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Scotland-Ireland.

offered to dignified ftrangers, who fought for fhelter in his diftant dominions, in fuch terms as fhewed the Spanish nation that he knew what was due to himfelf and to them. Meantime, Charles Steuart arrived in England, where his good conduct was known and refpe&ted. The Spanish ambaffador, Prince Mefferano, welcomed him as the protector of his countrymen. The king's minifters endeavoured, by their attentions to him, at once to do juftice to themselves and to gratify that dignified minifter. The chancellor of the exchequer, Mr. Grenville, appointed Charles Steuart furveyor-general of the cuftoms in North America; an office of truft, wihch he difcharged, during the difficult times of the ftamp act, with the approbation of his fuperiors, and the applaufe of the peopie. On the establishment of the board of cuftoms at Bofton, he was appointed the receiver-general of the cuftoms in North America; an office, which he executed fo as to gain additional character. In 1769 he returned from America, and was, by the continued troubles of the times, confined thereafter to Britain. While enjoying, in London, his well earned fame, and eafe, his quiet was interrupted by a fingular inftance of ingratitude: his negro, Somerfet, becoming idle, from indulgence, and bafe from idleness, deferted his fervice, and infulted his perfon. An indulgent mafter was thus induced to fend a thanklefs flave on board a ship in the Thames, which was bound for Jamaica. Prompted by a little party fpirit, the law now interpofed. Somerlet was brought, by the noble writ of babeas corpus, before Lord

Agricultural Report.

Mansfield and the court of King's Bench and it was at length decided, in 1772, that a mafter could not forcibly fend his negro fervant from England to the colonies. From this decifion, it followed, whatever fuch judges as Talbot had thought, or Hardwicke had faid, that negroes could not be confidered, in this country, as flaves. This inftance of ingratitude did not prevent this benevolent man from devoting much of his attentron, and his income, to the education and eftablifhment of his nephews. He now repaid to the fons, by helping them into life, the care and the expence of his elder brother: he educated the three fons of his fifter, Cecilia, who had married the rev. Alexander Ruddach, the minifter of Kirkwall. And he had the confolation to fee, that the nephews, whom he had thus affifted, by giving, like a wife man, in his life-time, what he intended to give by his will, all did well, and diftinguished themfelves. In this manner did he diftribute, among his relations, full as much as he had to leave behind him. Having fettled his affairs at London, he retired, in 1790, to his brother's houfe in Edinburgh, where he lived in the bofom of his family; and where he died, in a good old age, with the faith of a Chriftian, and the confidence of a man who was, confcious, at the moment of death, that he had endeavoured well through life. The foregoing facts furnish the trueft character of this worthy man.

IRELAND,

Died.] At Willistown, near Dublin, Major General James Stewart. At Cork, Capt, Wm. Bright,

MONTHLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

THE copious falls of rain in the middle of this month have confiderably leffened the fears which the droughty weather, in the clofe of the laft, and beginning of the prefent, had excited. Crops, in general, continue to put on the most promifing appearances. Clovers, as well as other artificial graffes, and particularly thofe which have not been eaten in the Spring, look uncommonly well, and the pastures are extremely fresh, efpecially thofe fown down the last feafon. For fallows and fallow crops, the feafon has alfo been unufually fine, and with active agriculturists, the potatoe feed time is nearly finished, and much of the turnip grounds prepared. Summer fallows have already been moftly twice ploughed over. WHEAT, &c. in the midland counties, is rather lower.

Our reports of the fruit crops are likewife equally promifing. In the cyder diftricts, there is, generally, a very favourable appearance, and in other counties the apple crops have feldom had a more plentiful fpe&t.

CATTLE. The price of cows in calf and lean ftock, have in fome degree advanced. Butchers meat is alfo fomewhat higher than in our laft report.

SHEEP. Ewes and lambs, and indeed fheep of every kind, are getting confiderably higher in price. Wool is alfo on the rife. Beef fells in Smithfield Market from 3s. 2d. to 4s. 28, per ftone; mutton from 3s. 4d. to 4s.; pork, 25. 8d. to 3s. 8d.

HOGS. Thefe ftill continue low.

HORSES. The better fort of horfes are ftill dear, but the ordinary kinds continue low. Hors. Kentish hops produce, in bags, from 96s. to 115s. in pockets, from 1006. to The duty is laid at 95,000).

1269.

