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paper lantern of two pence. Asuf ud Dowlah is absurdly extravagant and ridiculously curious; he has no taste and less judgement. I have seen him more amused with a titotum

than with electrical experi ments; but he is nevertheless extremely solicitous to possess all that is elegant and rare; he has every in. strument and every machine, of every art and science, but he knows

none.

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His Haram is grand, and contains above 500 of the greatest beauties of Hindustan, who are immured in high walls, never to leave it except on their biers. He has large carriages drawn by one. or two elephants, in which he may give a dinner to 10 or 12 persons at their ease; he has an immense number of domestic servants, and a very large army, and he is always at peace with his neighbours; moreover he is fully protected from hostile invasions by the Company's subsidiary forces, for which he pays 500,000l. per annum. Such is old Asuf ud Dowlah, as he is generally called, though he is now only 47; a curious compound of extravagance, avarice, candour, cunning, lenity, cruelty, childishness, affability, brutish sensuality, good humour, vanity, and imbecillity: in his public appearance and conduct he is admirably agreeable. In short, he has some qualities to praise, some to detest, and many to laugh at: he has many adopted children, but none of his own; he was married when young to one of the finest women in India, of high birth and high character: but for these 16 years he has not seen her; and report says he has never fulfilled the duties of a husband. Asuf-ud-Dowlah allows me 1800l. a year, and nothing to do but to enjoy his frequent entertainments of shooting, hunting, dancing, cockfighting, and dinners: he is very affable, polite, and friend

ly to me: he was once fond of drinking European liquors to excess, especially claret and cherry brandy, but he has lately foresworn it, and now intoxicates himself with large quantities of opium, and a green inebriating leaf called Subzee, which is pounded, diluted in water and sugar, and drank; he is very fond of the English and English manners; be eats at table with them without the silly superstitious repugnance of other Mahomedans, and he relishes a good dish of tea and hot rolls.Once he was at table, and a roasted pig by mistake was placed before him; he smiled and said, though I am forbid to eat that animal, I am not forbid to look at it. His revenues amount to about three millions sterling, and he is generally in debt. He never troubles his head about the government of his country, which is generally entrusted to rapacious ministers; all he looks to is, that there be money sufficient for his private expences. His jewels amount to about eight millions sterling; I saw the whole the day before the marriage of his eldest son Vazeer Allee; he had them collected from all parts, from his own garderobe, his women, &c. they were accumulated since the time of his grandfather Sufdur Jung to his own; I never saw such a precious sight, the good-humoured Nawab was in the midst of them handling them as a child does its baubles.Yours, &c.

SCOTTISH REVIEW.

The Poetical Works of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, Lyon King at Arms, under James V. A new edition, corrected and enlarged With a life of the Author; Prefatory Dissertations; and an appropriate Glossary. By George Chalmers, F. R. S. S. A. 3 vols,

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can be more remark. able than the revolutions of taste at different, and those not very distant periods. Perhaps not one in fifty of our readers has ever perused a poem of Sir David Lindsay : many, it is probable, till this edition was announced, may not have heard

of his name.

Yet the time has been

when these poems were read by every man, woman, and child, throughout Scotland; when they formed the task of the schoolboy, and the pleasure of the man in advanced years; when they were read by the grave for edification, by the gay for amusement. While only twelve editions of Chaucer were printed in 127 years, of Lindsay there were printed fourteen in less than half that time. Works so generally received must needs have been well suited to the genius of the time. They must exhibit a correct view of what were the tastes, and what the manners of our ancestors in the days of Sir David Lindsay. As therefore a laudable curiosity has lately arisen on these subjects, a new edition of his poems became extremely desireable, and Mr Chalmers was looked to as the person, of all others, who was best qualified for rendering such a service to the public. Apprehensions were however entertained, that amid the great undertakings in which that gentleman was engaged, he might have been unwilling to employ his talents in editing the works of another. Fortunately, however, in the course of those important enquiries into the Scottish language, and Scottish his tory, of which the public is soon to reap the benefit, Mr Chalmers had been led to pay particular attention to the writings of Lindsay, and to every thing relating to the period in

which he wrote; and he found that this undertaking would afford him an opportunity of illustrating some of the curious speculations which he had formed upon these subjects. To these circumstances we are indebted for this valuable edition of our ancient Scotish poet.

Mr Chalmers begins by gleaning, with his usual industry, all that has been handed down by tradition concerning the biography of our bard, which is not only scanty in itself, but darkened by ignorant and careless biographers, on whom our author fails not to bestow due castigation. The following extract comprises all that can be made out of his birth, parentage, and education.

The progenitors of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount were undoubtedly descended from the family of Lord Lyndsay of Bytes, in Hadingtonshire. The first cadet was probably William Lyndsay, who, being the second son, obtained Garmylton, in that county, for his appanage. William left a son

David, who appears to have acquired the Mount, in Fifeshire, from Pitblado of that ilk; as we know from the public archives.

