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sive and approved plan, compiled and published, among other aids, it directed its attention to the MSS. containing the materials prepared by the contributors to the dictionary formerly in view; but, from various causes, the Society was successful only in some instances.

Referring to the two printed statements published by the Society, respecting the dictionary now compiling, it will be observed, that, besides the Scoto-Celtic, it is to embrace much of the Irish dialect of that language. Rendering the signification of the Gaelic vocables in Latin must add greatly to the general utility and interest of the work.

The principal publications in the Gaelic language, since the date of Dr M'Lagan's letter, it is believed, are, the translation of the Sacred Scriptures into that language, chiefly by Dr Stewart of Luss; the poems ascribed to Ossian, from the Gaelic MS. of them found in the repositories of the wellknown Mr James M'Pherson; and two editions of a Gaelic grammar, by the Rev. Mr Stewart of Dingwall. Some school books, catechisms, poems, &c. have also been published in the interval.

June 3d, 1817.

C. G.

Note B.-"The Highland Society of Scotland, impressed with the importance of having a dictionary of this ancient and expressive language, upon such a comprehensive plan as should explain and illustrate it, not only to their own countrymen but to the general scholar and antiquary, after having obtained possession of the most ancient MSS. of various dialects of the Celtic, and other materials for the work, appointed, in 1814, a committee of its members, conversant with the subject, with authority to take immediate and effectual measures for

the compilation and publication of such dictionary.

The committee availed itself of the opinions of some of the most eminent Gaelic

scholars in this country, in fixing the plan of the work, and afterwards intrusted its execution to two gentlemen whom they have every reason to believe are well quali

fied for the task.

As the plan of the work, formerly circulated by the committee, appears to have given full satisfaction, it may be mentioned, in reference to that plan, that it embraces all the words of the Gaelic or Scoto-Celtic language that can be collected, either from authentic literary compositions, or from the vernacular dialect of the present inhabitants of the Highlands of Scotland; a principal object being to shew what the language has been, as well as what it now is.-From the intimate connection of the Irish dialect of the Celtic with that of Scotland, and from the consideration that many of the ancient MSS. are written in the former, the dictionary will also embrace much of the Irish

dialect. The leading signification, and the various derivative and secondary meanings, of each Gaelic word, will be given, not only in English, but also in Latin, in the view of giving more general interest and utility to the work in foreign countries. The etymology of words, as far as can be distinctly traced, is to be briefly indicated, and corresponding words of the same origin in other languages, to which the Gaelic has an affinity, are to be given. It is proposed to prefix to the dictionary a dissertation on the origin, antiquity, relations, and internal structure of the Celtic dialects, with an epitome of Gaelic grammar."

LETTER OF DR VINCENT, THE LATE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER.

[A correspondent, to whom the subsequent letter was addressed, has sent it to

us.

"The writer," he observes, "was not more eminent for his great learning and conspicuous station in society, than for the genuine kindness of his nature, and the upright simplicity of his whole conduct. His works, illustrative of ancient navigation and commerce, are of a degree and kind of erudition of which the lettered labours of modern Englishmen have produced few examples. He was pious from principle, and attached to the church, of which he was a dignified member, because he firmly believed its forms to be rational and its tenets scriptural. He was many years at the head of Westminster school. That school has, since the days of Busby, annually sent forth its shoots to expand in all the walks of talent, valour, and high rank. Of Dr Vincent it may be well said, in the words which Mr Horner used when drawing an outline of the character of his late master, Dr

Adam, The men who were educated in that school, during his time, will long reattachment both to himself and to the purmember how he inspired his boys with an suits in which he instructed them, and will

always regard his memory with affection and gratitude. In this letter your readers will

not fail to remark that tone of good sense

and right feeling, which, more than sprightliness of manner or variety of remark, distinguishes the epistolary effusions of our countrymen."]

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but, from their want of Greek, were of necessity placed in our lower classes. He replied much at large on this subject; but his conclusion was, "Greek in Scotland is the business of the University, and that is the reason we have so little Greek in our country." I afterwards learnt that he had had a contest with Dr Robertson on this question, and had latterly taught Greek in the High School. I think it probable that his letter may be preserved, and when I go to London I will look for it.

I never saw Dr Adam but once, when he spent a day with me at Henly, which passed, I believe, with mutual happiness to both parties; but I know all his extreme attention to his profession, and his excellent method of teaching. His publications were not merely useful, but the best of their kind. The Antiquities and Latin Dictionary were formed upon an excellent model, and the former, particularly by giving the Latin phrases for the circumstance explained, was one of the best school books published in my time. His Geography was correct, in respect to which I claim some merit, as I recommended the engraving of D'Anville's maps to accompany it, which completed the work, and I believe promoted the sale.

