rived from his meritorious services; ALEX. MANNERS, P. As we are told that example is more powerful than precept, let this gentleman's disinterested conduct be followed by all who are placed in situations of responsibility; and let each reflect, that altho' "lost health may be repaired, lost fortune may "be regained, even lost senses may be "recovered, that a forfeited character "is rarely ever to be restored." 46 "Qui capit, ille facit." 66 bind them to society are dissolved; the sense of character remains the same, because they are still in the midst of their former friends and neighbours; and the least possible injury is done to their pride, or their wish to retain the appearance of independence. Nor is this the only mode of bestowing charity--there are many otherssuch as the means employed for keeping down the price of fuel, or provisions, in case of a monopoly, or temporary scarcity; by purchasing the articles at the best market, and retailing them at prime cost, or at a small loss; or the adding a bounty to a particular species of labour, when the price is accidentally depressed. A gentleman, who once filled a high station in this city, and whose attention to subjects of political economy has been great and praiseworthy, advises, "that if the magis"trates would bring to market, at the 66 present time, 5000 bolls of potatoes, "which can be bought at no great "distance from Edinburgh, at eight shillings per boll, and sell them off "in single pecks, at prime cost and "charges, it would do a great deal to "keep the prices of food moderate." With regard to another branch alluded to, viz. fuel,-it is with particular pleasure I am informed, that measures are taken to supply the inhabitants of this city with coals of the first quality in Scotland, and at a moderate price : this establishment, I understand, is not just yet completed in all its parts; but when it is, (and the sooner the better,) I am led to believe, and I hope the result will prove, that it will go far to keep the coal-masters in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh in better or der than they have hitherto been, and prevent the prices from being raised, when the rigors of winter are felt, and fires become indispensable to all classes of the community. With respect to the most useful mode of bestowing charity, some differences in opinion have been maintained. An indiscriminate admission to the work-house of every one who could establish claims thereto, would certainly be highly improper. There, shut up amidst a crowd of strangers, who have no interest in their welfare, and listening only while the dull wheel hums doleful through the day," it becomes matter of indifference in them "to sleep or die." The proper and reasonable mode of giving assistance to the poor has thus been pointed out by moderate pensions; paid, not weekly, which produces improvidence on their part; but monthly, or rather quarterly-always under the condition that they shall not solicit charity. The inducement to such exertions of industry, as their health or age permit, is thus left entire. They remain objects of compassion to their Lindred, and none of the ties which Dec. 17th, 1808. F.dinburghos. } TIMON. Letter 888 Letter from the Chevalier RAMSAY, while Tutor to the Sons of the Earl of WEEMS, to Mr ROBERT KEITH, afterwards Bishop KEITH. (From the Original, in the possession of the Publishers.) Thistleworth, Feb. 25th, 1709. ---- DEAR ROBBY, HAVE nothing to write to thee but only this, that if we continue to aspire unto our Almighty original, we shall still be united, however far seperated in this world. Now, I bide hid by the river Thames, amidst fields and gardens, where I have nothing to interrupt my conversation within, but an hour or two attendance at night upon two of the most innocent, sweet, sprightly, little boys I ever knew. All my ambition now is to live forgot ten by all, doing them all the real service lyes in my power. I sha'nt trouble you with scribbling, we already know one another well enough.All I shall say is, that should it be my fortune to be tost from Greenland to Good-Hope, yet, after twenty years absence, our souls shall be as much united as ever, and I shall embrace you at meeting with all the freedom of a Philadelphian: so live happy :and if we never meet here, may we meet after this on the road to Elysium. I am your loving RAMSAY. mous author of Travels of Cyrus, Andrew Ramsay.-————Addressed, MR ROBERT Keith, Governor to the Right Hon. My LORD KEITH. ANECDOTES. THE witty Charles Townshend having been asked what he thought of the late Duke of Richmond's first speech, which proved a pretty long one, he replied "that it resembled a diabetes, as it proceeded entirely from a weakness of parts." Some literary gentlemen being in company lately, and waiting till dinner was announced, it was proposed that each of them should make a line of English verse, to see what a motley piece of composition they would make when put together.-Mr Home, the author of Douglas, commenced writing "God did at first make man upright, but be” A celebrated living poet, whose turn it was next, added, "Would surely have continued so, but she" which happy turn met with deserved applause, but the amusement went no farther. Fox, the founder of Quakerism, was in the habit of attending publie worship at the established church; but when the preacher uttered sentiments which he disapproved, he would most solemnly put on his broad-brimmed hat, and take it off again when a welcome train of doctrine recurred. If the ill-sounding propositions, or ful he had sat long with his hat on, and minations, continued, he would slowly rise and silently walk out. It was for purposes of habitual protest that the Quakers first learned to sit in places of worship with their hats on. This is a decorous protest; and it might not be amiss for the friends of political equity to put their hats on when they are compelled to listen to any thing intolerant, or in obstinate cases quietly to walk out. GAELIC MILO. Slughorn Slugorn-Slugan and Slogan, are all corruptions, or provincial alterations of the original Gaelic