into a joy I little expected, your good opinion, but allo let me fee, that the trifles I had performed could please one, for whom I have defervedly the greate efteem and respect. Pardon thefe glowing expreffions, as the dictates of a heart overlowing with gratitude, and believe that am as averle to flattery as an honeft mind can be. You are one to whom I ftand indebted for all the advances I fhall make in the world, as having laid the foundation by your inftructions, and raised the fuperftructure by your love and favour; and to be filent on fuch a theme, would argue me loft to all that's generous, and infenfible to a stupidity. But I must not offend your modefty, let me only affure you, that as I receive every wholefome advice with pleasure, fo when it comes from a fincere friend and well-wisher, the pleasure grows into tranfport. I never wrote a line but for my diverfion; and although I might court poefy as a miftrefs, and fhould be loath to be yok'd with her for life, under the title of a Wife, I own 'tis my opinion, that poefy gives one a fprightly turn of thinking, and tocks the imagination with beautiful images, that capacitate one for writing and talking agreeably; yet I am in too bad a condition already, to entail poverty on myself, by a blendid pathon for rhime. I would fain crowd as many things into my letter as poffibly I can, and hall therefore throw my thoughts together in a defultory manner, without ranging and marthalling them according to method. Know then, that the Edinburgh Mifcellany was undertaken by an Athenian fociety here, who received the poems, and published all they thought worthy of feeing the light. The gentleman to whom I infcribed my Paftoral is one of their number. His name is Mr Jofeph Mitchell author of the Lugubres Cantus, and Poem to the memory of Mr Ford. He now refides at London, and is publishing the Adventures of Telemachus in verfe by fubfcription. If any in Aberdeen are willing to encourage the defign, I fhall next occafion send you the propofals, and give you a full account of thofe gentlemen who are affistant to him. Mr Calander, who is written C—r,is an ingenious young gentleman, and is author of the 2d part of the Lug. Cantus. Who the ladies are fcarce any one knows. The gentleman in the Univerfity whofe productions are marked with a S. is one Mr Symmers, a boy of fifteen, and very fprightly. But I must not forget my own concerns, and fhall, therefore, without difguife, inform you on what term I live with Mr Home. He allows me my learning, clothes, and diet, but no fixed falary. I am concerned in no bufinefs but revifing my pupils leffons, fo that I have enough of time for reading and writing. I would have fent you fome of my productions, but I fcarce think they deferve the postage, and I had almost forget to tell you that I read your congratulatory poem with infinite delight; and fince you have done me the honour to defire me to tranflate it, give me leave to remark one paffage among many others which charmed me. Ultima cæleftum, terras qui cæde madentes Olim deferuit, prima tibi placeat. Where the antithefis betwixt ultima and prima is very beau tiful. I am at no lofs about the meaning except the proper names, which I beg you would explain.' You fee with what freedom I write," but I hope you will forgive me this liberty, as the effect rather of fondnefs than prefumption. I am, with the utmoft gratitude, Sir, Your moft obed. humble fervant, Edin. Oct. 5 tb DAVID MALLOCH. 1720. that you may not think I tranflated wholly at random. In general, I have fteered a middle courfe betwixt (what they call) a Paraphrafe and a Literal tranilation. I have added as little as I poffibly could, and at the fame time was careful to render the fenfe perfect and unmaimed: how I have fucceeded you will be best able to judge. But in feveral places I left out the proper names induftriously. Though they are founding and harmonious in the Latin, yet they appear fo flat rendered an apology almoft abfolutely neceffary, and yet I am afraid I fhall fcarce be able to juftify my conduct only let me with the utmoft fincerity, affure you, that neither lazinefs nor want of respect are in the fault. No,Sir, I am too fenfible of the obligation you have laid me under, ever to be wanting in a fuitable return of gratitude and regard.-I dare not indulge myfelf in venting my heart, left I fhould betray myfelf into language too glowing and paffionate. I could please myself in run-in a translation, that they give a kind ning out upon a fubject that reprefents you to my thoughts in the pleafing light of a benefactor and inftructor. But whatever I could fay would fall very much below that idea which reigns in my breaft.-But whether have I wandered? You fee, Sir, it is hard to put a check upon one's thoughts, where the heart dictates every word. But to return; laft fef fion, I was wholly engaged in acquiring the French and Greek languages, and this, with the affairs of Mr Home's children, poffeffed almost all my time. Befides, Sir, you know that poetry would have the whole foul to herfelf, the mind must be humbled and fixed in a kind of ferenity, to be able to form thefe agreeable images which the delights in; and as I was obliged to be often converfant with the Dictionary, I feldom found my-felf in a humour for verse. 