The remainder of our correspondence related chiefly to Dr Doig of Stirling, who was a very excellent Greek scholar, and whose article of Philology, in the Encyclopædia, will do him lasting honour. I had, through Dr Adam, much intercourse with him, and much satisfaction from it. He was rather systematical, but highly informed, and exceedingly acute.

The last letter I received from Dr Adam related to my work on the Commerce of the Ancients. He was manifestly not satisfied with it, and reproved me kindly for not making it a more popular work;-but to have done this I must have formed a plan totally different, and I should have been thought to have encroached on Dr Robertson's • Disquisitions. If it has done me credit in the north, credit is all that I wanted, and I have been gratified more by its estimation in your country, and on the Continent, than by its reception at home. The French translator published two large editions at once, in quarto and octavo, while in London only 150 copies have been VOL. I.

sold of my second edition: But I am contented with the approbation of some of the most excellent judges of the age, and the reception it has met with in India and abroad. I sent a copy of my second edition to the Advocates' Library; and I will thank you if you will inquire whether a copy of my translation of the two Greek Tracts reached that collection last year. It is the completion of the work :—if it arrived I need not trouble you to write again, if otherwise, upon hearing from you, I will send it.

When I can look into my papers, if I find any thing of Dr Adam's worthy of communicating, I will convey it to you. I respect him as one of the most indefatigable instructors, and one that loved his profession. I never loved it, though I hope I did my duty. There is a pleasure in teaching and seeing the progress of the attentive;-but the inattention of the many, and the anxiety of the charge, is a sad counterbalance to the pleasure. I am now, thank God! in retirement, ease, and affluence. I am at anchor (as Paley expresses it), after the storms and fatigues of life; and with an affectionate family around me, feel all the blessings that the age of seventy-one is capable of enjoying. These, I trust and hope, will never fail till they are replaced with better prospects. Believe me, dear sir, your most obedient and faithful servant,

W. VINCENT. Islip, September 24, 1810.

P.S.-I shall be in town in October, and will be happy to receive your work, which you may send up, by means of Ballantyne, to Cadell & Davies. Mr H- -n

22, Prince's Street, Edinborough.

OBSERVATIONS ON MRWORDSWORTH'S LETTER RELATIVE TO A NEW EDI

TION OF BURNS' WORKS;

By a Friend of Robert Burns. [The following communication, for the critical department of our Magazine, was transmitted to us from England, by a gentleman of distinguished literary talents. We had not then read Mr Wordsworth's induced us to insert the Observations here, "Letter," but a consequent perusal of it has as they partake more of the character of an original essay than of a review. We wish our Magazine to be open to liberal discus2 L

sion; and if there seems to be too much acrimony in some of our correspondent's remarks, we fear that the poet has set him the example. The Letter is before the public, and the public will judge between the parties.]

IT has been generally understood, that a new edition of Burns' Works is preparing for publication by Cadell & Davies, and that Mr Gilbert Burns is to furnish a Life of his illustrious brother. The more editions of the immortal Scottish Bard the better; and we have no doubt that Gilbert Burns, a man of feeling and intelligence, will do himself honour by his share in the publication. There is something very touching and affecting in the idea of brother performing this sacred duty to brother, the grave, the sedate, and the reflecting mind, describing the life and character of the more highly-gifted, but also the more erring and unfortunate.

It would appear, that Gilbert Burns had communicated to Mr James Gray of the High School of Edinburgh, a inan, we understand, of ability and virtue, his intention of writing his brother's life, and that he had request ed the aid and advice, which that gentleman is, in many respects, so well qua lified to bestow. A pamphlet soon after appeared, we presume in consequence of this request, containing Observations, by a Mr Peterkin, on the criticisms in the Quarterly and Edinburgh Reviews upon Burns' life and genius, and a letter from Mr Gray to the said Mr Peterkin, comnunicating what he knew of Burns' habits and mode of life; and, if we distinctly understand the pamphlet, the result of the inquiry seems to be, that, in the opinion of these gentlemen, the character of our great poet has been ignorantly, wantonly, and grossly traduced,-that he was not addicted to dissipation,—that he was a most exemplary family-man, and that all stories to the contrary are exaggerations, fabrications, and false

hoods.

This pamphlet, it appears, Mr Gray transmitted to Mr Wordsworth, requesting the opinion of that celebrated person, on the best mode of composing the biographical memoir. Mr Wordsworth writes to Mr Gray a very long and laboured Letter on the subject, and of that Letter we shall give our readers some little account.

