440'-tN<iPIR^ RESPECTmO SCOTTISH WORTHIES. June 2i, 

 Many lives of illuftrious and learned Scots that 

 ave been already offered to the pulbic, arc fo barren in 

 incident, and fo flight in compofition, as to give but 

 little information or amufement to the reader, and ought 

 to he confidered as no more than ground to be more fully 

 explored and cultivated, of which the life of Buchanan 

 is a remarkable inflance, having been handled either 

 critically and heavily, as by Ruddiman, or flightly as 

 by Bayle and the Britiili biographical didionary. 



Lord JBucban requejls the communication of original 

 letters that may cafually be in the poffeifion of perfons 

 who are not difpofed to make a biographical ufe of them 

 themfelves, and would wifii to fee them made fubfervi- 

 ent to the honouring and illuftrating the memories of the 

 benefactors of mankind. He has received letters of the 

 Scottilh Virgil, Thomfon, which will enable him to en- 

 rich the life of that truly eminent poet; and he willies to 

 be provided with materials for doing juiHce to the me- 

 mories of his other great countrymen, which he has never 

 been difpofed to hoard as an antiquary, but to fcatter up- 

 on the waters of literature, that they may be found after 

 many days. Anecdotes of illullrious and learned Scots 

 will be very acceptable, when they are charafterillic, 

 fuch as the following of Andrew Fletcher of Salton — 

 Fletcher being in company one day with the witty Dr. 

 Pitcairn, the converlation turned on a perfon of litera- 

 ture, whofe hiftory was not diAinclly known, I knew 

 the man well, faid Fletcher : He was hereditary pro- 

 feffor of divinity at Hamburgh. Hereditary profelior ! 

 faid Br. Pitcairn, with a laugh of ailonilhment and de- 

 rifion. Yes, Dodfor, replied Fletcher, hereditary pro- 

 feflbr of divinity ! what think you of a hereditary 

 king ? 



