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MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN.

372

Remonstrating on what he had written to Herbert: satisfactory

progress of the Iconographia Scotica : thanks for Lord
Buchan's drawings, and eulogiums on them; and historical
and other queries.-Jan. 10, 1795.

EARL OF ORFORD TO MR. PINKERTON.

379

Respecting a portrait of James IV., and the Iconographia

Scotica, and some portraits falsely named in Grammont's
Memoirs.--Jan. 25, 1795.

SIR JOSEPH BANKS TO MR. PINKERTON.

Regrets bis inability to forward his views respecting the British

Museum.-Feb. 1, 1795.

EARL OF ORFORD TO MR. PINKERTON.

382

On the same subject as the preceding.–Feb. 5, 1795.

MR. DOUCE TO MR. PINKERTON.

383

Pointing out some Scotch portraits, and putting two historical
queries.-April 6, 1795.

MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN.

384

On the Iconographia Scotica, and the prejudices of the Scotch
against him.-June 15, 1795.

MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN. 385

Farther particulars respecting the Iconographia Scotica.-

July 6, 1795.

MR. JAMES SCOTT TO MR. JAMES WRIGHT,

JUN. 387

Respecting a portrait of the first Earl of Kinnoul and a series

of portraits at Scone Palace.-Aug. 3, 1795.

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

390

On some portraits of the Grammont family; the death of Dr.

Campbell; and his own intention of publishing a tour
through the British Isles in 1635.—Aug. 7, 1795.

MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN. 392

On the progress of the Iconographia Scotica.-Sept. 25, 1795.

MR. PINKERTON TO THE EARL OF BUCHAN. 392

Discovery of a portrait of James IV. with a falcon on his

fist.–Oct. 19, 1795.

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

425

His increasing fondness for Italian literature, and his opinion
of Gibbon's Memoirs.-Nov. 21, 1796.

MR. A, STUART TO MR. PINKERTON.

428

Respecting a charter granted by Sir John Stuart to the Abbot

of Melross.-Nov. 30, 1796.

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

430

Sending a translation of some Irish romances, and criticising
Farmer's Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare.Jan. 14, 1797.

MR. M. LAING TO MR. PINKERTON.

433

On the Gowrie conspiracy.--Jan. 17, 1797.

MR. DILLY TO MR. PINKERTON.

437

Announces the publication of his History of Scotland.-Jan.
26, 1797.

MR. PINKERTON TO MR. M. LAING.

439

His own intention of publishing a tract on the Gowrie Conspi.

racy, and recommendations to Mr. Laing to write a History of
Scotland under the Commonwealth, and offering him anec-
dotes of Cromwell.-Jan. 28, 1797.

MR. M. LAING TO MR. PINKERTON.

442

Anecdotes concerning the Gowrie Conspiracy: a history of

Scotland during the Commonwealth would be uninteresting:
impression made on him by Pinkerton's Inquiry.-Feb.9,1797.

DR. GILLIES TO MR. PINKERTON.

447

Acknowledging the receipt of bis 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

to appear.

when you have kept it by you a week or two, I fanoy you will not think it correct enough as yet

in public. Young poets are very apt to publish their pieces immediately on writing them out; but they ought always to keep them for a year, or at least for several months, and revise them from time to time. I have erred in this way myself, and therefore can warn them from my own experience.

You will see I have been very free in my remarks, which I hope you will excuse; for I did it with a most friendly intention. On these occasions, I think it is the duty of a friend to be as critical as possible.

I heartily wish you success in your studies, and am with much regard and esteem.

DR. BEATTIE TO MR. PINKERTON..

Aberdeen, March 9th, 1776.

I thank you for taking in so good part the freedom of my former criticism: I hope the present will not offend you. I have been for some time past in a very bad state of health ; afflicted

• To this letter I have annexed the critical annotations of Dr. Beattie, to show at oncé some of the most striking errors of a young author, and the remarks of so able a critic and so distinguished a poet as the author of The Minstrel. Many other of the letters are accompanied with even longer series of remarks, but I have not felt it to be desirable to introduce them.

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