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* Mackenzie says, "that our poet "had his education at the university of “St. Andrew's." The late biographer of Lyndsay professes his ignorance how Mackenzie knew where the poet was educated. But it is more easy to cavil, than to enquire. Sir Robert Sibin his history of Fife, 1712, that Sit Dabald was, perhaps, the first, who said,

vid was one, of the learned men who were educated at St. Andrew's. Some years ago, I requested the late Mr pro

fessor

lost his father in 1507 t. From the defect of the registers, it cannot now be ascertained, who were the actual masters of Lyndsay, at this university; but, it is certain, that the reverend David Spens, the parson of Comech, which is now the parish of Kemback, was annually chosen rector of this university, from the year 1504 to 1509, being the whole period of Lyndsay's studies; and to him young Lyndsay made his spon sio, or solemn promise of obedience, and attachment to his alma mater. lle eft the university in 1509, probably, when he was nineteen. At this age, Mackenzie sent the object of his admiration to travel over all Europe; as it was the fashion, in his own time, to send boys abroad, to learn the vices of every other country, before they knew the virtues of their own. P. 2.

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in 1490.

Among the Earl of Wemyss's Title Deeds, there is a charter by Patrick Lord Lyndsay to David Lyndsay, the son and heir to umgubile (the late) Da vid Lyndsay of the Mount, of Gary ton-Alexander, dated the 19th of October, 1507. This was followed by an instrument of sasine, dated the 6th of April, 1508. In this manner, did our David Lyndsay make up his title to his estate of Garmylton, after his father's death, as the Scottish lawyers say.

I owe this information, from the university register, to the obliging search of the reverend Dr George Hill, the principal of St. Mary's college. While Lyndsay studied at St. Andrew's, there existed only the old college of St. Salvadores. St. Leonard's college was founded in 1512; and St. Mary's college was established in 1552.-Sibbald's ira, 135.

About the age of 30, Lyndsay was introduced into the service of did not, however, occupy the digniKing James V., then a minor. He fied situation to which his talents would seem to entitle him. The care of instructing the young Monarch was entrusted to Gawin Douglas, a learned ecclesiastic; while Lyndsay's duties, according to his own account, consisted in carrying him about on his back, or "stridlingis" on his neck; in happing him well in the night-time; in playing tunes to him on the lute,

And ay quhen thou come from the scule,

Then I behuffit to play the fule.

So that the occupations of the future lion king seem to have borne a very close resemblance to those of Archy Armstrong, whom we had lately occasion to introduce to the notice of our readers. However, he appears to have rendered himself in his royal pupil. On James's prethis capacity extremely agreeable to mature advancement to the throne, indeed, he was separated, by those who had usurped the chief authority, from his amusing favourite; but he settled a pension upon him, and took care that it should always be regularly paid. On the King's emancipation, four years after, from the

tyranny of the nobles, Lyndsay, mindful that in the court men gat nothing without opportune asking, produced his Dreme, and his Complaynt, in which he reminds the King of his services and his sufferings. The lamentation was not made in vain; for in the subsequent year, at the age of forty, he was inaugurated Lion King at Arms, and incidentally became a knight. The origin of this office is involved in much obscurity; the first authentic information which Mr C. has discovered of it, was at the coronation of Robert II. in 1371. His employment in it led him not only to regulate the ceremo

nies

he was a zealous supporter. He had already sown the seeds of it, by his perpetual invectives against the dissolute lives of friars and nuns, and against the abuses that had crept into the church. And it is remarkable, that his play, in which he enlarges greatly on these subjects, was acted at court with universal applause: so much did amusement prevail over policy. Our poet does not appear to have ever been present at the meetings of the reformers, when they began to defy the established power; not probably out of fear, for he put his name to his books, even when they were most obnoxious; nor does he seem to have ever suffered any punishment, except that of a short banishment from court, to which he was soon after recalled, when his services were wanted. We cannot help thinking our author too severe in his animadversions on this part of Lyndsay's conduct. No doubt, it proceeds from his zeal for order and good government; yet even the best things may be carried too far; and considering how much the church stood in need of reformation, we cannot but honour the memory of those who brought it about, at their own imminent danger, notwithstanding any partial violence into which they may have been hurried.

nies at home, but also to accompany the most distinguished foreign embassies. He was first sent to Antwerp, for the purpose of renewing the treaty of commerce with the Netherlands. He went afterwards to the Emperor, in order to demand in marriage some of the Princesses of his house. They were well received by that Monarch, and returned with pictures of all his nieces, that James night make his choice between them. But he, either not captivated with their beauty, or preferring the alliance of France, determined upon going thither in person, and choosing his Queen. He sent Lyndsay, however, some time before to conciliate the French court to this proposal, and that they might be making up an assortment of Princesses to select from. He chose Magdalene of France. The ceremonies attending her marriage and first arrival in Scatland gave full employment to the heraldic powers of our Lion King, and these were soon afterward called forth on a more melancholy occa sion by the Queen's death, which happened forty days after her landing. James lost no time in procu ring another wife from France; but Sir David was not sent abroad on this occasion, though he acted a conspicuous part in the ceremonial of her reception. Sir David went also embassies to England and Denmark. He continued in favour during the whole reign of James V., and, in October 1542, obtained an increase of salary. There was settled on him, " during all the days of his life, two chalders of oats, for horse corn, out of the King's lands of Dynmure, in Fyfe."

