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of it having been sent to London,1 was published there" with a view to bespeak the favour of the [English] reader to the Scots Poet's larger volume." The editor, Dr G. Sewell, who laments his own small acquaintance with the language, says the piece had been applauded by "Pope, Hammond, and Campbell,” and adds, that "the Scoticisms which perhaps may offend an over-nice ear, give new life and grace to the poetry, and become their places as well as the Doric dialect of Theocritus, so much admired by the best judges." It may be questioned, however, if the Scoticisms were understood, either by Sewell or by those whose favourable opinions he quotes; since it was considered necessary that the poem should be accompanied by an English translation, which was executed by Josiah Burchett. Ramsay gratefully speaks of this version as "just and elegant;" but an indifferent judge will hardly confess that it reaches mediocrity. There are some blunders which may perhaps amuse a Scotish reader. Ramsay writes:

Patie.-The bees shall loath the flowers, and quit their hive,

The saughs on boggy ground shall cease to thrive,

1 Patie and Roger : A Pastoral, by Mr Allan Ramsay, in the Scots Dialect. To, which is added an Imitation of the Scotch Pastorall: By Josiah Burchett, Esq. London,

E'er scornfou Jiggs or loss of warldly gear
Shall spill my rest or ever force a tear.

Roger.-Sae I might sae, but its nae easy done By ane wha's saul's sae jingled out o' tune.”

The last two lines are rendered,

"So I might say, but not with so much ease, Can I, alas! shake off my sad disease."

Again, the verse,

"But Bauldy loos nae her, fouweel I wat He sighs for Neps-sae that may stand for that,"

is translated,

"But Archibald loves not her,- -so here's my hand For Neps he sighs,-one 'gainst the other stand."

Mr Burchett has still farther mistaken his author when he renders jo by wife.

"Dear Roger, when your jo puts on her gloom, Do ye sae too, and never fash ye'r thumb."

This will scarcely be recognised in its English dress,

"Then said she, Roger, when your wife doth frown, Though you're uneasy, let it not be known."

XLIV.

TITLE-PAGES.

It would be easy to cite old books with title-pages, which it would need half-an-hour to read, though the author's name and style take up but three words, or are perhaps modestly insinuated in a couple of initials. It was left for modern writers to drag all the alphabet captive after their names, or to swell their honours by long catalogues of all the learned societies in Europe, Asia, and America. The following title-page, which a worthy Cordelier monk devised as a happy stroke of ridicule against a Calvinistic antagonist who laughed at transubstantiation, might in our days incur the danger of being mistaken for a serious compliment.

"Réponses modestes aux aphorismes de maistre Jehan Brouaut, jadis, prieur de Saint-Ény, et à présent puisq'il lui plaist, ministre de Carentan, médecin, peintre, poëte, astrologue, philosophe académique, alchimique, mathématicien, géographe, musicien, organiste, sergent, tabellion, joueur de flute, de viole, de rebec, du tambourin, de la harpe, du manicordion, de la mandole et d'autres instruments qu'il sçait bien. Caen, Tite Haran, 1601."1

1 Curiosités Littéraires, concernant la province de Normandie, pp. 7, 8.

I decline to match this from any English author; but as my little book will scarcely find its way to Denmark, I may venture to transcribe the portentous title of a thin pamphlet published there a few years ago:

"Recherches sur l'origine des Ordres de Chevalerie du Royaume de Dannemarc, par le Docteur Frédéric Munter, Evêque de Sélande et des Ordres Royaux de Chevalerie, Grand Croix du Dannebrog et decoré de la croix d'argent du même Ordre, Professeur de Theologie dans l'Université de Copenhague, un des Viceprésidents de la Societé Biblique Danoise, Membre de College des Missions et de la Commission des Antiquités du Nord; des Académies des Sciences de Copenhague, Drontheim, Goettingue, Jonique, Italienne, de Munic, Naples, St Petersbourg, Prague, Stockholm, Upsal, etc. Correspondant de celle de Berlin et de l'Institut de Hollande. Copenhague, 1822, chez André Seidelin, Imprimeur de la Cour et de l'Université."

XLV.

A SCOTISH MAGICIAN OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

"'Sblood, he speaks terribly! but for all that, I do not greatly believe him; he looks as like a conjurer as the pope to a coster-monger."-Marlowe's Tragedy of Dr Faustus. In the year 1614, George Semple, minister of Killellan, accused of practising magic, of leading an

ungodly life, and of using slanderous conversation, was brought to trial before his ecclesiastical superiors, the presbytery of Glasgow. He denied all things which were laid to his charge, and the following evidence was adduced :

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"John Huchesoune, one of the bailies of Paisley, depones, that the accused had a book by Mr Michael Scott of unlawful arts, that he saw him buy Albertus Magnus; that he heard him speak of divers unlawfull conceits; that he was told long ago that he was wont to make lascivious ballads and sonnets; that he is evil spoken off; that his wife told him that one night in his absence, the accused came to his house, and having asked why they were so late of taking supper, said, 'What will you give me if I tell you what is in your cupboard ?"2

"William Alpe depones, that he saw in the possession of the accused a book of unlawful arts; that

The unhappy Book of Canons promulgated by King Charles I. in 1636, ordains that no ecclesiastical persons "shall give themselves to the studie of unlawfull arts and sciences; nor consult with those who are infamous for Magicke, Sorcerie, or Divination; under the payne of deprivation for the first and degradation for the second offence."-Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall, chap. iv. § 8, p. 18, edit. Aberd. 1636.

2 This is probably an allusion to the trick commemorated in Dunbar's Twae Freris of Berwick, and afterwards in Allan Ramsay's Monk and Miller's Wife.

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