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"from different parts at a high price." (Arctic Zoology, vol. i. article Schetland.)

After experiencing the harshness and severity of Thule's criticisms, I confess that I am not displeased thus to catch this whole host of Shetland landlords in the toil. They are evidently reduced to this dilemma: They must either admit that Mr Pennant, whose candour and gentleness they have so highly extolled, is less candid and more harsh than P. N. whom their champion has so violently traduced: or, they must admit, that they united their pens in apostrophizing an author whom they never read! By the former alternative, I involve them in matchless inconistency; by the latter, I convict them of ignorance or folly.

a specimen before the public, the reception of which was so little favourable as to induce him not only to give up his intention, but to leave poetry altogether, and betake himself to more solid and useful employments a measure, of which we hesi tate not to express our cordial approbation. Lately, however, some persons, (whose friendship, we think, would have been better withheld) persuaded him that these poems were not deserving of the ill reception they had experienced, and that he should make another trial of the public taste. In consequence of this advice we are here presented with a metrical version of Calthon and Colmal, Oina-Morul, Darthula, Croma, and Berrathron. The following version of perhaps the finest passage in Ossian, may enable our readers to determine how far our sentence has been just.

(P. 283-4-)

Again the winds abate, their distant breath,

Delusion mocks, or great Fingal I hear, In fainter murmurs, dies along the heath. (His voice hath long been absent from my ear)

He calls his son." Come,Ossian, come away!

"Thou must at length the debt of nature pay!

"Then join those friends, whose neverdying praise

"Shall in thy songs descend to future days.

"Though short, our lives were bright: like flames that cast

"A temporary blaze, we shone-then past.

"But though extinct, and silent are the plains

"That echo'd once; we live still in thy strains!

"The harp in Selima w was not idly strung,

"And long shall last the themes our poet sung!

"Then come, my son! no more delay, but join

"Aloft on clouds, the heroes of thy line."

Un

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Just as these poems were sending celebrated dissertation on the authento the press, appeared Mr Laing's ticity of Ossian, on perusing which, our author, fired with patriotic zeal for his favourite bard, instantly seiz ed the pen, and produced a preliminary discourse in his defence. This discourse is both longer, and of more indeed a great deal of reading, tho' value than the poems; it displays the author has not brought much of it to bear upon the subject in question. He begins with the discovery of alphabetic writing, and traces its Happening, in the course of this disprogress throughout all nations.— Cussion, to mention the Phenicians, he gives a history of that nation, and of all their colonies We have then an account of the different orders of poets in Europe, from the Celtic the present day. At last Mr Macbards down to the poets-laureat of Donald comes to the dissertation, and attempts to reply to it, but does not, on this head, bring forward any thing very new or interesting. He makes a long extract from the Literary the question, many of whose positions, Journal by a writer on the same side of however, he endeavours to contravert, This we think unfortunate, for considering how formidable an opponent they have found in Mr Laing, it would certainly be advisable for both parties to drop their private animosities, and unite against the common

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Large round stones were placed near the gates. The robust generally tried their skill in throwing them. Wrestling was another favourite pastime. There were declared champions of this profession, who went about, and challenged all that would not own their superiority. Leaping and running were other common diversions. If, to these manly exercises, we add the fatigues of hunting, it is plain they were sufficiently inured for a military life. And indeed from their manners, habits, and hardships they underwent, we may class them among the strongest, most active, and indefatigable men in the world.

From the barrenness of their mountains, and severity of their climate, it is hardly necessary to observe that luxury was utterly unknown to them. They had no appetites of their own creation to satisfy. Happy in their ignorance of refinements, and by nature temperate, they rested contented with a mere competency. When their fare proved coarse, it was made palatable by hunger and custom; and when scanty, the deficiency was rendered easy by parsimony and patience. Their food was the natural produce of a wild, rugged, and ill-cultivated country; such as its hills, forests, rivers, lakes, and seas supplied.

Even when feasted by the chief, trunks of trees covered with moss, served for seats, while large portions of beeves and deer, boiled or roasted, were placed before them on rough boards, or hurdles made of twigs wove together. During the repast, the piper played, and silence was observed. When all were satished, the Sigácrehin, or drink shell, went round, while the bards celebrated those of their ancestors, most renowned, not only for military atchievements, but for generosity aud virtue.

These rude traces of ancient heroism and hospitality exist no longer. Of all the officers that formerly composed a chieftain's household, the piper is the only one who still maintains his situation. The office of bard hath ceased above half a century. Besides men of this profession, many others could repeat a number of ancient poems. But of these, few, or none, are now to be found. Almost a total change has taken place in the habits and manners of the Highlanders. Ever since the attempt made from that quarter, towards the middle of

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New Works published in Edinburgh.

PICTURE of Edinburgh; con

taining a history and description of the City, with a particular account of every remarkable object,

or establishment connected with the Scottish metropolis. Illustrated with a Plan and upwards of thirty engravings in wood. By J. Stark. 12mo. pp. 504, 58.

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2. Lectures on Belles Lettres and Logic By William Barron D. D. late Professor in the University of St Andrews. 2 vols. 8vo. 11. Is. 3. Treatise on the External Qualities

of Minerals. By Robert Jamieson L. L. D. &c. 8vo. 4s.