But, in the first place, we conceive that Mr Wordsworth has made a slight mistake, in saying that Gilbert Burns has done him the honour of requesting his advice. This does not appear to have been the case; the request was made by Mr Gray, and not by Mr Burns, who, we have good reason to know, was scarcely aware of Mr Wordsworth's existence,-had never read a single line of his poetry,-and had formed no idea, good, bad, or indifferent, of his character.

In the second place, it appears that this " Letter" was originally a private communication to Mr Gray,-and it is a pity that it did not remain so; for we think that there is great indelicacy, vanity, and presumption, in thus coming forward with printed and published advice, to a man who most assuredly stands in no need of it, but who is infinitely better acquainted with all the bearings of the subject than his officious and egotistical adviser.

In the third place, Mr Wordsworth says, "do not give publicity to any portion of these (his opinions), unless it be thought probable that an open circulation of the whole may be useful;" and to this very pompous injunction he adds, in a note, "that it was deemed that it would be so, and the Letter is published accordingly." We wish to ask Mr Wordsworth, Who deemed it would be so? Did Gilbert Burns so deem? Did Mr Gray so deem? Or was it only Mr Wordsworth himself who did so deem? We believe that the latter gentleman alone recommended its publication.

-

In the fourth place, it is natural to ask, what peculiarly fits Mr Wordsworth to give advice on this subject? He has never lived in Scotland,-he knows nothing about Burns,-he very imperfectly understands the language in which Burns writes,-he has not even read those publications which are supposed to be unjust to his memory;yet, in the midst of all this portentous ignorance, and in the face of these manifest disqualifications,-he has the effrontery to offer advice toGilbert Burns, one of the most intelligent and strongminded men alive, on a subject nearest and dearest to his heart, which he has doubtless contemplated in every possible light, and of which he must know many deeply interesting particulars, unthought of by the world.

In the fifth place, if Mr Wordsworth really feels all that anxiety for the reputation of Burns which this Letter might lead us to suppose, and if he thinks Dr Currie's life of the poet most injurious to his memory, what could have kept him silent for twenty years? Why not come forward boldly and unasked, unsupported either by Mr Gray or Mr Peterkin, to vindicate the slandered reputation of a man of genius? We shall have occasion, by and bye, to shew, that his present zeal is of a mixed character, and not altogether free from that egotism for which this gentleman is so disagreeably distinguished.

Having made these preliminary remarks, and cleared our way a little, we now come to the "Letter," which contains some general advices to Gilbert Burns, some peculiar notions on the subject of biography in general, some severe charges against Dr Currie, -a sort of critique on the poetical genius of Burns, a philippic against the Edinburgh Review, and a panegyric on the Author of the Excursion. First, his advice to Gilbert Burns. The utter dulness, triteness, and absurdity, of this part of the Letter are almost beyond credibility.-"I strenuously recommend, that a concise life of the poet be prefixed from the pen of Gubert Burns, who has already given public proof how well qualified he is for the undertaking." This is really humorous, What was Mr Wordsworth dreaming about? All this was fixed long ago;-there was no need of any recommendation from him. What would he think of the understanding of a correspondent who should recommend him to go on with his Poem, the Recluse, and who at the same time gave him advice how to write it." If it be deemed adviseable to reprint Dr Currie's narrative, without striking out such passages as the author, if he were now alive, would probably be happy to efface, let there be notes attached to the most obnoxious of them, in which the misrepresentations may be corrected, and the exaggerations exposed."--What novelty, ingenuity, and profundity of thought! We entreat Mr Gilbert Burns to pay particular attention to this advice; for it may probably not have occurred to him, that he must not aid and abet the calumniators of his brother's memory." I know

no better model as to proportion, and the degree of detail required, nor, indeed, as to the general execution, than the life of Milton by Fenton." These three passages are the most important that we could discover; and we hope that Mr Gilbert Burns' gratitude will be in proportion to the value of the advice. The pompous inanity of all this is unaccountable, and affords

melancholy proof how vanity, selfconceit, arrogance, and presumption, finally undermine the intellect, and can reduce a tolerably strong understanding to the very lowest level. The other advices which he gives form a complete system of mystification. He tells Mr Gilbert Burns to speak the truth,-and that boldlybut he is not to speak all the truthyet he is not told what to conceal ;— then he is to consult his conscience;

then he is to beware of undue partiality;-and, finally, " to fix the point to which Burns' moral character had been degraded!"—And here we may remark, that Mr Gilbert Burns had better inform the public what degree of truth there is in the following stanza of Mr Wordsworth, while that gentleman himself will be pleased to shew its consistency with the abuse he throws on Dr Currie, for unundisguisedly admitting that Burns was too much addicted to the use of spirits. In an address to the Sons of Burns, Mr Wordsworth thus speaks of their deceased father:

"Strong-bodied, if ye be to bear
Intemperance with less harm, beware!
But if your father's wit ye share,
Then, then, indeed!

