1801.] 
Ramfay, Rofs, Ferguffon, and Burns, the 
former is almoft a mere blank, and fup- 
plies, to the hiftorian of our vernacular 
poetry, fcarcely any materials for dil- 
cuffion. 
Of fuch an extenfive and multifarious 
defign, I have hitherto only been able to 
execute the Critical part of -the firft vo- 
lume; comprehending an account of Bar- 
bour’s Bruce, of the Original Chronicle 
of Winton, the Poetical Remains of King 
James I. Blind Harry’s Wallace, the 
Houlat of Holland, the Metrical Romances 
of Gawan and Gelegras, and Sir Gawan 
‘ 
March 30, 1801, 
and Sir Galaron of Galloway, and the 
Three Tales of the Three Priefts of 
Peblis. Thefe will, indeed, conftitute the 
body of the volume; but there are yet 
many refearches to be made, and much la- 
borious reading to be gone through, before 
I can be able to fill up, properly, the 
hiftorical, antieuarian, and biographical 
departments; 
The chief difcouragement to fuch an 
undertaking, is the great fcarcity of Bio- 
graphical materials ; fo great, indeed, that 
it may, perhaps, be afferted, that of all 
our ancient vernacular poets, the account 
of Gawen Douglas is almoft the only one 
that has ever been written in a fatisfactory 
manner. Of his great cotemporary, Dun- 
bar, whom I have always confidered as 
the firft of them all, on account of his 
union of fancy and humour, fo little is 
certainly known, that even the idea which 
had been generally adopted, that he was 
a native of Salton, in Eaft Lothian; upon 
a more accurate infpection of manufcripts, 
has lately been difcovered to ‘be wholly 
erroneous. This want, however, is the 
lefs to be regretted, as a full detail of 
their lives and chara&ters belongs more 
direétly to a biographical performance, 
and is what, in a work of this general 
nature, could f{carcely have been admitted 
with any propriety. It is a want, alfo, 
which, though much to be lamented, muit 
not be laid to the charge of the hiftorian, 
who muft find it impraéticable, in many 
cafes, to throw much light on the cha- 
racters of thofe about whom their contem- 
poraries were fo carelefs, or to give any 
certainty to thofe circumftances which 
time has fa long covered with the mitts of 
oblivion. 
In the profecution of this undertaking, 
I fhall be much obliged to any correfpon- 
dent, who, through the medium of your 
uictul mifcellany, may have it in his 
power to furniih me either with notices of 
fcarce manulcripts or books, er any other 
hints connefed with the fubje&. 
Ldizbargh, 1 am, your’s, &c. 
ALEX, THOMSON, 
Enquiry afier W. Dudgeotts 
95 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. , 
SIR, 
HOUGH, as individuals, Dr. Mon= 
tucciand Dr. Hager, be equally in- 
different to me,I confeis the retort of the lat- 
ter upon the former, in your laft Magazine, 
gave me pleafure, when confidered as the 
repulfe of an infult. I have lived long 
enough to remember many a literary con- 
teft, but do not recolle&t any inftance of an 
attack fo illiberal as Dr. Montucci’s. , 
Having perufed Dr. Hager’s work with 
fingular fatisfaétion, I am glad to fee that 
my own opinion of it is confirmed by that 
of the firfi Oricutali/? in Europe: taying 
thus much, it is fcarcely requifite to add 
the name of SrLvesTae pe Sacy,-wha, 
after an elerant f{ummary of the volumeia 
the Magajin Excyclopedique, thus con- 
cludes ; 
‘¢ We will clofe this article, by obferving, 
that the beauty of the execution of this vo» 
lume perfectly correfponds with the impor- 
tance of the work.” We earneftly with Dr. 
Hager may fpeedily find all neceflary encou- 
ragement to expedite the publication of this 
important Dictionary ; and we doubt not that 
his name, already juftly celebrated, will be 
enrolled in the number of the learned who 
have powerfully contributed to the glory of 
their ownage, by extending the limits of the 
dominion of literature.” 
lam, Sir, your’s, &c. 
Riis Wis 
SES : 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, / 
Ge confonance with the laudable wihhes 
of Dr. Watkins, permit me to folicit, 
through the medium of your Mifcellany, 
fome particulars of the Life of Mr. WiL- 
LiaM DUDGEON; a name not yet, I bex 
lieve, to be found in the records of bio- 
graphy. His ‘* Philofophical Works? 
are comprifed in one volume 12mo, printed 
(though not announced in the title) at 
Glafgow, in 1765, and confift of “* The 
State of the Moral World confidered; or, 
a Vindication of Providence in the Go- 
vernment of the Moral World;”—« A 
Defence of the State, &c.”* (i. e. a view of 
the nature and origin of moral good and 
evil) ;—** A View of the Neccfiitarian 5 
or, Belt Scheme ;”’-—=** A Catechi(m found- 
ed on Experience and Reafon (1. e. the 
law of Nature), collected by a Wather for 
the Uie of his Children 5°—** Philofophi- 
cal Letters on, the Being and Attributes 
of God,”” &c. &c. 1. Dhe Letters are ad- 
drefled to the Rev. Mr. Jackson, a dite 
ciple of Dr. Clarke, and author of ¢* Ex. 
iitence and Unity of God, proved from his 
Nature and Attributes ;°> and a ‘*. Dea 
fence, &c,”’ whofe name is, I believe, like- 
wile unknown in the annals of literary ex- 
/ iltence, 
