198 



NOTICES OF AUTHORS. 



V. — Mr Withers. 



Having by chance glanced over a pamphlet by 

 an Englishman, a Mr Withers, we find there has 

 been jousting between that gentleman and our Scot- 

 tish knights, backed by their squire the Edinburgh 

 Reviewer, in which the discomfiture of the knights 

 has been wrought by simple hands. 



It seems Sir Henry Steuart, forgetful that his own 

 bright fame, which rivals that of the discoverers of 

 steam-power and gas*, though of comparatively quick 

 growth, will endure for ages ; and led astray, pro- 

 bably, by the foolish adage, soon ripe, soon rotten,'* 

 had stated unqualifiedly, that " fast grown timber 

 will sooner decay, and is of opener weaker texture 

 than slow grown of the same kind and on these 

 false premises concluded, that all culture or applica- 

 tion of manure to farther the growth of timber is 

 improper — winding up with some patriotic flourish 

 about danger to our war navy, from Mr Withers 



^ Vide Sir Walter Scott. 