ERRATA.-In Mr. LANDSEER'S letter refpecting Mr. TILLOCK's plan for preventing the Forgery of BANK OF ENGLAND Notes, the printer omitted a part, and printed incorrectly the names of the gentlemen who were prefent with Mr. LANDSEER at the examination made at the bank, and who approved of the plan. The names fhould have been given as follows: Mers. HEATH, BYRNE, FITILERS LOWRY, SHARP, and BARTOLOZZI.

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THE

MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

XXXII.]

FOR JUNE, 1798.

[VOL. V.

About the middle of July will be published the SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER to the FIFTH VOLUME of this work, which, befides the Title, Indexes, and a variety of valuable papers, will contain a critical and comprehensive Retrospect of all the Books published during the laft fix months.

Complete Sets, or any former Numbers of this Work, may be had of all Bookfellers.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATION'S.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

Τ

SIR,

IT is no longer doubted, that by a free and reciprocal communication of ideas, which are current among different nations, not only individuals derive much benefit and amusement, but also the best interefts of science are thereby promoted.

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Whether our modern tranflators from the German have not confulted the former fpecies of advantage, rather than that refulting from verfions in favour of general literature, is not very difficult to afcertain.

Among the five or fix thousand publications annually iffuing from the German prefs, it is a matter of astonishment, that thofe in the more useful branches of fcience fhould be almost entirely overlooked by our tranflators. Upon repeated inquiries among bookfellers and publifhers in this country, during the last fifteen years, it has been generally afferted, that scarcely any other verfions from the German, but novels, ghoft-ftories, poems, and the like, would meet with a ready fale in the English market. This, however, appears to be an objection equally frivolous and ill-founded. With out prefumption it may be faid, that the want of good tranflations of fcientific works from the German, is owing in tirely to our imperfect acquaintance with the true ftate of the literature of that country. And, in order to enable the reader to judge of the great variety of books on ufeful fubjects, I have been at confiderable pains of difcovering the average number of works that have annually appeared during the last twelve years, in the following branches, which are throughout interefting to every cul

tivated mind:

On Education

On Phyfics and Natural History
On Geography and Hiftory in general
On Polite Literature

On the Arts and Manufactures
On Politics and Finances
On Mathematics

In these branches

130

310

820 690

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5360 From this fummary view of German publications, it is easy to conclude that, among such a variety, there must be a volous productions. But, as my prefent number of excellent as well as many friaim is not fo much directed to investigate the nature of the fubjects which deferve to be tranflated, as to point out a few remarks on the manner in which they have hitherto been tranflated, I must confine my obfervations within these limits.

In attempting to make a correct translation from one modern language into another, it certainly is of the utmost im Portance to preferve, as much as poffible, the fpirit of the original, to unfold, in accurate expreffions, the idiom, or genius, of the language from which we tranflate, and thus to do justice to the author. Whether a native of England or Germany is better calculated to fulfil thefe conditions, is a question that can be

Namely, from the year 1785 to the decided only by the relative degree of clofe of the year 1797. knowledge which either of these indivi 3 F

MONTHLY MAG. No. XXXII,

duals

400

Dr. Willich on Tranflations from the German.

duals poffefs of the refpective languages. Yet, if we were to judge from the number and excellence of German tranflations made of all English claffics, the advantage appears to be in favour of the Germans. Their language alfo is more copious, and, I may add, more pliable in its modern conftruction (or rather inverfion), than other modern tongues, fo as to facilitate every tranflation into it from foreign languages: and, on that very account, it is more difficult in its acquifition, efpecially as it is uncommonly loaded with particles, or expletives. Hence may be accounted for, that the French and English tranflations from the German, generally are deficient, both in point

it

of fenfe and diction.

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Sie drehen im kreife fich um,
athem entgeht.

bis finn und

Triumf, herr ritter triumf! Gewonnen ist die fchöne.

Was fäumt ihr? fort! der Wimpel weht; Nach Rom, dafs euern bund der heil'ge vater kröne!

Mr. SOTHEBY'S Tranflation.

Yet, once again, ye Mufes! once again Saddle the Hyppogryf! and wing my way Where regions of romance their charms difplay.

What lovely dreams entrance th’ ́unfetter'd

brain?

Who round my brow the wreath enchanted
Who from my ravish'd eye difpels the fhades,

braids?

That veil the wonders of the world of old?

Now conqu'ring, conquer'd now, in battle

bold,

fee the knight's good fword, the pagan's
fparkling blades.

