nature, they will grow with greater rapidity, and be found more difficult to eradicate. If we sow in the Spring, therefore, we shall in the Summer reap a plenteous harvest; and while we are thus enabled to provide amply for the feebleness of age, we shall decline with chearful resignation into a tranquil and honourable grave. But if we sow nothing, we can expect to find only brambles and thistles to ob struct our progress in the spring of life, and to begin to fade ere the summer of our existence is past; hunger and fatigue will consequently deprive us of the sweets of autumn, and we shall be left in the winter to decay, unfriended and unpitied.

IV. S. M.

such an acquisition. A perfect conformity of temper, and of excellence, was the pledge of their conjugal affection: but the contests which distracted Italy, soon called the Marquis from his domestic enjoyments, and at the battle of Ravenna, where he had the command of the cavalry, he was dangerously wounded, and led, with the Cardinal de Medici, afterwards Leo X. a prisoner to Milan. Whilst confined in the castle of that place, and prevented by his wounds from bodily exercise, he devoted his hours to study; the result of which appeared in a dialogue on Love, addressed to his wife, which has not been preserved to the present times, but which we are assured was replete with good sense, eloquence, and wit. He was at length liberated from his

V

VITTORIA COLONNA.

From Roscoe's Lorenzo de Medici.

ITTORIA COLONNA was the daughter of the celebrated com. mander Fabrizio Colonna, grand constable of the kingdom of Naples, by Anna de Montefeltro, the daughter of Federigo duke of Urbino. She was born about the year 1490, and when only four years of age, was destined to be the future bride of Ferdinando d'Avalos, marquis of Pescara, then very little further advanced in life. The extraordinary endowments, both of person and mind, with which she was favoured by nature, aided by a diligent and virtuous education, rendered her the object of general admiration, and her hand was repeatedly sought in marriage by se veral of the independent sovereigns of Italy. Happily, however, the early choice of the parents was confirmed by the mutual attachment of their offspring, and at the age of seventeen she became the wife of a man who, by his great endowments, unshaken fidelity, and heroic valour, merited

of his friend the Marshall Trivulsio, and by the active part which he afterwards took in the military affairs of the time, and the many engagements in which he was victorious, acquired the highest character among the Italian leaders. Having entered into the service of the Emperor, he commanded at the battle of Pavia, in which Francis 1. was made prisoner; where he distinguished him. self no less by his magnanimity and humanity, than by his prudence and intrepidity, to which the success of the Imperialist has usually been attributed. This event he did not, however, long survive, having fallen a sacrifice to his military fatigues, and the consequences of his wounds. He died at Milan in the month of December 1525, after a short but glorious life, which has afforded ample materials for the historian. This fatal event blighted all the hopes of his consort; nor did her sorrow admit of any alleviation, except such as she found in celebrating the character and virtues of her husband, and recording their mutual affection in her tender and exquisite verse.

Soon after his death she retired to the island of Ischia, refusing to lis ten to those proposals of other nuptials, which, as she had no offspring, her friends were desirous that she should accept. In her retirement she appears to have acquired a strong religious cast of character, which did not however prevent her from exercising her poetical talents, although she, from this time, devoted them chiefly to sacred subjects. Her ex emplary conduct, and the uncommon merit of her writings, rendered her the general theme of applause among the most distinguished poets and learned men of the time, with many of whom she maintained a friendly epistolary intercourse. She was also a warm admirer of the great artist Michel Angelo, who executed for her several excellent pieces of sculpture, and appears to have enjoyed her favour and friendship in an eminent degree; she having on several Occasions quitted her residence at Viterbo, to which place she retired some years before her death, and made excursions to Rome, for no other purpose but that of enjoying his society. This affectionate attachment, equally honourable to both parties, was at other times supported by an epistolary intercourse. To her Michel Angelo has also addressed several of his sonncts, which yet remain, and in which his admiration of her beauty and accomplishments is tempered with the most profound respect for her character. It is a sin

gular anecdote preserved by Condivi, that this eminent man paid her a visit in the last moments of her life; and that he afterwards expressed his extreme regret, that he had not on that occasion kissed her face or her forehead as well as her hand. After having lived until the year 1547, she terminated her days at Rome, not having taken upon her any religious

profession, and not indeed withoufé having given rise to some suspicion that she was inclined to the doctrines of the reformed church.

Among the Italian writers who have revived in their works the stile of Petrarca, Vittoria Colonna is entitled to the first rank; and her sonnets, many of which are addressed to the shade of her departed husband, or relate to the state of her own mind, possess more vigour of thought, vivacity of colouring, and natural pathos, than are generally to be found among the disciples of that school. Her Canzone, or monody, to the memory of her husband, is however more deservedly celebrated, and is certainly in no respect inferior to that of Bembo on the death of his brother Carlo: bnt perhaps the most favourable specimen of her talents appears in her stanze, verses in ottava rima, which, in simplicity, harmony, and elegance of style, equal the productions of any of her contemporaries, and in lively description and genuine poetry excel them all, excepting only those of the inimitable Ariosto.