'Tis true I began to tranflate your poem; but I went on fo heavily, and my lines were fo forced and mechanical, that I entirely laid it afide, till I fhould be at eafe from the hurry of a townlife in the country. At length it is finished, but I find myself firangely embarraffed. My newnefs to tranflation, and the clofenefs of your thoughts, that rather run over in an abundance of fenfe than words, fill me with a great many fears that I have mifcarried in my attempt. I muft, however, adventure upon fome account of the method I obferved, of littleness to the verfe, by being always in the mouth of the vulgar. I hope I fhall be pardoned for adding feveral epithets of my own, fince it is what the tranflators of both Homer and Virgil have done. There is, befides, Sir, fuch a weight and energy in the Latin phrases, that it is impoffible to tranflate them into English with any tolerable elegance, except one ufes a paraphrafe. Forgive this cant way of talking; I am fenfible what prefumption I am guilty of in writing to you after this manner. Let me therefore break off, half afhamed for having dared to speak fo much of myself. I fhall only beg that you will vouchafe to inform me of my errors, that I may learn more correctness in time coming. May I be allowed to trefpafs fo much on your patience as to fend you any news I can glean? I could fill up this half fheet, but I can fcarce venture to hope that you will throw away time in perufing it. Allan Ramfay has published his Poems in quarto by fubfcription, having got to the number of 400 guineas from his fubfcribers. He has indeed wrote himfelf into fom kind of fame, and a great deal of money, which is much more fubftantial, but his perfonal character makes me entertain but a fmall value for his writings. Mr Malcolm has likewife made public his Treatife of Mufic, which he has inscribed to the Directors of the Royal Academy Academy of mufic in London. Mr POSTSCRIPT. Mitchell, our countryman, has fome Sir, I hope it will not be afcribed time ago wrote a Tragedy, which was acted at Lincolns-Inn-fields with a great deal of applaufe. He is just now engaged in writing a heroi-comical poem, called the Cudgel, one Canto of which I perufed with a great deal of pleasure. He is, I am informed, in a very fair character at London, and is valued by feveral of the greatest wits, as Mr Pope, Mr Watts, Mr Hill, &c. With my best wishes for the welfare of your Lady and family, I am, Sir, Your most faithful and moft obliged humble Servant, Sept. 3, 1721. DAVID MALLOCH. to my ignorance of the Latin of your poem, that I have given in fome few places a different turn of expreffion from that of the original, as-Valetq. perdix præda jacet caffibus ufq. tuis: both of which I have flurred into one, and tranflated, While the plump partridge ftruggles in the fnare &c. Let me beg you'd not leave me in the dark, but fend me an impartial judgment of this performance, for I affure you, I am willing to learn and amend. ANECDOTES OF THE COUNT FROM ZIMMERMANN F all the German authors, I never knew one whose writings were more ridiculed, or fo little underftood as thofe of the Count Schaumburg-Lippe, better known by the title of Count de Buckeburg; and yet his name was worthy of being enrolled among the greatest characters of his age or country. I became acquainted with him at a time when he lived almoft continually in folitude, retired from the world, managing his fmall eftate with great difcretion. There was indeed fomething in his manner and appearance which, at first fight, created difguft, and obfcured the brilliant qualities of his mind. The Count de Lacy, formerly Ambaffador from Spain to Peteriburgh, informed me at Hanover, that he led the Spanish army against the Portuguese at the time when they were commanded by the Count de Buckeburg; the fingularity of whofe perfon and manners fo forcibly ftruck the minds of all the Spanish Generals, while they were reconnoitring the enemy with their telescopes, that they exclaimed with one voice," Are the Portuguefe (To be Continued.) DE BUCKEBURG. "commanded by Don Quixote?" The ambaffador, however, who poffeffed a very liberal mind, fpoke with enthufiaftic rapture of the good conduct of Buckeburg in Portugal, and praised in the warmest terms the excellence of his mind and the greatnefs of his character. His heroic countenance, his flowing hair, his tall and meagre figure, and above all, the extraordinary length of his vifage, might, in truth, bring back the recollection of the Knight of La Mancha; for certain it is, that at a diftance he made a most romantic appearance: on a nearer approach, however, a clofer view immediately convinced you of the contrary. The fire and animation of his features announced the elevation, fagacity, penetration, kindness, virtue, and ferenity of his foul. Sublime fentiments and heroic thoughts were as familiar and natural to his mind, as they were to the nobleft characters of Greece and Rome. The Count was born in London, and poffeffed a difpofition as whimsical as it was extraordinary. The anecdotes concerning him which I heard from his relation, a German Prince, Prince, are perhaps not generally to each other upon the fingularity of their entertainment. The Count at length rofe from the table, and, addrefling himself to the company, faid," Gentlemen, I was willing to "convince you how well I can rely 66 upon the officers of my artillery; "for I ordered them to fire, during "the time we continued at dinner, Curious and reflecting minds will not be unthankful for these traits of the character of a man anxious to exercife himfelf and thofe under his command in every arduous enterprize. Being one day in company with the Count by the fide of a magazine of gun-powder which he had made under his bed-chamber in Fort Wilhelmftein, I obferved to him, that "I fhould not fleep very contented known. He was fond of contending with the English in every thing. For Inftance, he laid a wager that he would ride a horfe from London to Edinburgh backwards, that is, with the horse's head turned towards Edinburgh, and the Count's face towards London; and in this manner he actually rode through feveral at the pinnacle of the tent; and counties in England. He not only "they have executed my orders traverfed the greatest part of that "with great punctuality." kingdom on foot, but travelled in company with a German prince through feveral of the counties in the character of a beggar. Being informed that part of the current of the Danube, above Regenfberg, was fo ftrong and rapid, that no one had ever dared to swim acrofs it; he made the attempt, and fwam fo far, that it was with difficulty he faved his life.. A great ftatefman and profound philofopher related to me at Hanover, that, during the war in which the Count commanded the artillery in the army of Prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick against the French, he one day invited feveral Hanoverian officers to dine with him in his tent. When the company were in high fpirits and full of gaiety, feveral cannon-balls flew in different directions about the tent, "The French," exclaimed the of ficers, cannot be far off."