Particulars of a manuscript of Fordun's Scotichronicon in MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN. Full of complaints and irritability about the Iconographia MR. CONSTABLE TO MR. PINKERTON. Respecting books printed in Scotland between 1650 and 1660, Allows of his copying the monument of Earl Douglas in his MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN. Respecting portraits of Sir Robert Murray and other eminent SIR JOHN SINCLAIR TO MR. PINKERTON. MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN. Upon the subject of the Iconographia Scotica.—May 30, 1796. Respecting his projected translation of Sadi's Bostan, and Ne- zami's History of Alexander and his Persian Miscellanies.- With various literary information.-Aug. 30, 1796. MESSRS. MORISON & SON TO MR. PINKERTON. On the death of Mr. Johnson.-Nov. 18, 1796. MR. J. C. WALKER TO MR. PINKERTON. His increasing fondness for Italian literature, and his opinion MR. A. STUART TO MR. PINKERTON. Respecting a charter granted by Sir John Stuart to the Abbot MR. J. C. WALKER TO MR. PINKERTON. Sending a translation of some Irish romances, and criticising MR. M. LAING TO MR. PINKERTON. On the Gowrie conspiracy.-Jan. 17, 1797. Announces the publication of his History of Scotland.-Jan. MR. PINKERTON TO MR. M. LAING. His own intention of publishing a tract on the Gowrie Conspi- MR. M. LAING TO MR. PINKERTON. Anecdotes concerning the Gowrie Conspiracy: a history of Acknowledging the receipt of his History.-Feb. 16, 1797. CORRESPONDENCE. DR. BEATTIE TO MR. PINKERTON. Aberdeen, December 13th, 1775. I HAVE been so much engrossed with business and bad health, that till this day I could not find leisure to answer your very obliging letter. Your intention of inscribing to me your poem on Craigmillar Castle, does me much more honor than I have any title to. Please to accept of my best thanks for this instance of your kind partiality, and for the obliging manner in which you speak of what I have attempted in poetry. There are many good lines in your poem; but, * At the time of writing the letter to which this is an answer, Mr. Pinkerton was in his clerkship to Mr. Aytoun of Edinburgh, and was only seventeen years old. The Elegy on Craigmillar Castle was published in 1776, with a dedication to Dr. Beattie, who acknowledges the favor and the receipt of four copies, in a letter dated 20th July, 1776, but not published here. VOL. I. A see us striking errors of • annotations of Nana critic and so dis 4 as the author a 7 imstrel. Many other aers are accompanied at longer series of rebut I have not text a destrable to introduce ches and vertigo and other nervous which disqualify me almost entirely for 1 writing. I have at the same time the a laborious employment to attend to; , besides, some private concerns to look ich have engrossed me very much of is must plead my excuse for my long as well as for the shortness of what I now I believe I shall be obliged to give up the of letters altogether; at least for some and till I have more health and leisure. I reatly obliged to you for your favorable opiof me, and heartily wish you success in poeand in all your other studies. Stanza I. Could you not alter the last line of the Tanza? If the poet is led by Contemplation in the ginning, what occasion is there to introduce that ing afterwards? Besides, led by Contemplation, a urce, looks like a mixture of figures. VII. 4. "Till all his form engaged my pensive mind," seems to be put in to make out the verse. In the case supposed, we cannot imagine that the poet would take notice of a part only of Contemplation's form. It is therefore superfluous to say that he took notice of the whole of it. XI. "When from its fall thou rather should st to gain Instruction learn." This order is harsh. XIII. Now (first line) and know (third line) is a false rhyme. XXI. "And taught ev'n cold reserve how to be |