SCOTTISH REVIEW.

The Life of the late Professor Millar. By John Craig, Esq. (Prefixed to a new edition of his Origin of the Distinction of Ranks.)

THIS able professor, and eminent writer, was in 1735 at Shotts, a small village between Glasgow and Edinburgh. His father was clergyman, first there, and afterwards at Hamilton, and was much respected for his abilities, learning, and purity of manners. Young Millar received the first rudiments of his edu cation with his uncle Mr John Millar, who resided at Millheugh, about

eight miles from Glasgow. In 1746 he went to Glasgow college, where he distinguished himself. For some time he lodged in college chambers, and usually dined with the celebrated Dr Cullen, to whose wife he was related, and whose society must doubtless have been of great benefit to him. He was also intimate in the house of Mrs Craig, where he met with a society of inquisitive and intelligent young men, among whom was Mr Watt, the celebrated mechanical inventor, who gives the following ac. count of the figure which he there made.

"In our meetings," says Mr Watt, (in

a letter with which he honoured me relative to this memoir) "the conversa“tion, besides the usual subjects with "young men, turned principally on lite"rature, religion, morality, history; and "to these conversations my mind owed "its first bias to such subjects. Mr Mil"lar was always looked up to as the ora"cle of the company; his attainments "were greater than those of the others; "he had more wit, and much greater argumentative powers." P. iii.

66

During the course of Mr Millar's attendance on the University of Glasgow, Dr Adam Smith began to offi.

ciate in the class of Moral Philosophy; and though this was a class which he had already attended, he yet eagerly embraced the opportunity of hearing the lectures of that great man. Dr Smith soon distinguished him from among the crowd of his students, and began a friendship which continued during their whole lives. Dr Smith afterwards entrusted Mr Millar with the education of his nephew Mr Douglas, at a time when he himself could ill want his company.

Mr Millar had been sent to Glasgow with the view of being educated as a clergyman, and his father was rather anxious that he should follow that profession; but as his inclinaDec. 1806.

tion now took a decided bent towards law, he obtained, without much difficulty, permission to make the change. About this time he spent two years with Lord Kames, who had invited him to undertake the education of his son. The society of this distinguished man must have greatly contributed, both to improve Mr Millar's powers, and to give them that direction in which they afterwards became so distinguished. About this time too, he enjoyed the acquaintance of Mr Hume; and it is remarkable that, tho' differing in politics, he had zealously adopted the metaphysical opinions of that celebrated writer, which one would have thought peculiarly foreign to his steady and practical habits of thought. Mr Hume shewed him the same mark of confidence as Dr Smith, by intrusting him with the education of his nephew, now Profes sor of Scots law in the University of Edinburgh.

Mr Millar passed Advocate in 1760, and his first appearances at the bar were such as to afford fair prospects of eminence in a profession, which leads to higher distinction than any other now in Scotland; so that, says Mr Craig,

It was not without surprise that his friends learned his intention, on the death of Mr Hercules Lindsay, of applying for the Law Professorship at Glasgow. It seemed to them an extraordinary want of ambition in a young man, whose talents entitled him to look forward to the highest honours of his profession, at once to abandon all these hopes, and sit down contented with the moderate revenue, and the less brilliant reputation, of a Teacher of Law. They knew that he could not be prompted to such a step by timidity, for his temper was uncommonly sanguine; nor by indolence, for never was a mind more active. He was induced, however, to take this resolution, by his having, about this time, married Miss Margaret Craig, a lady nearly of his own age, to whom, while visiting on a familiar foot

ing

ng at her mother's, he had become strongly attached.

He saw that it was impossible for a young lawyer, whatever his abilities and diligence might be, to maintain a family, even with the most rigid oeconomy; and he was unwilling to risk the becoming a burden on his father and uncle. The emoluments of a Professor of Law were not, indeed, very great; but they were much superior to what, for many years, he could expect to reach at the bar; they were sufficient to enable him to maintain a family in a respectable manner; and, by his own exertions, he hoped to increase the number of students, on which, at Glasgow, the emolument of a Professor chiefly depends. The situation, too, if not brilliant, was highly respectable; and he was happy to think, that those speculations on law and government, which had always been his favourite studies, were now to become the business of his life, the source of his income, and the foundation of his future reputation. P. ix.

