04 
«¢ A well-executed Hiftory of Scottith 
Poetry, from the thirteenth century, would 
be a valuable accefficn to the general li- 
terary hiftory of Britain. The fubjeé& is 
pregnant with much curious and initruc- 
tive information, is highly deferving of a 
minute and regular refearch, has never 
yet been uniformly examined in its full 
extent, and the materials are both accefti- 
ble and ample. Even the bare lives of the 
vernacular poets of Scotland have never 
yet been wiitten with tolerable care, and 
at prefent are only known from the meagre 
eutlines of Dempiter and Mackenzie. The 
Scotch appear to have had an early pro- 
penfity to theatrical reprefe: ntations ; and 
at is probable, that in the profecution of 
fuch a defign, among feveral other inte- 
eens and unexpected difcaveries, many 
anecdotes, conducing to illuftrate the rile 
and progrefs of our ancient drama, might 
be drawn from obfcurity.”’ 
‘From the frft perufal of this interefting 
paflage, I have never ceafed to think of 
the projeét it recommends ; and it is now 
twelve years fince I drew up a plan of 
the different particulars that feemed to be 
requifite to the complete execution of fuch 
a work; and which, though fated fepa- 
rately, for the fake of piecifion, were 
meant to be intimately blended together, 
in their proper proportions, throughout 
the whole. Of this plan I fhall now pro- 
ceed to lay an abridgement before your 
readers. 
I. The firft of thefe requifites I fhall 
term Critical Hiftory, which exhibits the 
progrefs of poetry and tafte through the 
various ftages of improvement or decline, 
and includes, what is intimately connected 
with the fubjeét—the fate of learning at 
every different period, 
II. The National Hifory may next be 
mentioned, which cefcribes-that conftant 
and powerful influence, which the admi- 
niflration of government, and the ftate of 
public affairs, have over the art of com- 
pofition. 
Il¥. The Hiftory of Manners comes 
next to be confidered, which includes an 
almoft infinite variety of objefts, down 
from the revolutions of religious opinion, 
to the changes ia drefs, and in the economy 
of the table. 
IV. Another requifite is Biographical 
Anecdote, which gratifies the curiofity we 
naturally feel to be acquainted with the 
fortunes and charaéters of thofe whofe 
_ productions pafs in review before us. 
V. Analytical Criticifm may next be 
taken notice of, in which we are bie ae. 
in a fummary manner, with the plan of 
Pian of a Hiftory of Scottifh Poetry. 
every original performance, whofe length - 
or importance feems to merit this diftine- 
tion; and in which are exhibited the thread 
of narration, the train of fentiment, or the 
fucceffion of imagery, freed from all 
tedious fuperfiuity of language, and 
from all the Ep Eneniee of ulelets ie 
ficn. 
VI. General Criticifm ftands next in 
order, which eftimates the merit of every 
different production, and fixes, with pre-. 
cificn, what degree of genius each different 
writer appears to have poffeffed, that he 
may not receive praifes which are not his 
due, but be affigned a proper rank among 
his poetical brethren. 
VII. Particular Criticifm naturally fok~ 
lows, whofe province it is to pcint out te 
the reader the beauties and blemithes of 
every compofition, and to feleét fuch a 
number and variety of {fpecimens, as may 
give him a lively and diflin& idea of the 
ttyle and manner in which it 1s executed. 
Viil. Nor mu Comparative Critic:fm 
be forgotten, which takes notice of the 
refemblances, whether intended or acci- 
dental, between our Scotch writers and 
thofe of other nations, either in the gene- 
ral plan of the performance, or in any de- 
tached and particular paflage. 
IX. The laft of thefe requifites is Ver- 
bal Interpretation, whereby every word, 
which could not be comprehended by a 
perfon unacquainted with the diale&t of 
Scotiand, is explained by-a fynonimous 
a eal in Englith. 
‘ith regard to the mere mechanical 
divifion of the work, it will naturally ar- 
range itfelf in the following manner :— _ 
The hiitory of our poetry, from the 
earlieft notices, down to the reign of 
James IV. will conftitute the fubje& of the 
firft book, which, with fome preliminary 
dificrtations on the language, will be amply 
fufRcient fer the firft volume. 
The brilliant reign of James IV. that 
Auguftan zra of our vernacular poetry, 
will occupy the fecond bock and the fe~- 
cond volume, and wil! probably, to the 
reader of claffical tafte, be the moft in. 
terefting portion of the whole. 
Ther reign of James V. of the unfor- 
tunate Mary, and of James VI. till his. 
removal to England, will require each of 
them its feparate book, but may probably 
be comprifed in a fingle volume. 
The fixth book will treat of the ver. 
teenth century, and the feventh of the one 
which has juit clofed ; both may be com- 
prebended in a fourth: ‘volume; for al- 
though the latter of thefe periods is richly 
difttinguified by the Ufuitrious names of 
Ramiay, — 
fSept. 1s - 