-" No, no," replied the Count," the enemy, I affure you, are at a great diftance ;" and he defired them to keep their feats. The firing foon after recommenced; when one of the balls carrying away the top of the tent, the officers rofe fuddenly from their chairs, exclaiming, "The French แ are here.""No," replied the Count, "the French are not here; "and therefore, Gentlemen, I defire you will again fit down, and rely upon my word." The balls continued to fly about; the officers, However, continued to eat and drink without apprehenfion, though not without whispering their conjectures 66 ly there during fome of the hot "nights of fummer." The Count, however, convinced me, though I do not now recollect how, that the greatest danger and no danger are one and the fame thing. When I firft faw this extraordinary man, which was in the company of two officers, the one English, the other Portuguese, he entertained me for two hours with a difcourfe upon the phyfiology of Haller, whofe works he knew by heart. The enfuing morning, he infifted on my accompanying him in a little boat, which he rowed himfelf, to Fort Wilhelmftein, which he had conftructed in the middle of the water, from plans which he fhewed me of his own drawing, and where not a foot of land was to be feen. One Sunday, upon the great parade at Pyrmont, furrounded by many thoufand men who were occupied in drefs, dancing, and gallantries, he entertained me during the courfe of two hours, and with as much tranquillity as if we had been alone, by detailing the va rious controverfies refpecting the ex jitence "He has a lean and hungry look.": but he's not dangerous; he reads much; iftence of God, pointing out their Guilhaume de Schaumbourg Lippe defective parts, and convincing me carries no dagger; that he could furpafs them all. To prevent my efcape, he held me fast by the button of my coat. He fhew-" ed me, at his feat at Buckenbourg, "He is a great obferver; and he looks a large folio volume in his own hand-"Quite through the deeds of men. He writing," on the art of defending loves no plays ; 66 66 a fort he hears no mufic; "As if he mock'd himself, and fcorn'd "his fpirit, "That could be mov'd to fmile at any " thing." Julius Cæfar, A& I. Scene 4. Such was the character, always mifunderft cod, of this folitary man. A character of this defcription may well indulge the fmile of fcorn, when he perceives himfelf fcoffed at by the world; but what must be the shame and confufion of thofe partial judges, when they behold the monument which the great Mendelfohn has erected to his memory; or the judicious hiftory of his life which a young author is about to publish at Hanover; the profound fentiments, the noble ftyle, the truth and fincerity of which will be discovered and acknowledged by impartial pofterity. a fmall town against a great pow-« Seldom he smiles, and fmiles in such "er." The work was completely finished, and defigned as a prefent to the King of Portugal; but he did me the favour to read many paffages refpecting Swifferland. The Count confidered the Swiss invincible; and pointed out to me not only all the important parts which they might occupy against an enemy, but fhewed me roads which a cat would scarcely be able to crawl through. I do not believe that any thing was ever written of higher importance to the interefts of any country than this work; for the manufcript contains ftriking anfwers to all the objections that a Swifs himself could make. My friend M. Moyfe Mendelfohn, to whom the Count had read the preface to this work at Pyrmont, confidered it as a master-piece, both for its correct language and fine philofophy; for the Count could write the French language with almoft the fame eafe, elegance, and purity as Voltaire; while in the German he was laboured, perplexed, and diffufe. What adds to his praise is, that upon his return to Portugal, he had with him for many years two of the most acute mafters of Germany; firft Abbt, and afterwards Herder. Thofe who fee with more penetrating eyes than mine, and have had more opportunities to make obfervations, are able to relate a variety of remarkable anecdotes concerning this truly great and extroardinary man. I fhall only add one obfervation more refpecting his character, availing myself of the words of Shakespearet the Count The men who laugh, as I have feen them laugh a thousand times, at Buckenbourg, on account of his long vifage, his flowing hair, his great hat, and little fword, might be pardoned, if, like the Count, they were philofophers and heroes. The Count, however, never fmiled at the world, or upon men, but with kindness. Without hatred, without mifanthropy, he enjoyed the tranquillity of his rural retreat, deep embofomed in a thick foreft, generally alone, or in the company of his wife; for whom,, while living, he did not appear to entertain an extraordinary fondnefs; but when she died, his affection for her was fo great, that her death brought him almoft to the grave. 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