P.Nasmyth del

ROSENEATH CASTLE the Seat of HIS GRACE the DUKE of ARGYLE.

For the Scots Ma ̧ & Edin' Lit? Mis" pub. by A. Constable &C.o 1 July 1809,

Description of ROSENEATH. ROSENEATH, one of the principal residences of the Duke of Argyle,

is situated near the southern extre

mity of a peninsula, formed by Loch Long and Loch Gair, on the western boundary of Dumbartonshire. It lies opposite to the town of Greenock, at the distance of about 8 miles. A few years ago, the former building having been destroyed by fire, his Grace rebuilt it with great additional splendour, from a magnificent design by Mr Bonomi, Architect, which is nearly completed. It may now rank with the finest in Scotland; and we therefore conceive that the present view of it cannot fail to be acceptable to our readers, and to the admirers of that spirit of improvement at present so conspicuous throughout Scotland.

Corrections and Additions to the Biographical Account of JOHN HOME, Esq.

THE following corrections and ad

ditions to the account of Mr last number of this magazine, have Home's life, which appeared in the come to our knowledge, from the best. authority.

Mr Home was born at Leith, and was the son of Mr Alexander Home, Town Clerk of that place. He was born on the 13th September 1722.→→ He received his first education at Leith, under the care of Mr Hugh Millar, master of the grammar school of that place.

He was settled at Atholstoneford in the year 1747.

Agis was written before Douglas, and he took it to London with him in the year 1749, but did not then succeed in getting it represented.

The collection of his plays in 1787 included another play, not mentioned

SIR, Ition that we IT is with feelings of great satisfac

tion that we occasionally observe, in the periodical work under your superintendance, hints and suggestions for the improvement of this city; a subject which we should feel happy in observing more frequently brought forward. Many topics have been discussed in a style flattering to the industry and discrimination of your correspondents, and we take this opportunity also of expressing to you our tribute of applause.

The principle of doing good, ought to be recognized as the master spring

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lic, is at all likely to result from a mese display of critical acumen, or of controversial writing. Actuated therefore by the desire of contributing to the advantage of our native place, we purpose at present to call the attention of your readers (among which number we hope there will be found some of those possessing both the ability and inclination to aid the undertaking) to some hints relative to an institution closely connected with our renowned medical school,-the Botanic Garden. That elegant and accomplished scholar Henry Home (Lord Kames) in one of his essays, on GARDENING, ETC. chap. xxiv. has expressed as his opinion, that "It is not easy to suppress a degree of enthusiasm, when we reflect on the advantages of gardening with respect to virtuous education. In the beginning of life the deepest impressions are made; and it is a sad truth, that the young student, familiarized to the dirtiness and disorder of many colleges pent within narrow bounds, in populous cities, is rendered in a measure insensible to the elegant beauties of art and nature; and it appears to us far from an exaggeration, that good professors are not more essential to a college, than a spacious garden sweetly ornamented; but, at same time, without any thing glaring or fantastic, so as upon the whole to inspire our youth with a taste no less for simplicity than for elegance."

Here we shall, in the first place, express the satisfaction we derive from the admirable style in which the Botanic Garden is at present kept, at least in so far as depends on the Saperintendant. We have long been familiar with this garden; but at no period in our observation can we discover a more judicious plan to have been pursued in the management of the various plants, (which indeed

their

7th edition.