• [When the Poet exclaimed, in his "Earnest cry and Prayer," "O could I like Montgomeries fight, Or gab like Boswell,"

he included Archibald, eleventh earl of Eglinton, and Colonel Hugh Montgomery of Coilsfield, afterwards twelfth earl, in the compliment. This was re-paid by subscribing ten gui

neas for two copies of the Poet's works, and a promise of patronage. Boswell seems not, though a native of the banks of Lugar, to have relished his portion of the compliment;he did not subscribe, neither has he once alluded to Burns or his genius throughout all his writings.]

† [This is one of a great number of old saws that Burns, when a lad, had picked up from his mother, who had a vast collection of such fragments of traditionary wisdom.]

* [See "The Banks of Doon," page 409.]

† [See Stanzas in the "Vision," page 206, beginning "By stately tower or palace fair," to the end of the first Duan.) accomplishments of Dr. Moore were never made the subject of doubt, a certain dislike to the drudgery of medical practice prevented him from enjoying that amount of public patronage to which, by his talents, he was entitled. It was, therefore, with no unwilling mind that, early in 1769, though for some years married and the father of several children, he agreed to take the charge of the young Duke of Hamilton, step-son of his first patron, a youth of fourteen, possessed of the most excellent dispositions, but whose health was such as to require the constant attendance of a physician. With this young nobleman, Dr. Moore made one short excursion to the Continent. But the connexion was abruptly dissolved, in July, by the death of the Duke, upon whose tomb his affectionate attendant inscribed a poetical epitaph, testifying to the promise which was thus early blighted.

In the following year, Dr. Moore was selected to attend the brother and heir of the deceased Duke-the noted Douglas, Duke of Hamilton, then a sickly boy, and as yet innocent of the vices that ultimately clouded a career which talent and generosity had combined with almost princely rank and fortune, to render illustrious. Dr. Moore and this young nobleman spent five years in continental travel, finally returning in 1778, when the Duke had attained his majority. In that year Dr. Moore removed his family to London, with the design of prosecuting his profession in a higher sphere than could be commanded in Glasgow. As yet, he had given no decided proof of his literary talents; but this he did in the following year, by the publication of his "View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany," a work of so much vivacity and intelligence that it instantly attained a great popularity, and was translated into French, German, and Italian. In 1785, he produced his "Medical Sketches," a work which treats on several important topics, relative to health and disease, not without an intermixture of pleasant stories and humorous sarcasm. It was at the close of the ensuing year that his attention was drawn to the poetry of Burns. Some expressions of admiration, which he had employed regarding it, in a letter to Mrs. Dunlop, and which that lady transmitted to Burns, led to a correspondence between the learned Physician and the comparatively unlettered Bard, in which the one party appears kind, without the least affectation of superiority, and the other respectful with as little display of servility. To Dr. Moore, the Poet, in the ensuing August, addressed a sketch of his own life, which was published in the front of Dr. Currie's memoir, and has effectually associated the names of these very opposite men in our literary history.

Dr. Moore, when on the verge of sixty (1789), appeared for the first time as a writer of fiction. His novel of "Zeluco" assumed, and has ever since maintained, a high rank amongst works of that class, on account of the powerful moral painting which forms the most conspicuous feature of its composition. The interest which he felt in the affairs of France induced him to proceed, late in the summer of 1792, to Paris. He there witnessed the insurrection of the 10th of August, the dethronement of the King, the terrific massacres of September, and the tremendous party struggles which marked the remainder of that year. He was consequently enabled to gratify the curiosity of the British public by a work entitled "A Journal during a Residence in France," &c., which is allowed by Dr. Aiken to be written with impartiality and discernment. After several years spent in ease and retirement, at Richmond, he died at his house in Clifford-street, London, February 29, 1802. He left five sons, the eldest of whom was the gallant and lamented General Sir John Moore.-LAND OF BURNS.

To the accomplished Dr. Moore the Poet seems to have unbosomed himself more than to most of his patronizing friends. Nor is this to be wondered at-Moore was not only a fine scholar and a man of genius, but he was one of the kindest and most accessible of mankind. Burns seems to have possessed a natural tact for discovering how far he might go in laying his bosom bare to his companions and correspondents, and he certainly hit, as if by inspiration, the character of Dr. Moore, who, with the secrecy of a physician, and the prudence of a friend, received the communications of the rustic bard, read to the London literati such portions of the Poet's letters as he knew would be most relished; quoted the finest passages of his poems, and spread his fame with a diligence which could only arise from a hearty appreciation of his great merit. Dr. Moore's letter, to which the above was a reply, is as follows:

Clifford-street, London, Jan. 23rd, 1787.

"SIR,-I have just received your letter, by which I find I have reason to complain of my friend Mrs. Dunlop, for transmitting to you extracts from my letters to her, by much too freely and too carelessly written for your perusal. I must forgive her, however, in consideration of her good intention,

as you will forgive me, I hope, for the freedom I use with certain expressions, in consideration of my admiration of the poems in general. If I may judge of the author's disposition from his works, with all the other good qualities of a poet, he has not the irritable temper ascribed to that race of men by one of their own number, whom you have the happiness to resemble in ease and curious felicity of expression. Indeed, the poetical beauties, however original and brilliant, and lavishly scattered, are not all I admire in your works;the love of your native country, that feeling sensibility to all the objects of humanity, and the independent spirit which

breathes through the whole, give me a most favourable impression of the Poet, and have made me often regret that I did not see the poems, the certain effect of which would have been my seeing the author, last summer, when I was longer in Scotland than I have been for many years.

"I rejoice very sincerely at the encouragement you receive at Edinburgh, and I think you peculiarly fortunate in the patronage of Dr. Blair, who I am informed interests himself very much for you. I beg to be remembered to him; nobody can have a warmer regard for that gentleman than I have, which, independent of the worth of his character. would be kept alive by the memory of our common friend, the late Mr. George Be.

"Before I received your letter, I sent enclosed in a letter
to
-, a sonnet by Miss Williams, a young poetical
lady, which she wrote on reading your "Mountain-daisy
perhaps it may not displease you:-

""While soon 'the garden's flaunting flowers' decay,
And scatter'd on the earth neglected lie,
The Mountain-daisy,' cherish'd by the ray
A poet drew from heaven, shall never die.
Ah, like that lonely flower the poet rose!

'Mid penury's bare soil and bitter gale;
He felt each storm that on the mountain blows,
Nor ever knew the shelter of the vale.
By genius in her native vigour nurst,

On nature with impassion'd look he gaz'd;
Then through the cloud of adverse fortune burst
Indignant, and in light unborrow'd blaz'd.
Scotia! from rude affliction shield thy bard;
His heaven-taught numbers Fame herself will guard.'

"I have been trying to add to the number of your subscribers, but find many of my acquaintance are already among them. I have only to add that, with every sentiment of esteem, and the most cordial good wishes,

"I am

"Your obedient humble servant, J. MOORE.

* [The Rev. Dr. Lawrie was one of the Poet's earliest friends: the door of his manse was always open to him, a seat at his table was ever at his command, and he seems have been fully sensible of the kindness with which he was treated. The letter, to which this of Burns was in answer is dated 22d December, 1786, and evinces Dr. Lastie's anxiety for his honest fame :

DEAR SIR,-I last week received a letter from Dr. Blacklock, in which he expresses a desire of seeing you. I write this to you, that you may lose no time in waiting upon him, should you not yet have seen him. "I rejoice to hear, from all corners, of your rising fame, and I wish and expect is may tower still higher by the new publication. But, as a