lygz. let Ur from Arcticus, 31 ; 



Criticism of late years, and clafsical learning* in 

 all times, distinguifhed the north of t'.ie Tweed ; and 

 as to the sciences, the reputation and crowded clafseg 

 of t)ie Edinburgh university, (were there not others 

 in the country,) are strong evidences of their flourilh- 

 ing, equal at least to any otiier branch of learning. 

 Even your claim to poetry, to wliich the genius of 

 tli'j country has been sarcastically supposed not very- 

 favourable, is supported by some illustrious name:). 

 The noble translator of Virgil (Gavin Douglas biihop 

 of Dunl^eld,) was unrivalled in the day he v/rote; and Bu- 

 chanan has had no equal since the Augustan age. The 

 Scotch Virgil, too, Thomson, is a phalanx of himself; 

 nor has the modest bsrd reason to fliuti competition 

 with his more aflhient southern cotemporaryf, flii- 

 uing in all the splendour of borrowed metapliysics and 

 original caustic wit, whilst poetic imagery, lively de- 

 scription, and painting after nature, fhall be held the 

 criterions of tliat art; nor will I give up our favourite- 

 Allan Ramsay at the frown of your commercial dic- 

 tator I, (whose censure, by the by, would equally alFecfe 

 Theocritus the model and father of pastor^,) especially 

 as a friend of that truly great man, see vol.iii. p. i6(),, 

 awures us, " That he had neither an car for music,, 

 Bor any perception of the sublime or beautiful, in ei- 

 ther poetry or prose." Is it pofsible to pafa tliia- 



• Pcrhjp» Scotliind is di»tingu:rti'!'d from other natrons, more by the 

 general knuwiedgc of lei'cn among the lower ranks of her people, tffan 

 by the depth of her cljfsici! IcirMiiig. There i: n;»t a person here, amonj; 

 ten thuuiand, who canciot read, and very ili'^/ who cannot wiite ini^. 

 cypher. Ed'T. 



\ Pupc. J Adam Smii!j author of die Wealth of Kn'/'j-ii- 



