An ODE of Mr COLLINS. 6j 



the fupplemental verfes, would probably never have difcovered 

 the chafm. Several hemiftichs, and words left blank by Mr 

 COLLINS, had before been very happily fupplied by Dr CARLYLE. 

 Thefe are likewife marked by inverted commas. They are a 

 proof that this poem, as Dr CARLYLE has remarked, was ha- 

 ftily compofed ; but this circumftance evinces, at the fame time, 

 the vigour of the author's imagination, and the ready command 

 he poflefled of harmonious numbers. 



I am, dear Sir, 



Yours, 



To ALEX. FRASER TYTLER, Efq; 

 S I R, 



I SEND you inclofed the original manufcript of Mr COLUNS'S 

 poem, that, by comparing with it the copy which I read to 

 the Society, you may be able to anfwer moft of the queries put 

 to me by the Committee of the Royal Society. 



THE manufcript is in Mr COLLINS'S handwriting, and fell 

 into my hands among the papers of a friend of mine and Mr 

 JOHN HOME'S, who died as long ago as the year 1754. Soon after I 

 found the poem, I fhewed it to Mr HOME, who told me that it had 

 been addrefled to him by Mr COLLINS, on his leaving London 

 in the year 1 749 : That it was haftily compofed and incorrect ; 

 but that he would one day find leifure to look it over with 

 care. Mr COLLINS and Mr HOME had been made acquainted 

 by Mr JOHN BARROW, (the cordial youth mentioned in the firft 

 ftanza), who had been, for fome time, at the univerfity of Edin- 

 burgh ; had been a volunteer, along with Mr HOME, in the 

 year 1746; had been taken prifoner with him at the battle of 

 Falkirk, and had efcaped, together with him and five or fix 

 other gentlemen, from the caftle of Down. Mr BARROW re- 

 fided in 1749 at Winchefter, where Mr COLLINS and Mr HOME 



i were, 



