present languid state, bound by rheumatic pains. That the Tuatha De Danan arrived in Ireland from North Britain, and subjected the Belgians, all our old documents aver. Be assured, Sir, of any service I can render you in your present undertaking. The more it is agitated by able writers, the more the truth of history will appear. The motto of your arms, post nubila Sol, makes me look up to you as the person who will disperse the cloud cast on our history. MR. PINKERTON TO DR. CHARLES O'CONOR. Knightsbridge, near London, I was duly favored with your full and obliging letter of the 14th April, and was in hopes that your health would ere now have permitted your sending me the extracts and the poem you so politely promise. But, as they have not come to my hands, I am afraid that your great and venerable age, joined with your rheumatic complaints, have come in the way of your good intentions. My Inquiry into Scottish History prior to 1056, will not be sent to the press till next summer (1787), and will not appear till the beginning of 1788. It is a work of infinite reading and labor; and, though but an octavo volume, will cost me more pains than two quarto volumes upon an easier subject would. But these pains I cheerfully undergo, as I hope at last to settle the ancient history of my native country, upon the solid footing of facts and authorities which nothing can shake, and which shall, as the Spanish proverb runs, leave nothing in the ink-horn. Such being the case, I hope that your health will permit you, some time before next summer, to send me the extracts and poem you promise. I assure you, Sir, no service can be more acceptable to me; and I shall be most grateful for it. What is the reason that the Irish do not publish extracts at least from the Psalter of Cashell and other old monuments, with literal translations? A general reference to old chronicles, which is the common plan of your antiquaries, is very unsatisfactory, and is never allowed in the history of other countries. When manuscripts are referred to, the passage itself ought always to be produced, the page and age of the manuscript, and the place where it is. But a single pamphlet, containing extracts from the manuscripts themselves, with translations, would give more satisfaction to the literati of Europe, than all the works which have been published on your antiquities, your own excepted, which are by far the most sensible and valuable. Where is a hymn to St. Patrick, published by Colgan as of the fifth century? Is not that hymn modern Irish, and legible by any one who can read Irish of the fourteenth century? Has the language continued the same, or how are we to account for this? MR. JOHNSON TO MR. MORISON.* Kenmore, Aug. 13th, 1786. With this catalogue I send you an exact copy Taymouth House, as to forward to from one of the originals in which you will be so kind Mr. Pinkerton. I am sorry I could not send it sooner; but I spent some time in procuring the list, and find myself rather at a loss which to begin Mr. Morison, bookseller at Perth, who is occasionally noticed in this Correspondence, and whose letter will be found subsequently, giving an account of the sad death of Mr. Johnson. + I have preserved this letter, as the first intimation of Mr. Pinkerton's having turned his thoughts to the Iconographia Scotica, and as containing, what I do not know was ever published, a full Catalogue of the Portraits in Lord Breadalbane's seat at Taymouth. These portraits," Mr. Pennant observes, in his Tour in Scotland, Vol. III. p. 30, "constitute the most remarkable part of the furniture of the house;" and he has enumerated several of them, and described some. It were greatly to be desired that similar lists were kept of the portraits in all the residences of our ancient families in Britain. For want of a little care in this respect, many, within the narrow circle of my own knowledge, are no longer to be identified, though known to be intended to represent individuals of note; and I could enumerate some instances where I have heard the former possessor dwell with pleasure upon the description of family-pictures, while the present proprietor is utterly ignorant whom they are intended to portray. The late Sir William Musgrave felt strongly the importance of this: in the British Museum are preserved two volumes of original letters addressed to him, containing answers to queries regarding the portraits in different. houses; and it is plain from these, that he had intended to seek for similar information on a very extensive scale. with, as I am at present uncertain which of the noble personages Mr. Pinkerton wishes to have, and which in colors, &c. ; particularly with regard to Robert II., which I cannot find; and Robert III., which is a very wretched performance, as I have marked in the catalogue. I cannot find Eliz More, nor Mary of Guelder, which Mr. Pinkerton mentions particularly in his letter. This I have sent is undoubtedly the Annabella he wishes for: the date, &c. correspond with the date on Robert III. As I have something to do, I will wait till I hear from Mr. Pinkerton, which I hope will not be long; and will thank you to send me, by the carrier, a few sheets of the best drawing-paper in a stiff case of pasteboard, to keep it from crumpling, in the manner I spoke of. Vandyke. IN THE DRAWING-ROOM. 13 Charles Rich, Earl of Warwick, whole length For these two vide Pennant. IN THE LOBBY. 15 Sir Dun. Campbell, of Lochaw 16 Lady Margaret Stewart, his wife, daughter of Robert, Earl of Fife and Menteith 17 Sir Colin Campbell, of Glenurchie, died 1480, 18 Lady Janet Stewart, his wife, daughter of William, 19 Sir Dun. Campbell, of Glenurchie, killed at the battle of Flodden, 1513, aged 70 20 Lady Margaret Douglas, his wife, daughter of George, Earl of Angus 21 Sir Colin Campbell, of Glenurchie, died 1523, aged 55 22 Lady Mary or Margaret Stewart, his wife, daughter of John, Earl of Atholl 23 Sir Dun. Campbell, died 1536, aged 50 24 Margaret, his wife, daughter of Sir John Colquhoun, of Luss 25 Sir John Campbell, of Glenurchie, died 1550, aged 54 26 Margaret, his wife, daughter of Sir Archibald Edmonstone, of Duntreath 27 Sir Colin Campbell, of Glenurchie, died 1583, aged 84 21 Lady Katharine Ruthven, his wife, daughter of 29 Sir Duncan Campbell, of Glenurchie, died 1631 1619 1583 1550 1536 1523 1496 1440 1406 |