4

BOOK I.

pacity for infusing knowledge he was never heard to say much in commendation; but an anecdote which he delighted to relate, shews that he retained a lasting remembrance of his severity. Wingate had by industry and parsimony made a little money, which he employed in making a small purchase of land; and being anxious to guard against any defects or insufficiency of his title-deeds, he repaired for advice to his former pupil, who was at that time in the height of his reputation as a lawyer. Mr Home, after examining the parchments, and turning them over again and again, addressed himself to Wingate with great anxiety of countenance; "Pray, Sir, is your bar"gain finally concluded?"-" Not only so," said Wingate, "but the price is paid.""Good heavens!" said Mr Home,

66

"how

unlucky is this!" and here, with infinite ingenuity, he began to point out numberless flaws, which would lead to endless litigation; till at length perceiving the sweat distilling in large drops from the brows of the pedagogue; "Mr Wingate," said he, you

66

may remember how you made me smart "in days of yore for very small offences:

“Now, I think, our accounts are cleared: CHAP. I. "Take up your parchments, and go home "with an easy mind; your titles are excel"lent."

The instruction which young Home received from Wingate was probably only elementary; for it is certain that he found it necessary, when he had chosen a profession connected with literature, to apply himself with great assiduity to the study of the Latin and Greek languages; and in the former of these at least, he arrived at as much proficiency as is commonly attained by those who, with complete classical education, are not just entitled to the rank of profound scholars. The observations on classic authors which occur in his critical writings, are much more directed to the sentiments, than to the language and style of their works; and the contempt with which he always treated the labours of verbal commentators, affords a pretty certain presumption, that he possessed but in a moderate degree, that knowledge which he so much undervalued.

BOOK I.

Classical learning little culti

vated at that time.

It must indeed be allowed, that a taste for classical learning was then at a very low ebb in Scotland. The Latin Muses, from the date of the Delicia Poëtarum Scotorum, that is, from the days of ARTHUR JOHNSTON, seem almost to have deserted the northern part of our island. The learned RUDDIMAN, piqued at a remark of PETER BURMAN, (in his Preface to the Leyden edition of the Works of Buchanan), on the inconsiderable number of Latin writers, especially in poetry, whom Britain had produced, in comparison with the continental kingdoms; endeavoured to vindicate his native

* Arthur Johnston was born in 1587, five years after the death of Buchanan, whom he had the courage to emulate as a translator of the Psalms: Nor was the attempt greatly beyond his powers; for although, taken as a whole, his version is certainly inferior, (as indeed what modern has, in Latin poetry, equalled Buchanan?); yet, there are a few of his Psalms, which, on comparison, will, perhaps, be found to excel the corresponding paraphrase of his rival. I would instance the 24th, 30th, 42d, 74th, 81st, 82d, 102d, and, above all, the 137th. No man brings at all times the same spirits to his task; but every lengthened labour is a task; and, in his happier moments, an inferior artist may sometimes excel the work of a greater master, executed in a less fortunate hour.

H

country from its share in this degrading censure; and, in that view, published, in 1727, a small volume, entitled, Selecta Poëmata Archibaldi Pitcurnii et aliorum, &c. But this very attempt affords a demonstration of the truth of the proposition it was meant to disprove; for the poems of Pitcairne comprise almost all that is of any merit in the volume: and even these, from the nature of their subjects, temporary political satire, the comme moration of local incidents, or allusions to private characters, have none of the requisites to found either a general or a perma nent reputation*.

The poems of Pitcairne, which have the merit of excellent Latinity, and easy and spirited numbers, must have had a poignant relish in his own age, from the very circumstances which render them little interesting to ours. They might yet be redeemed from oblivion by a good Commentary; and their merits entitle them to that mark of attention from the learned: but the task would be a difficult one; and the time is fast approaching when it may be altogether impracticable, That most able antiquarian, and excellent critic, the late Lord Hailes, amidst the great variety of his literary amusements, had thought of publishing the Poems of Pitcairne, with such a Commentary; and he has given a specimen of it in the Edinburgh Magazine and Review for February 1774, which excites our regret that he carried the design no further. One qualification, however, his Lordship certainly wanted for that

CHAP. 1.

BOOK I.

Causes of its decline

THE gradual decline of classical learning in Scotland from the period before menin Scotland. tioned, is to be accounted for chiefly from the political circumstances of the country. The gloomy, fanatical spirit which arose in the reign of Charles I. was hostile to every elegant accomplishment. The seminaries of learning were filled by the champions of the Solemn League and Covenant, who were at much more pains to instil into their pupils, the anti-monarchical principles of Knox, Buchanan and Melvil, and to inculcate the independence of the kingdom of the saints on all earthly potentates and powers, than to point their attention to the energetic eloquence of Cicero and Demosthenes, the simple majesty of Livy, the ease and amenity of Xenophon, the playful wit and naiveté of Horace, or the chastened elegance of Virgil. The manners of the Scots underwent not the same change at the Re

undertaking, namely, a congeniality of opinions with his author. The strong Tory, anti-Revolution, and anti-Union prejudices of the Poet, would have met with no quarter from the zeal of the Critic, equally ardent on the opposite side of the question, and there would have been a perpetual war betwixt the author and his commentator.