He obtained this office, and tho' there was a very general expectation of his greatly improving the reputation of Glasgow as a school of law, yet his most sanguine friends never imagined he could have raised it to that height which it soon attained under his auspices. As Mr Millar's repu tation rests chiefly upon his exertions in this capacity, his biographer has very properly entered into great detail with regard to the subjects and manner of his lectures. It had been formerly the custom to lecture in Latin, but this had been dropt by his predecessor, after whose example Mr Millar always lectured in his own language. This is supposed to have given him a great advantage over the Edinburgh professors, who delivered their lectures still in Latin, and did not discontinue that practice till af ter Mr Millar's reputation was so fully established as to prevent the possibility of any competition.

k

Mr Millar never wrote his lectures, but was accustomed to speak from notes containing his arrangement, and

some of his principal facts and illustrations. To a man who possessed a complete knowledge of his subject, and command of words, this system must have been attended with many advantages. His lectures will be delivered with greater warmth and energy; they may be enlarged when necessary to accommodate the understanding of the hearer, and may be improved from year to year, according to the discoveries made in the science, and the progress of the professor's speculations. Mr Millar is said to have excelled peculiarly in the easy, familiar, and agreeable manner, in which he delivered his instructions. He brought himself down to the level of his students, allowed them to state their difficulties and objections, and to canvass with perfect freedom the doctrines which he had advanced,

Before, says Mr Craig, a professor can admit of such a practice, he must be completely master of his subject, and have acquired some confidence in his own quick ness, at refuting objections, and detec ting sophistry. A few instances of defeat and to the discipline of the class. But, might be injurious to his reputation, should he possess a clear comprehension of all the bearings of his system, joined to quickness of understanding and tolerable ease of expression, he will derive the most important advantages from pupils. He will learn where he has failed to convey his ideas with accuracy, where he has been too concise, or where imperfect analogies have led him into slight mistakes; and he will easily find a future opportunity to introduce new illustrations, to explain what has been misapprehended, or correct what was really an error. To the students, such a practice insures accurate knowledge; it teaches the important lesson of considering opinions before adopting them, and gives an additional incitement to strict and vigilant attention. Accordingly, to be able to state difficulties by the more ingenious and attentive with propriety, was justly looked upon students as no slight proof of proficiency; and to be an active and intelligent mem

the unrestrained communications of his

ber

ber of the fire-side committee, never failed to give a young man some consideration among his companions.

P. xviii.

The proper business of his office was to deliver lectures on the Roman Law; but as he found that this might be accomplished in half the course, he employed the other in lecturing on the general principles of jurisprudence. At another hour he began, some time after, to give a course of lectures on government; and as these occupied only three days a week, he spent the same hour on two other days in giving a course of lectures on Scots Law. Lastly, a few years before his death, he prepared and delivered a similar course on English Law. Few instances will be found of such extensive academical labours, the greater part of which were spontaneously undertaken.

In his lectures on jurisprudence, Mr Millar was led to consider the foundation of morals; and upon this subject he had combined the opinions of his two friends Hume and .Smith; considering utility as the essential and fundamental principle, while sympathy gives rise to those intuitive moral judgments which we are in the habit of forming. But his great and favourite subject consisted in those speculations upon the progress of law, government, and manners, of which he has given such interesting specimens in his two publications on the Origin of Ranks, and on the English Government. His lectures an government were divided into three parts, comprising, 1. The theoretical history of mankind, or the principles which regulate their progress and civilization; 2. A view of the particular forms of government established in ancient and modern times. His work on the English constitution affords a valuable specimen of the manner in which this part

of the subject was treated, and it were much to be wished that we had also the substance of that part of his lectures which related to other forms of government: 3. A view of the present constitution of England, as settled at the revolution.

On Mr Millar's coming to Glasgow he found a literary society established, of which he soon became a zealous and active member. The business consisted in a discourse which was read by each member in his turn; and in a conversation er debate, which followed on the same subject. Mr M. was constant in his attendance, and never failed, during the period of forty years, either to deliver his essay or to take a share in the debate. His favourite subjects were those connected with the philosophy of mind; and as he had here embraced doctrines diametrically opposite to those of Dr Reid, perpetual, and often very warm discussions took place between them, which however never interrupted the har. mony of their private intercourse.

Mr Craig gives also an interesting account of the manner in which he forwarded the improvement of the young men whom he received into his house.

Besides these occupations, Me Millar had some legal practice as an arbiter and what is called a "Chamber Counsel." He wrote also seve ral anonymous political pamphlets, and some articles for the analytical review. Engrossed by his numerous occupations, he went seldom from home, but spent his summers at Whitemoss, or Millheugh, in the neighbourhood of Glasgow.

Mr Millar was led by his favourite studies to take a very warm in terest in the politics of the day; and we must say, that in his sentiments with regard to them, as delineated by Mr Craig, we do not discover the same soundness of judgement, and calmness of temper, as in his general spe

culations.