In vain the hoary fultan foams: in vain
A wood of threat'ning lances briftles 'round:
It breathes, the iv'ry horn with sprightly
fouad,
And, whirl'd in eddying dance, the giddy

train

Spin, till their breath and fenfes die away. Triumph! the fair is won: why, knight, delay ?

In order to prove this affertion, I intended first, to furnish you with compa. rative paffages from either the "Meffiah I of Klopstock, or from fome of “ Geffner's Idylls" both of which have been most faintly and incorrectly tranflated into English. But, as I had not the originals of thefe authors in my poffeffion at prefent, I have taken the liberty of fubjoining a literal tranflation of the two first ftanzas of "beron, by Wieland;" the prince of German poets, who has very lately met with a tranflator of great poetical talents, in Mr. SOTHEBY. Yet, as I cannot approve of twisting the original of a great writer into a variety of turns and forms, merely for the fake of the rhyme, I have, as literally as was confiftent with the idiom of both lan-. guages, turned my fpecimen into blank verfe; while I have followed the author from line to line, without increafing the number of verfes, or changing a fingle A. F. M. WILLICH.

idea.

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Forward to Rome: for thee, th' extended fail,
And beck'ning ftreamer fly before the gale.
Hafte! that the holy fire may blefs your
bridal day!

Dr. WILLICH's literal Tranflation.
Once more, kind Mufes! faddle the Hyp-'
pogryf,

And Speed my ride to regions of romance!
What charms are thefe 'round my unfetter'

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Origin of the Highland Drefs..

For the Monthly Magazine.
LETTER from an ANTIQUARY to the
COLONEL of a HIGHLAND REGI-
MENT, on the HIGHLAND DRESS.

IN

N compliance with your defire, I have now the honour to send you a few remarks on the Highland drefs.

When I firft faw in the papers, that you had appeared at court in a new highland drefs, fubftituting trowfers or pantaloons for the philibeg, I was highly pleased with the improvement. The highland dress is, in fact, quite modern, and any improvement may be made without violating antiquity. Nay, the trowfers are far more ancient than the philibeg.

The philibeg cannot be traced among any of the Celtic nations, Ireland, Wales, or Bretagne, either as an article of drefs, or as an old word in their languages. Giraldus Cambrenfis, A. D. 1180, informs us, that the Irish wore bracce or breeches (that is, the long, ancient breeches, now called pantaloons or trowfers). On old monuments, the Irifh kings are dreffed in a close tunic or veft, long trowfers down to the ancle; and a long loose robe, fastened on the breaft by a large broach. Perhaps the broach might be fubftituted in your regiment for the breaft-plate, with much coftume.

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In the book of dreffes, printed at Paris 1562, from which fac-fimiles are published, the highland chief is in the Irish drefs, and I can difcover no philibeg. No part of the dress is tartan; nor is there a plaid, but a mantle. The women are dreffed in sheep-fkins; and as that fex is always more ornamented than the other, there is reafon to believe, that the common highland dress was then compofed of fheep or deer-fkins.

Certain it is, that Froiffart, though, aftonished at the fauvages d'Ecoffe, as foreigners termed the highlanders, even down to Mary's reign, and though a minute obferver, remarks no fixt appropriated dreis among them; though the plaid and philibeg, if then used, must have ftruck him as most particular.

Fordun, lib, ii. cap. 9, only mentions the highland people, as "amiclu deformis," a term which, I dare fay, you will agree with me, rather applies to a vague favage drefs of fkins, &c. than to any regular habit.

Hector Boyce, 1526, though very minute, is equally filent; but he mentions canvas hofe or trowfers, as a part of the old Scotish dress.

401

Lefley and Buchanan, 1570-1580, are therefore the first who mention the moThe former redern highland drefs. prefents tartan as then confined to the ufe of people of rank. The latter fays, the plaids of his time were brown.

Advocates for the antiquity of the philibeg fay it is borrowed from the Roman military drefs. But it is quite different; for the Roman skirts were merely thofe of the tunic, which was worn under the armour, whereas the philibeg is a detached article of drefs.

It once appeared to me that the tunic with skirts to the knee, used by the com-' mon people of England in the Saxon and Norman times (fee Strutt's plates), had paffed to the lowlands; and thence to the highlands, where it remained, as mountaineers are flow in changing fashions.

But it now feems far more probable, that the philibeg arofe from an article of drefs, ufed in France, England, Scotland, from about the year 1 500 to 1 590, namely, the ancient haut de chauffe PROPER. In Montfaucon's plates may be feen fome of these which are abfolute philibegs.