Ye sons of Burns, of watchful care
There will be need."

Mr Wordsworth himself has here said, in miserable doggrel, what Dr Currie has said in elegant prose.

The second part of the letter contains Mr Wordsworth's notions on biography, and these, we think, if modified and qualified, tolerably rational and judicious, though delivered with a most laughable solemnity and true Wordsworthian self-importance. He wishes to say, that biographers have no right to lay before the world the habits, customs, and private characters, of literary men; and that such information makes no part of their duty. He thus oracularly speaks:

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"Such philosophy runs a risk of becoming extinct among us, if the coarse intru

sions into the recesses, the gross breaches upon the sanctities, of domestic life, to which we have lately been more and more accustomed, are to be regarded as indications of a vigorous state of public feeling

favourable to the maintenance of the liberties of our country.-Intelligent lovers of freedom are, from necessity, bold and hardy lovers of truth; but, according to the measure in which their love is intelligent, is it attended with a finer discrimination, and a more sensitive delicacy. The wise and good (and all others being lovers of license rather than of liberty are in fact slaves) respect, as one of the noblest characteristics of Eng lishmen, that jealousy of familiar approach, which, while it contributes to the maintenance of private dignity, is one of the most efficacious guardians of rational public free

dom."

But, passing from such general disquisition, Mr Wordsworth commences a most furious and a most unfair attack upon Dr Currie's Life of Burns, which, in his opinion, is false, crude, erroneous, imperfect, and unphilosophical. Let us see how he makes out his charges against that excellent man, whom all the world, save Messrs Wordsworth and Peterkin, consider an admirable biographer. He accuses Dr Currie of "sacrificing Burns' memory, almost without compunction." This is false. Never, in any one instance, does Dr Currie speak of the failings or errors of Burns, but with emotions of pity and indulgence; and the concluding sentences of his Life' are of themselves sufficient to vindicate his memory from this absurd and insolent slander.

"It is indeed a duty we owe to the liv. ing, not to allow our admiration of great genius, or even our pity for its unhappy destiny, to conceal or disguise its errors. But there are sentiments of respect, and even of tenderness, with which this duty should be performed; there is an awful sanctity which invests the mansions of the dead; and let those who moralize over the graves of their cotemporaries reflect with humility on their own errors, nor forget how soon they may themselves require the candour and the sympathy they are called upon to bestow."

There is more sense, more feeling, more truth, more beauty of expression, in this small paragraph, than in all the thirty-seven pages of Mr Wordsworth's epistle.

But when Mr Wordsworth brings his specific charge against Dr Currie, what is it?-He accuses him of narrating Burns' errors and misfortunes, without affording the reader any in

formation concerning their source or cause. This error of the biographer, he says, gave him "acute sorrow," excited "strong indignation," "moved him beyond what it would become him to express." Now Mr Wordsworth might have spared himself all this unnecessary emotion; for the truth is, that no man can, with his eyes open, read Dr Currie's Life of Burns, and the multitude of letters from and to the poet which his edition contains, without a clear, distinct, and perfect knowledge of all the causes from which the misfortunes and errors of that mighty genius sprung. His constant struggles with poverty through boyhood, youth, and manhood,—the warmth and vehemence of his passions,-his sudden elevation to fame and celebrity,-the disappointment of his hopes,-the cruel and absurd debasement of his occupation,-the temptations which assailed him from every quarter,-his gradual and increasing indulgences, the sinkings of heart and soul which consequently oppressed him,-his keen remorse for every violation of duty which his uncorrupted conscience often forced him to feel more acutely than the occasion seemed to demand,-the pure and lofty aspirations after a nobler kind of life, which often came like a sun-burst on his imagination,— his decay of health, of strength, and spirit, the visitations of melancholy, despondency, and despair, which, at the close of his eventful life, he too often endured;-this, and more than all this, Mr Wordsworth might have learnt from the work he pretends to despise: and with such knowledge laid before the whole world, shame to the man who thus dares to calumniate the dead, and to represent as the ig morant, illiberal, and narrow-minded enemy to genius, him who was its most ardent admirer, its most strenuous, enlightened, and successful defender!

Mr Wordsworth brings another accusation against Dr Currie, equally false with the preceding. He asserts, that Dr Currie spoke of Burns' errors and failings in an undisguised and open manner, because the social condi tion" of the poet was lower than his own; and that he would not have ventured to use the same language, had he been speaking of a gentleman. Of this no proof is given, and it is there

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