Gazetteer of Scotland

xvili INTRODUCTION".
fophical works of Boethius is purely claffical, and thedatinity of Buchaniiari fe
the moft claffical of all modern productions. The letters of the Scottifh kings
to the neighbouring princes are incomparably the fineft compofitions of the
times in which they were produced, and are free from the barbarifms of thofe
they received in anfwer : this alone is an undoubted proof, that claffic learn-
ing was more cultivated in the court of Scotland, than in any other court of
Europe. About this period there yflourifhed many characters high in liter-
ature ; but to pafs over Duns Scotus, whofe birth is claimed by a neighbour-
ing kingdom, and the admirable Crichton r whofe acquirements were rathe?
miraculous than natural, we need only mention Johannes Erigena, whofe
works evince the greateft acumen of judgment. It would wafte time to fol-
low the advancement of learning to its prefent day ; and it would fwell the
article too much to give a bare enumeration of eminent Scotfmen in the dif-
ferent departments of literature and fcience ; we may only mention Napier,
the inventor of the logarithms, a difcovery which may vie in point of inge-
nuity with any of modern times ; in aftronomy, Gregory ; in mathematics,
Maclaurin; and in claffical learning, Ruddiman, and innumerable others,
ftand almoft unrivalled. But, let us leave thefe times to come to the prefent
day. Of late, the Scots have diftinguifhed themfelves in every department of
literature ; and within the (host period of 40 years, Hume, Robertfon, Henry,
Fergufons (hjftorian and aitronomer), Gillies, Stuart (Dr. Gilbert), Sommer-
ville, Watfon, Thomfon (the continuator), Smith (Dr. Adam), Ofwald, Sin-
clair (Sir John), Anderfon, Orme, Dalrymples (Sirs David and John),
Tytlers (father and fon), Millar, Stewarts (father and fon), Burnet (Lord
Monboddo), Smellie, Reid, Beatties (father and fon), Monros (father and
fon), Gregories (father and fon), Homes (viz. Lord Kaimes, the phylician and
the poet), Cullen, Black, Duncan, Hunters (Dr. William and John), Bells
(Benjamin, John, and Charles), Jamiefons (divine and mineralogift), Camp-
bells (divine and poet), Blair (Dr. Hugh}, Gerard, Hamilton, Burns, Mac-
kenzie, Macpherfon, Brydone, Moore, Adam, Mickle, Simpfon, Robifon,
Playfair, Gleig, and many other eminent writers, by far too numerous to
mention, have appeared. Previous to 1763, literary property, or authors
acquiring money by their writings, was hardly known in Scotland ; but, of
late, the value^r literary property has been carried higher by the Scots than
ever known among any other people. David Hume received 5000I. for the fix
laft volumes of his Hiftory of Britain ; and Dr. Robertfon received 4500I. for
his Charles V. : Dr. Blair received the higheft price for his fermons ever known
to be paid for that kind of writing ; the merit of which procured him a pen-