pect, after all, that this book was printed in France, and that the many castrations proceeded from the author's total ignorance of the language. Another copy, but very imperfect, is in the possession of Mr. Macgowan, Edinburgh.

I must retract. what I have said in List of Scotish Poets p. 105, that no Protestant books could be printed in Scotland till 1568. From your work it is clear they began in 1560; and your reasoning on the Copenhagen Lindsay is very probable. The Lindsay, Paris, 1588, is in the King's Library, Buckingham House, complete. It contains the Monarchy, at the beginning, and the Tragedy of Betoven at the end, both wanting in mine. In the same volume is bound the Papingo, London, by John Byddel, 1538. I have since picked up the tragedy of Betoven, Paris, 1558, separately, and added it to my copy.

Do you know who has Rauf Coilyear, p. 1495? I have Against Sacrilege, 1599, p. 1519. If you wish to see this, or any other book in my possession, they shall be left with your nephew at Mr. Hayes's.

I am much obliged to you for your repeated mention of what little I could do for Scotish typography; and, hoping you will excuse these trifling remarks, I remain, &c.

THE EARL OF BUCHAN TO MR. PINKERTON. March 5th, 1790.

I have caused to be transcribed the manuscript 1488 of Henry the minstrel's Metrical History of Wallace for the Morisons at Perth, who have engaged some of the gentlemen of the Literary Society there to accompany the proposed edition with historical and topographical notes. I propose to send them (along with the copy corrected and compared) fac-similes of the original manuscript, and a drawing of the portrait of Wallace from the picture in the possession of Sir Philip Ainslie, knight; which was bought at a great price in France by his father, Mr. Ainslie, merchant at Bordeaux; and which bears the mark of originality, both from the manner of the painting agreeing with that of the fourteenth century, and its having undoubtedly been preserved in the family, who sold it, for more than two centuries, as an original. The dragon is on his helmet; and that side on which he had a wen is averted from the eye, which last circumstance would have been avoided in a fictitious picture of the hero.

The books in this manuscript of Wallace are regularly marked; and the whole is concluded with an attestation by Maister Jhone Ramsay, the clerk, who wrote the copy, of its authenticity.

I shall be glad to know what progress Barbour and Lindsay have made at your press, and if your History of Scotland is advancing. In the cloisters at Westminster you will find ample materials for correcting the Annals of the Reign of James I. II. III. IV. and V.

MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN, March 27th, 1790.

I was duly honored with both your lordship's favors of the 5th and 10th instant, and am always very happy to hear of your lordship's exertions in favor of our ancient literature. The intelligence concerning Wallace pleases me particularly; and, in compliance with your lordship's desire, prefixed are the arguments which I composed for my own satisfaction, and which the editors may make what use of they please. The portrait of Wallace is surely a mistake. Even in France, paintings of monarchs can hardly be got of the fourteenth century. If this piece be in oil colors, its falsehood is evident, or if on canvass. If in distemper, and on board, it may be of the fourteenth century; but surely not of Wallace, who only shone for eighteen months, then sunk into a most obscure situation. By the by, it would be a favor, if your lordship would give me some account of the portrait of James I. published by the Morisons, by what means it got into Germany, and was discovered there, &c.

Barbour's poem will be published in a fortnight: Lindsay's pieces, &c. in not less than four months. I thank your lordship for the hint about the Westminster cloisters; and any other hints that can serve my proposed history will be very acceptable. Is there any thing of much importance in the papal Bulls recovered by your lordship? I should be happy to know if Lord

This letter is not preserved.

Hailes made any collections about the Stuart family.

The Morisons, if they choose, may leave Drummond of Hawthornden to me: I mean in time to give an edition, with the parallel passages of the Italian Poets, &c. But an edition by them will do no harm, especially if they can get any fresh anecdotes of his life from his papers. If they would print the best unpublished pieces in the Bannatyne manuscript and in that of the late Lord Auchinleck, they would do great service, and acquire the additional merit of original editors. They are very welcome to print the second part of Dunbar's Poems, from the Maitland Pieces. All my publications are pro bono publico.

I shall with pleasure superintend the publication of Winton's Chronicle, in any shape that the subscribers would prefer. I have a copy of that in the Advocates' Library, compared with other copies in Scotland, and prepared for the press by Mr. Seton in 1724; but I must inform your lordship that it would be cheating the subscribers to publish from any but the Royal manuscript, which is infinitely superior in accuracy to all the others. If your lordship and Mr. Davidson would patronise the work, by procuring subscriptions, it might be printed complete, in four volumes, 8vo.; and one hundred subscriptions at two, or fifty at four guineas each, would defray the expense, with what subscriptions I might get here.

THE EARL OF BUCHAN TO MR. PINKERTON.

Dryburgh Abbey, April 9th, 1790.

I have written to Mr. Davidson on the subject of my proposed publication of Winton's Chronicle, from the manuscript in the King's Library, with your generous assistance; and, if I find a sufficient number of subscribers to meet your proposal, I shall lose no time in informing you, that the transcript may be set on foot by your inter

vention.

When I have the pleasure of corresponding with Lord Hailes, I shall sound him on the subject of his history of the Stuarts of the Scotish line, which, from his age and scruples about some disputed points in the Annals of Robert II., I believe he does not intend to produce.

By the liberal assistance of the worthy Mr. Astle, I have no doubt of your collecting ample materials for your history of Scotland from the accession of the Earl of Carrick to the throne of the Scots, to the death of James V., where I hope you intend to finish your narration.

Afterwards, you would get into beaten tracks and into controversy, which I wish you to avoid. I send you, subjoined to this letter, a list of papers in the cloisters at Westminster, which I had in the year eighty-six from Mr. Astle; and there,

* A few of the most interesting papers in the cloisters relative to the reigns of James III. IV. and V. of Scotland. 1486. July 3. Confirmation of Peace between the Kings.

An answer to a solicitation, or letter of advice, of Henry