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Cardinal Innes, and Buchan the Constable, are the next in importance. Your lordship long since promised me a drawing and biography of the former, which I anxiously expect. Any drawings you choose to communicate, shall most certainly be returned in one month from the receipt, besides as many proofs of the plates as you may desire. The tomb of the celebrated Lord Aubigny, at Corstorphin, I should like to have a drawing of for the costume and portrait.

In the work itself I shall have repeated occasions to testify my sense of your lordship's good

ness.

Permit me, my lord, to beg your kind assistance to the following point, one of the most important in our history.

The chronology of the grand rebellion of Douglas against James II. is doubtful. The question is, whether James proceeded against that Earl in 1454, before the forfeiture, as our common histories run, or in 1455, after the forfeiture, as I rather suspect.

The forfeiture is in the Black Acts, and is dated 9th of June, 1455.

An undated letter of James' is in D'Achery's Spicilegium, which narrates the fall of Moray and Ormond, and the termination of the rebellion. It only bears 8th July: D'Achery dates it 1456, I suspect rightly. If so, the active rebellion broke out in 1455, after the forfeiture for secret and concerted treasons.

Ruddiman, in his notes on Buchanan, quotes

the original forfeiture of Beatrix, mother of Douglas, from a manuscript in the Advocates' Library, containing extracts from the records, 1452-1458. I should wish much to have a copy of this forfeiture, and that of Douglas, if extant, and of his brothers Moray and Ormond, the last probably in 1454; their northern rebellion being distinct from that of Douglas.

I also wish to know if the records 1452 to 1458 are extant in our registers, or any catalogue of them. The use of these would be to find grants of lands belonging to Moray, Ormond, or Douglas, so as further to ascertain the date of the forfeiture. As to the forfeitures themselves, the chief points are the dates, and whether they indicate open appearance in arms, or secret treasons.

Your assistance in this matter, my lord, I shall consider as a most important addition to numerous former favors.

MR. J. C. WALKER TO MR. PINKERTON.

Bath, Nov. 16th, 1794.

Shortly after I was honored with your favor of 8th ult., I set out for Ireland, but was seized at

Joseph Cooper Walker, Esq. of St. Valery, near Bray, Ireland, died on the 12th of April, 1810. He published two works upon Irish Antiquities, and an Historical Memoir on

Chester with a severe illness, which so materially injured my health, that my physicians thought it necessary I should retire for a while to this mild climate,

politeness has induced Some claim they have

Your approbation of my publications is very flattering. But I am sorry they have not a better claim to the praises your you to bestow on them. to your indulgence, for they were the productions of (almost) a boy. Several years have elapsed since they first appeared, and I am still a young

man.

You do me much honor by desiring my correspondence. I should be proud and happy to cultivate yours; but, from my inability to make an adequate return, I do not feel myself authorised to solicit such a favor. I can only say that I shall always have great pleasure in promoting any literary inquiries you may wish to make in Ireland.

It is to be regretted that Mr. Ledwich does not

Italian Tragedy, as well as an Historical and Critical Essay on the Revival of the Drama in Italy. His posthumous work, the Memoirs of Tassoni, was edited by his brother, who, in his preface, has inserted much interesting matter respecting the author. Several of Mr. Walker's letters have been honored with a place in the printed correspondence of the celebrated Cesarotti; and among his correspondents, as enumerated by his brother, are the names of the greater part of the individuals then most distinguished by their love of antiquities and the belles-lettres in Britain.

* Mr. Walker was at that time thirty-two years old.

continue his literary and antiquarian pursuits; but I trust he will resume them. He is a man of genius and deep erudition: literature has many obligations to him. The last publication he acknowledged, appeared in the fourth volume of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy; but in the first volume of the Anthologia Hibernica, there are some ingenious little essays by him which he has not publicly owned.

My Essay on the Rise and Progress of Gardening in Ireland, appeared in the fourth volume of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. If one of the few copies which I had worked off for my friends should remain, I shall do myself the honor to send it to you on my return to Ireland.

I shall have great pleasure in sending you occasionally any work of merit that may appear on the subject of Irish antiquities. On that subject nothing has appeared of late. I think with you that some bookseller in London ought to be appointed to sell Irish productions. Elmsley is employed by the Irish Academy, and was once employed by me. General Vallancey and Miss Brooke (whose Relics of Irish Poetry I presume you have seen) employed the Robinsons.

MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN.

Hampstead, Dec. 10th, 1794.

I know not how to thank your lordship for your great goodness in remitting five portraits for the series. Though unconnected with the work in any pecuniary view, I am nevertheless deeply interested in its progress.

The portraits received are James IV.; Elphinston; Countess of Lennox; Buchan the Constable; Admirable Crichton; Mary (sent to Herbert) in all six. They are extremely interesting and curious.

It will be an infinite addition to your favors, my lord, if you will have the goodness to answer my letters as to the points they contain; for my time, as your lordship knows, is much occupied, and writing a letter is a serious business to me. Pardon my reminding your lordship that my last is totally unanswered; and I know nothing as yet concerning the copies of the three pictures, David II., Robert II. and Queen, at Lord Breadalbane's; or the drawing of Aubigny's tomb at Corstorphin. These four were wanted particularly; and, if your lordship finds it inconvenient, it would be the highest of favors to say so, for the work must have a plan and design. Not to mention that delay might ruin it; and, if we only knew what was inconvenient, we would apply to some person acquainted with the proprietor, or who resided near the spot. Your lordship's liberality

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