54 on antiquities in Scotland. March 2 f <» 



grees of constitutional warmth, and sensibility of 

 imagination. , 



But the best proof of this writer's merit is, that he 

 never fails to delight and to interest ; there io a charm 

 diffused over the whole which is easier felt than de- 

 scribed ; and it may be safely aiFirmed, that he who has 

 the power of pleasing his readers, and engaging their 

 affections, has retained the highest praise of an au- 

 thor ; for without this power the most laborious at- 

 tention to the 'best plan, and the greatest extent oi 

 knowledge, is vain and uselefs. Philo. 



Disquisitions on the uses of the drt-stone 

 buildings, called dkun'-^s in scotland. 



Continued from />. 6 1 . 

 The ingenious Mr King, who has so succefsfully 

 explained the nature of the Anglo Saxon and Nor- 

 man forts, vulgarly called KEEPS, has inadvertently 

 dropped some exprefsions that may tend to misle^fd 

 his readers, which, as coming from him, require to 

 be examined with mor^=: attention than would other- 

 wise have been thoiight necefsary. He not only be- 

 lieves that the dhunes in Scotland have been- un- 

 doubtedly erected as places of defence, but he "even 

 insinuates that they have been the originals from' 

 whence the Aifglo Si'ions borrowed the first idea of- 

 those round fortified towers which they called keeps ^ 

 both which opinions it will not be difficult to prov* 

 are equally groundlefs. With this view it will be- 

 ne cefsary, 



