits may receive from the fine air of the mountains, the object of my visit, at this time, is to inspect and arrange with Mr. Ramsay his MS. volumes for a posthumous publication,* and to contrive to make it obligatory upon a distant relation, to whom he leaves, by will, his estate of 1,500l. a-year, under the superintendence of a literary trustee, to be appointed in his will, with a suitable compensation for his trouble. I

* Mr. Ramsay, of Ochtertyre, was, it is believed, cousin-german to the father of Mr. David Dundas, Her Majesty's present Solicitor-General for England, and M.P. for Sutherlandshire. He was an excellent scholar, and noted for his elegant Latinity. Three letters of his, with specimens of his talent in the art of inscription, will be found in Burns's Works, by Currie, II. pp. 107, 115, 120. He was the Jonathan Oldbuck of Scott's "Antiquary;" see Chambers's Illustrations of the Waverley Novels. The MSS. alluded to are still at Ochtertyre, the property of the Solicitor-General, and were never printed, either because no such bequest as that mentioned by Dr. Anderson was made, or because the survivors did not deem their publication expedient.