manuscript; but the first statutes of Robert I. are erroneously called Statuta Roberti de Bruys Secundi ejus nominis. I beg your lordship's opinion as to the authenticity of the statutes of Robert II. in Skene. The concluding chapter is a great evidence in their favor.

The Leges Burgorum seem to be of David I., but with later interpolations. It is natural to think that our burghs had the first regular laws.

The Quoniam Attachiamenta seem far later. In a brieve in this manuscript the style is "Robertus Dei gratia," &c. Skene has only Rex," &c. This manuscript differs much from Skene.

Next in this manuscript are the statutes of David II. totally different from those in Skene. They are a mixture of those ascribed to Alex. II. and Robert I. in Skene, with many not in Skene at all.

The Leges Forestarum here fill near eighty pages: in Skene about eight. Many of them in this manuscript refer to burghs, sailors, &c. May not these laws be. those of the forests, or south of Scotland, about Jedburgh and Selkirk ? At any rate they should have been published as in the manuscripts. They seem from this manuscript to belong to Alexander II.

The first statutes of Robert I. are not so numerous as in Skene; and yet there are some here that are not in Skene. I follow the order of the manuscript.

The statutes of William differ almost entirely from Skene. Those of Alexander II. agree pretty well; but the order differs.

The second statutes of Robert I. agree to ch. 21. with the first in Skene: then they vary much.

Those of Robert III. agree better than any of the rest; but they also vary towards the end.

From this detail your lordship will perceive, that the differences between this manuscript and Skene are prodigious. I should wish very much to know, if the manuscripts examined by your lordship vary as much; and if any of our lawyers or antiquaries have critically examined our old statutes, and endeavored to ascertain them to the proper monarchs. This can only be done by collating the manuscripts and preferring the most ancient. I suspect, however, that Skene's work is an abstract digested by him; and that the old manuscripts agree much among themselves.

I am much obliged to your lordship for the hint concerning Froissart, but beg leave to mention that the best manuscript of his work is in the British Museum; and that all the editions en lettre Gothique, (there are about ten,) are far fuller than the editions by Sauvage.

LORD HAILES TO MR. PINKERTON.

Edinburgh, Feb. 28th, 1791.

I am favored with your letter: the present state of my health will not permit me to make a long answer. You appear not to be acquainted with my tract on Regiam Majestatem. Many years ago I projected an edition of our laws; but

different avocations prevented me from making much progress in it. I met with a copy of the laws of Robert I. in the chartulary of Moray; and, that manuscript being of the age of that king, I considered it as the most authentic. I collated all the good manuscripts which I could find; and I drew up some explanatory notes; and there the

matter rested. There is a confusion in our ancient statutes, which I never had time to unravel: for example, there is somewhere in the statutes of William, the Lion, a law similar to one in the Friderician Constitutions later than the days of William; and I see many examples of the same laws ascribed to different kings. Lord Kames thought favorably of the second statutes of Robert I.: I did not think so favorably of them. It is hard to say what of Leges Burgorum are Scotish, what English: the truth is, that the laws and regulations of the two kingdoms were nearly similar. I cannot enter into a detail of the reasons of their similarity.

DR. JOSEPH WARTON TO MR. PINKERTON.

Winchester, April 28th, 1791.

I am confident you will pardon me for availing myself of that freedom, which lovers of literature sometimes take with one another, in troubling you with a letter on a passage in your excellent and valuable Collection of Ancient Scotish Poems. You say, page 138, Vol. I., that Dr. Beattie has

informed you, that the Ode on the approach of Summer, published in the Union, was written by a Mr. Seton. I must beg to inform you that it was written by my brother, the late Mr. Thomas Warton, and that I saw it, at the very time it was written, forty years ago, and have, this moment, lying before me, the first original rude draught of it. I often pressed him to own it; and, as I have just collected all his poetical pieces, I have inserted it in the collection to be immediately published. I imagined you would like to be informed of this; and I must assure you I shall be happy to see you, if you ever come this way, and shall be glad of finding some opportunity of visiting you in town.

DR. THORKELIN TO MR. PINKERTON.

Copenhagen, Aug. 29th, 1791,

"Praise from thy lips 'tis mine with pride to boast:
"He best can give it, who deserves it most."

Accordingly, I esteem your encomiums on my Sketches as the most illustrious mark of your friendship toward me and my native country. In my judgment, indeed, you have conferred on me a service in so generous a manner, that it alone demands my highest gratitude. But how far I may be able to give you proofs of my obligation, time will learn. Since I came here, I have been busy in getting my things in order; and yet two years at least will expire till every thing is settled.

The archives require an immense time; for, as I am a stranger in that honorable office, I have thought it prudent to petition his majesty for the appointment of a committee, through the hands of whom I may receive the records, and know for what I am to become answerable. In the mean time, that is to say, till the archives shall thus be delivered, you will think my leisure hours are not very few; nor are they few, I must confess; but these are sacred to the continuation of the diplomas of the Arnea Magnean Legacy. Besides, I intend writing some sketches of my tour in Scotland. The people here are mighty fond of knowing distant countries, while they are charged with forgetting their own home. However, the liberty of the peasantry is at length settled in a manner, which will, in all probability, never suffer any inroads. In my Sketches, I mentioned that some of the Jytlandish nobles had complained of the proceedings of those, who were appointed commissioners. The attorney-general answered these complaints; and the nobles found themselves violently hurt, and filed an action against him before the High Court of Justiciaries. The attorney-general, too, was not idle the cause was tried, and the gentlemen totally defeated. Besides pecuniary fines to a considerable amount, two of the plaintiffs have lost their badges of distinction (obtained formerly from the Court,) on account of their behaviour unbecoming gentlemen. The whole affair on both sides is published and laid before the public. In fine, the liberty of the press gets new friends every day, under the