what means the worm fhould be made fenfible of its danger, it is perhaps impoffible to divine. A young Obferver.

N. B. In both the inftances I obferved, the worm that made its escape was of a bright, lively, red colour, more fo than is common among this class of reptiles. Whether this could be afcribed to the ardour of the chace, or whether it was only accidental, I cannot pretend to say, as in both cafes I allowed the worm to make its efcape without detaining it for future obfer

vation.

The Editor is much obliged to the writer of the following ftrictures, which he makes hafte to infert. Truth is the great object of his researches; and every person who affifts in discovering it, he fhall deem his fupporter and friend. It was no fmall recommendation to him of the plan he has adopted, that it seemed to be particularly calculated for the attainment of truth; and he is happy to obtain fuch an early practical proof of it as this article affords. Opinions are often taken up haftily from others without examination, and are retained merely from that indolence of mind which is natural to man, and from the limited sphere of his powers. No man can reflect deeply on every fubject, and thus is apt to flide carelessly into error: he is therefore much obliged to those who shall take the trouble to put him right, when this happens to be his cafe, and without troubling himself to have the benefit of their researches communicated to him. Once more therefore he begs to return his beft thanks to the writer of the following paper; and his future correfpondence, or that of others who think in the fame liberal manner, will be deemed a particular favour.

YOUR edition of the fong called the flowers of the foreft, has occafioned the following remarks.

There is a strange propenfity in perfons of genius, to obtrude forgeries on the public, and a still stranger, propensity in the public, to admit them as genuine, without any examination at all.

Let me give a few inftances in proof of this; they are the first that occur to my memory. "The me

moirs of a Cavalier" was twenty years ago an efteemed book of authentic history: that it was a forgery, fome unknown writer demonftrated, in an Edinburgh magazine; nevertheless it would have maintained its reputation, had not a fudden zeal for the glory of Daniel Deffe lately announced him as the ingenious forger.

There are many who ftill believe Hardicnute to be, an ancient ballad, though the language, manners, every thing, fhew it to be a modern composition, and though the author be perfectly well known.

"The travels of Mr. Marfhall" had their reign, though fhort, over popular credulity. Genelli and Kolben ftill keep their ground.

"The letters of Pope Ganganelli" were read with much admiration, even by proteftants: but Voltaire detected the imposture, and justly; for he owed that to the public.

It is but the other day that "the letters of the Duchefs of Orleans" came out with a new affortment of characters and anecdotes. The impofture hardly lived to fee a tranflation from the French.

To this refpectable group I add "the flowers of the foreft;" but with a material difference: moft of the others aimed to mislead in matters of hiftory; but this was merely a jeu d'efprit, and its value is not leffened when we confider it as a modern compofition.

Flodden-field happened near the beginning of the 16th century. The fong is in the language of the 18th, An acute critic obferved thirty years ago, that in the reign of James IV. there were no preachings to which lads and laffes reforted as to a fair. In the reign of Charles II. and James II., fuch preachings were very ferious things, and the appearing at them was hazardThis fingle word brings down the date of the

ous.

ballad to the revolution.

"Bogle about the stacks" could never have been an amusement unless in a corn country, which certainly the foreft, or Selkirkshire, was not in the reign of James IV.*.

There are many people alive who converfed with those who lived at the beginning of this century; let thofe fay that they ever heard a tradition of that ancient ode as we now have it. The author, if still alive, will do well to ftand forth and difabufe pofterity. I am, &c.

THE greatest part of the works which the public efteem at prefent, have only arrived by degrees at that univerfal approbation,(e. g. Shakespear). A fuccefs too brilliant at the first, affords but a bad angur for its continuance, and only proves the mediorcity of the work. Beauties which are within the reach of all the world, immediately make their impreffion; great beauties are often lefs ftriking, and it is rare that a work of the first merit, obtains, at the beginning, the fuffrage of a great number. It is only a few who are able at once to feel the force of fingular excellence: but by degrees the falfe glare which dazzled at the firft begins to wear off, and men gradually discover beauties that at first escaped their notice. This difcovery occafions an agreeable furprise. They return to the fubject, and discover ftill more; fo that their admiration continues to augment from day to day.

* It is true the battle of Flodden was fought on the borders, where little ground could then be cultivated: But the effects of it were felt over all Scotland, as the army was collected from every part of the country; fo that this remark feems to be not fo well founded as the pthers in this effay. Note of the Editor.

Rofline Caftle.

Ar dead of night, the hour when courts
In gay fantastic pleasures move,
And, haply, Mira joins their sports,
And hears fome newer, richer love;
To Roflin's ruins I repair,

A folitary wretch forlorn;

To mourn, uninterrupted, there,
My hapless love, her hapless scorn.

No found of joy difturbs my ftrain,
No hind is whiftling on the hill;
No hunter winding o'er the plain;
No maiden finging at the rill.
Esk murm'ring through the dusky pines,
Reflects the moon's mift-mantled beam;
And fancy chills, where'er it fhines,
To fee pale ghofts obfcurely gleam.

Not fo the night, that in thy halls,
Once, Rofline, danc'd in joy along;
Where owls now fcream along thy walls,
Refounded mirth-infpiring fong:
Where bats now reft their fmutty wings,
Th' impurpl'd feast was wont to flow
And beauty danc'd in graceful rings,
And princes fat where nettles grow.

What now avails, how great, how gay;

How fair, how fine, their matchlefs dames! There fleeps their undistinguished clay,

And even the ftones have loft their names*. And you gay crouds muft foon expire:

Unknown, unprais'd their fair one's name. Not fo the charms that verfe inspire; Increafing years increase her fame.

* Many of the names on the grave-ftones here are quite obliterated through age.

Oh Mira! what is ftate or wealth?

The great can never love like me;
Wealth adds not days, nor quickens health,
Then wifer thou, come happy be;
Come, and be mine in this sweet spot,
Where Efk rolls clear his little wave,
We'll live; and Esk fhall, in a cot,
See joys that Rofline never gave.

An English correfpondent in Laufanne expreffed great anxiety to have the following lines put into the first number of our miscellany, with the title below prefixed to them. It is not difficult to perceive the reason of this anxiety in him, though it cannot affect those in Britain. As the lines however have great intrinfic merit, we hope no exception will be taken at indulging our correfpondent in this respect.

A Picture of Government, a la moderne, drawn by an old Mafter.

In the commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit, no name of magistrate;

Letters fhould not be known; poverty and riches,
And use of service, none; contracts, fucceffion,
Bourn, bond of land, tilth, vineyard, olive, none;
No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
No occupation, all men idle, all,

And women too, but innocent and pure;
No fovereignty:

All things in common, nature should produce
Without sweat or endeavour; treason, felony,
Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,
Would I not have; but nature should bring forth
Of its own kind, all foifon, all abundance,
To feed my innocent people.

I would with fuch perfection govern, Sir,
To excel the golden age.

SHAKESPEAR.