4. A Letter to the Author of the Examination of Mr Stewart's Pamphlet, by Professor Playfair. 8vo. 2s.

5. The Edinburgh Review No 14. This number contains Lord Liverpool on Coins-Knight on Taste-Poulin, Saisons de Thomson-Roscoe's Leo X.-Marmontel, Memoirs -Ellis and Ritson's Metrical Romanceses, -Forsyth's Moral Science -Life of Dr Johnson-Dutens sur l'usage des Voutes-Kotzebue's Travels in Italy-Playfair's edition of Smith's Wealth of Nations-Mercer's Poems-Francis's Speech on Maratta war- -Clark's Tomb of Alexander. 5s..

6. The Farmer's Magazine, No 25.

2s. 6d.

7. The Edinburgh Medical and Physical Journal, No. V. 3s.

8. The Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. I. to IV. 4to. 61.

New Editions.

1. The Lay of the last Minstrel. By Walter Scott. Third edition. 8vo. Jos. 6d.

2. The Poetical works of Hector Macneill. A new edition, corrected and enlarged. 2 vols. 8vo. 14s.

Scottish Literary Intelligence.

THE

HE Highland Society, with a due attention to the honour and interests of their country, have resolved to take under their consideration, the best means of collecting and of preserving what yet remains of Galic literature and music. It is the more necessary to pay immediate attention to these objects, as there are few now living who can read the language in which the most ancient manuscripts are written; and those persons who still preserve in their memory remnants of Galic literature, are rapidly dying away. As these measures must be attended with very considerable expence, a general subscription has been set on foot among the members of the society and other friends of literature, both at home and abroad; and the Society itself has contributed one hundred gui

neas.

John Struthers, author of the "Poor Man's Sabbath," has composed another poem entitled "A Visit to the House of Mourning." This self-taught poet, like the English Bloomfield, practises the trade of a journeyman shoemaker in the city of Glasgow.

It appears by the records of the Town Council, that the celebrated Professor Maclaurin was introduced to them by a letter from Sir Isaac Newton, which has been unfortunately lost. On this illustrious re

commendation, Maclaurin was appointed Assistant and Successor in the office of Professor of Mathematics; in addition to which the Magistrates very liberally allowed him 50l. a-year during the life-time of the then incumbent.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE ENGLISH and FOREIGN.

ADVICES recently received from

about

Naples contain further details relative to the unrolling of the manu scripts discovered at Herculaneum :— Eleven persons are at present employed in unrolling and copying. The manuscripts hitherto inspected amount to been interpreted and transmitted to the 140, eight of which have already minister Seratti, that they may be examined by the Academy, and ordered to be printed. These manuscripts are, six of Epicurus, entitled, On Nature. Another is by Philodemus; the title is, On Anger. The eighth wants both the ti

tle and the name of the author. It treats of nature and the worship of the gods. The next four are almost entirely explained; but they have not yet been transmitted, because Mr Hayter and the Abbe Foti, of the order of St Basil, jointly are to superintend their publication. The Abbe Foti has first to collate the copies with the originals, to supply what is necessary, and to translate. Mr Hayter collates after him, alters what he thinks proper in the supplements and translations, and delivers the copy to M. Foti, to be again transcribed. The delay occasioned by Mr Hayter in his labours, is the reason why these manuscripts have not yet been sent either to the Academy or the Minister. Their titles are as follows; one on logic, entitled On the Strength of Arguments drawn from Analogy ;Treatise on Vices and the contrary Virtues;-On Death. These three works are by Philodemus. The author of the fourth is Polistratus: On unreasonable Contempt; that is of those who despise unjustly what others commend. This manuscript is the least damaged, and many passages of it are absolutely un

touch.

touched. The other papyri are in great part by Philodemus; they treat of rhetoric, of poetry, and morality. The publication of these manuscripts cannot take place with all the expedition that could be wished, as the originals are to be engraved before they are presented to the public. This process requires much time and money, and the want of the latter will considerably retard the publication. M. Rosini, bishop of Puzzuoli, to whom the public is indebted for the fragment of Philodemus on Music, is the person appointed by the Court of Naples to superintend the engraving and the publication of these manuscripts.

Mr Humboldt is safely arrived in Berlin, where he intends to arrange and prepare for publication the numerous and most important observations he had made during his late travels in America. They are expected to make ten volumes in quarto.

According to the report of the minis. ter of public instruction, there is at present in Russia 494 institutions for edu cation, directed by 1475 masters, and attended by 33,434 scholars. The expence of these establishments costs government annually almost two millions of roubles. Among these are not reckoned those for the corps of cadets, or for

pages, the academy of arts, the schools of commerce, nor the institution for female education. Those who know the state in which Russian education was at the accession of Alexander, may judge by this detail what he has done towards enlightening his vast empire.

The catalogue of the Leipsic fair has this year contained two sheets more than usual. The musical publications have been added to it. It contains 3647 articles, furnished by 380 booksellers. The number of romances is 271, of theatrical pieces 81, and music 95.

M. Schonberger, of Vienna, one of the first landscape painters of the age, has recently been engaged in a tour of the most picturesque parts of Switzerland and Italy. His productions are principally distinguished for the happy arrangement of the objects, for the effects of the perspective, and the beauty of the colouring. This able artist is as well known in France as in Germany, by his beautiful pieces, in the exhibition of 1804. These were a View of the Environs of Baiæ, near Naples, at sun-rise; the Fall of the Rhine, near Schaffhausen; and the Cascades of Tivoli, by moon-light: performances, in which the touch and the native graces of Claude le Lorain were discoverable.

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