The ancient loofe bracce were followed by tight bofe, covering thigh and leg: but, as manners advanced, thefe began to feem indecent (being linen, fitting clofe, and fhewing every joint and form); and the baut de chausse (or top of the hose) began to be used. At first it was very fhort, and loofe as a philibeg; was lengthened by degrees, and Henry IV. of France wears it down to within three or four inches of the knee, and gathered like a petticoat tucked *. Louis XIII. first appears with what we now call breeches.

Hofe were ftill worn under the haut de chauffe. But as the latter was lengthened, the former were fhortened, till the prefent fashion prevailed. The Germans call breeches hofen, a term which we confine to ftockings.

But the baut de chauffe, or philibeg, at first invented for the fake of modefty, and to cover that indecent article the brayette or codpiece, has become among the highlanders moft indecent in itself, because they do not wear, as they ought, long hofe, covering thigh and leg, under the philibeg. It is not only grofsly indecent, but is filthy, as it admits duft to the skin, and emits the factor of perfpiration; is abfurd, because while the breast, &c. are twice concealed by veft and plaid, the parts moft concealed by

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402

Highland Drefs.-Names of the Deity.

all other nations are but loosely covered; is effeminate, being merely a fhort petticoat, an article of female drefs; is beggarly, because its fhortnefs, and the fhortness of the ftockings, joined with the naked knees, imprefs an unconquerable idea of poverty and nakedness.

As to the plaid, there is no reafon to believe it more ancient than the philibeg. The chief in 1562 appears in a mantle; and if the common people were then clothed in theep fkins, the plaid was fuperfluous. But I fuppofe the plaid and philibeg paffed from the low lands to the high lands about the same time. Our old hiftorians, in fpeaking of the high. landers, always judge and defcribe, as was natural, from thofe next the low lands. In 1715, as appears from Mr. Dempfter's letter, the remote highlanders were only clothed in a long coat buttoned down to the midleg.

It is to be regretted on many accounts, that our old hiftorians wrote in Latin, whence their terms are often fo vague as hardly to admit accurate interpretation. John Major, who wrote in 1521, fays, P. 54, that the caliga (hofe ?) of the highlanders did not extend below the mid-leg; and he defcribes their whole drefs to be a linen fhirt tinctured with faffron, and a chlamys (plaid, mantle, or loofe coat!) above. He is fpeaking of the chiefs. The commons he defcribes as proceeding to battle in a quilted, and waxed, linen tunic, covered with deer-skin. Not a particle you will obferve of the modern drefs.

Nothing can reconcile the taftelefs regularity, and vulgar glare, of tartan to the eye of fashion, and every attempt to But in your introduce it has failed. uniform, by ufing only two tints of a colour proverbially mild, and without glare, all fuch objections are avoided, and the general effect rendered very pleasing.

From these remarks it may be evinced, that no antiquary can object to the propriety of changing the philibeg to pantaloons, a change which, if universally introduced into highland regiments, and into the highlands, would be a laudable improvement. I have the honour to be,

&c.

N. B. On the back of this letter is a note by the colonel. "The philibeg was invented by an Englishman in Scotland, about 60 years ago,", i. e. about

1705.

*From the foregoing remarks it will appear how completely abfurd the coflume of many late painters, theatrical pieces, &c. must be in reprefenting the tartan as a Scotifh drefs in all ages. It is alfo proper to inform them, that a highlander is as different from a lowlander as a Welfhman from an English

man.

The rebellion of 1715 and 1745 were thofe of highlanders only.

The highlands comprite Sutherland, Caithness, Rofs, the weft part of Invernefs and Perthshire, and all Argyleshire.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

As circumve

S it appears to be a fingular circum

The tartan, I dare fay, paffed from Flanders (whence all our articles came), to the lowlands about the fifteenth century, and thence to the highlands. Tartan plaids were common among old women in the lowlands, in the last, and even the present century.

is

Lord Hailes (Annals I. 37,) ludicroufly fuppofes tartan introduced by St. Margaret. The writer he quotes only fpeaking of cloths of feveral colours, red cloth, blue cloth, green cloth, &c. while the Scots probably before followed the old Norwegian cuftom of wearing only black.

* It is never mentioned before the latter part of that century. It first appears in the Accompts of James III. 1474: and feems to have paffed from England, for the rouge tartarine in the ftatutes of the order of the Bath, in the time of Edward IV. (apud Upton de Re Mil.) is furely red tartan, or cloth with red ftripes of various fhades.

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