Sluagh-Oran, i. e. the Army or Batthe Cry. Tradition informs us, that when a Clan was to be assembled for some warlike expedition, a Herald traversed the Chieftain's territories, carrying a fiery Cross, and, at stated intervals, proclaiming with a loud voice, the Sluagh-Oran, or War Cry of the Clan. The Sluagh-Oran was generally the name of the Chieftain, the Principal Fort, or the Place of Rendezvous. The War Cry of the MacKenzies is said to have been TullochAird-that of the Camerons, Lochiel, and the Campbells,-Lochow, Sc. It is well known, that soon after the introduction of Christianity the cross was used as a warlike ensign.During the Crusades, this was particularly the case, and it might be difficult to determine whether the confederates against the Saracens placed most reliance on the strength of their armies, or the Virtue of the Cross, as a Standard. The Gael, however, notwithstanding their supposed barbarism, appear, in this case, to have adopted a distinction highly to their credit. They did not, like their more polished southern neighbours, prostitute the Crois Beannuighte, (Crux Sacra) i. e. the Blessed Cross, to military purposes. They had also their Crois-Taire, (Crux Profana) i.e. the profane or common Cross, which was used, as aforesaid, for the purpose of convoking the Clans. Dec. 1808. Shaw, in his Gaelic Dictionary, renders Crois-Taire, an Alarm Bell, and it is not a little to the present point, that the Gaelic language contains no other word of the same import, equally appropriate and expressive as an instrument of alarm; tho' Shaw has lost sight of the radical meaning, and modernized the translation; by substituting a bell instead of a Cross. The last particular I shall mention on this head is, that the Coat of Arms of the M'Leans, and several of the Ancient Clans, still bears a Cross burning at both extremities of the transverse. I have repeatedly had occasion to remark, that the Gaelic is a language of high antiquity, and contains inexhaustible stores for the philologist and antiquarian. It is more or less the radix of all the languages of Europe.As I have had occasion to explain Sluagh-Oran, it may not be very foreign to explain another word, which is derived from the same source, but which has been uniformly mistaken, I mean the English word Slaughter.This word, with the Metathesis of a single letter, is the Gaelic SluaghTer, i. e. the Field of Battle. P. S. The Synopsis of the Gaelic and Latin languages has been unavoidably delayed, but is now nearly complete, and will be regularly forwarded. MILO. for it was impossible we could have The gutter'd rocks, and congregated Traitors ensteep'd to dog the guiltless keel," we had certainly enjoyed his company very much; for besides having the ship stored with all the good things of this life, he had an excellent chart of the coast, a perspective glass, and a good violin, on which we could all perform a little; and also Ossian's poems, Burns's works, and several books of taste: his manners were simple and unaffected, and his nature kind and affable, and he certainly may be ranked amongst the first of merchants. We mounted the braes of Ardnamurchan at the farm house of Borrowdale, by a small foot track that soon evanished. Here there are many green patches amongst the woods and alongst the shore, but higher on the hills, the soil is wholly moss, and the vegetable productions heather and ling. In ascending this hill, we were rivetted to a certain spot a good while, listening to the most mellifluous music, which came floating on the breeze from a neighbouring wood, sometimes in a cadence so soft and low as scarcely to be heard, and at other times in full concert, so loud that all the hills rang again. This proceeded from a great number of people, of both sexes, who were cutting and peeling wood at that place; and being assembled at their breakfast, had joined in singing a Gaelic song, in the chorus of which they all joined and though their notes were wild, and, as we thought, irregular, yet by reason of the distance, and the fine echo of the woods and rocks, the effect was excellent. With some difficulty we found our way over the height, and came in view of of Loch-Moidart in Inverness-shire: and what added not a little to our vexation, no sooner had we got over the rough hedge, and spied out the way by which we proposed to get forward, than the wind shifted to the South, and the rain commenced; so that if we had staid two hours longer in the ship, we had soon been landed in Sky, where I was acquainted; but the whole of our journey was alike unfortunate. We now went through a stock of good short sheep belonging to a Captain Cameron, whose house we passed by, for fear we should have been suffered to tarry in the kitchen, our cloathes being now much soiled on board; but even in the most trivial things we were unlucky; going a nearer way, as we thought, above the house, we came upon precipices and ravines so inaccessible, that it was with difficulty we reached the shore hard by the house, after all our trouble. A little after this, the tide being in, we run ourselves within a long narrow arm, by which it run up into the country, and were obliged to wade through it above our middle in salt water: being now uncertain by which way to proceed, we called at a poor cottage where a little girl, having some English, showed us the road for Island - Teona, in LochMoidart, by which it was necessary we should pass. After this we were entangled in a morass of prodigeous extent, quite level, and only a little elevated above the sea, and so soft and miry, that when we leaped from one place covered with a scurf to another, to avoid sinking, it would shake and heave to the distance of a rood around us; and we certainly were in more danger than we were aware of, for we were afterwards told that no person attempted crossing through the middle of it where we went. After passi g a number of poor cottages in a cluster, we came unto the beach opposite the house of Island-Teona, where making 2 small islands, on one of which there a sign for a boat, two fine boys, sons Earse songs. these |