James V. died in 1542, after which, we do not, find Lyndsay's name so often mentioned, nor does he appear to have enjoyed the same favour at court. This indeed is not to be wondered at: for the reformation began about this time, of which

The greatest obscurity rests upon the period of our poet's death,

Whether he were alive, on the 3d of December 1557, when the congrega, tion took a formal shape, by the signature of a bond of association, is uncertain. I believe, that he died, about that time; though there are some, who say that he lived till 1567. With all his celebrity, our poet and reformer died obscurely. Nor is there any tradition when, or where he was buried; though a very intelligent husbandman, of the age of eighty-three, who farmed the Mount for forty years, says, he has always heard, "that Sir David was a "great poet and preacher, a warrior

" and

"and scholar: and that he was killed, "either at Flodden-field (1513,) or "Pinkie (1548,) or in some other bat"tle with the English." Such is tradition! We know, however, that Sir David was alive in 1555; and that a man of his years, and character, must have died quietly in his bed. He must of course have been inhumed among his fathers, in the family vault, within the church of Ceres. Yet, as I am assured by my active and intelligent friend the reverend J. Macdonald, who made enquiries on the spot," the fami"ly vault, at Ceres, has not a single inscription, nor is there any legible "tombstone, in this churchyard, older "than 1669." Such is the fate of sublunary things! The dwelling of Sir David is down; and his family is mingled with the undistinguishable mass.

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P. 42. Besides the life of the author, Mr Chalmers gives also, 1. The chronology of his poems, 2. An account of their successive editions, 3. An enquiry who were the licensers of the press, while his works were successively printed, 4. What were the writings of Lyndsay, 5. Au historical view of his character as a writer, 6. Of the epochs of the different people who successively settled in Scotland, 7. A philologi cal view of the Teutonic language of Scotland, from the demise of Malcolm Canmore to the age of Lyndsay, 8. An examination of the language of Lyndsay. We would strongly recommend the perusal of all these to the curious reader, tho' they abound with such a variety of facts and discussions as makes it im

possible to attempt any analysis of them. We cannot forbear, however, to present our readers with the following view of the different people who have settled in Scotland; which contains the result of twelve years investigation, and the outline of what will be illustrated at greater length in Mr C.'s "Caledonia."

1. It is demonstrable, as a moral certainty, that South and North Bri

tain were originally settled by the same Gaulish tribes. The descendants of the original colonists continued to speak the Cambro-British tongue till the abdication of the Roman government in Britain and, in topographical language, the people of Edinburgh, unconscious of the fact, speak the aboriginal British to this day. The descendants of the first colonists acquired the name of Picts, during the fourth century; enjoyed this name, at the epoch of their conquest in 843, and have even transmitted their name to the present times, though their language was early merged in a cognate tongue. 2. The middle of the fifth century may be assigned, as the epoch of the settlement of the Anglo Saxon people on the Tweed, and the Forth. The descendants of those settlers gradually overspread the country, which, from them, acquired the name of Lothian; and Avon, and from the hills to the Forth, while proper Scotland, lying northward of the Frith, was inhabited by the Scoto-Irish conquerors of the Cambro-British Picts. The Saxon language continued to be spoken, in Lothian, from that epoch to this day, intermixed, however, with cognate Danish, from the mouths of the Danish people, who settled among the Anglo-Saxons, during the ninth and tenth centuries. 3. The commencement of the sixth century is the epoch of the arrival of the Irish settlers in Cantyre; and they overran Argyle, and the ample extent of Western-Scotland, from the Clyde to

which extended from the Tweed to the

Cape Wrath'; imposing every where

new names on places, in their own language, which was cognate with the original Cambro-British. 4. A new colony of Irish arrived in Galloway, towards the end of the eighth century, who overspreading the whole country imposed new names on places, in their to the Nith, and Clyde, every where own descriptive speech. 5. The year 843 is the epoch of the conquest of the Picts, by the Scots, a congenial people, who overspread the whole country, during the effluxion of two centaries, emine from the Gallic names, which ven up to the Tweed, if we may determay be even now traced along the Tweed, and the Merse. 6. Some of the descendants, of the aboriginal Bri

tors

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