And as they talk (ay me! so much the sadder) Backwards they scale the steps of honest Plato's ladder *.

Next, 'from the well-air'd ancient town of Crail,

Go out her craftsmen with tumultuous din, Her wind-bleach'd fishers, sturdy-limb'd and hale,

Her in-kneed taylors, garrulous and thin; And some are flush'd with horns of pithy ale, And some are fierce with drams of smug

gled gin,

While, to augment his drowth, each to his jaws

rugs and gnaws.

And from Kingsbarns and hamlet clep'd of boars,

And farms around (their names too long to add)

Sally the villagers and hinds in scores,

Tenant and laird, and hedger, hoddenclad :

Bolted are all the East-nook houses' doors;

Ev'n toothless wives pass westward, tott'ring glad,

Propping their trem'lous limbs on oaken stay,

And in their red plaids drest as if 'twere

Sabbath day.

And bare-foot lasses, on whose ruddy face

Unfurl'd is health's rejoicing banner seen, Trick'd in their Sunday mutches edg'd with lace,

Their gingerbread in baskets to the FAIR, Tippets of white, and frocks of red and green,

Come tripping o'er the roads with jocund pace,

Gay as May-morning, tidy, gim, and clean, Whilst, joggling at each wench's side, her joe Cracks many a rustic joke, his pow'r of wit to show.

Then justling forward on the western road, Approach the folk of wind-swept Pitten

weem,

So num'rous that the highways, long and broad,

One waving field of gowns and coat-tails seem;

The fat man puffing goes, oppress'd with load Of cumb'rous flesh and corpulence extreme;

• The Student wishing to understand this Ladder may consult Plato. Conviv. tom. 3. page 211. of Serrani's Edit.

+ A Crails capon is a dried haddoc. Boar hills.

And every husbandman, round Largo-law, Hath scrap'd his huge-wheel'd dung-cart fair and clean,

Wherein, on sacks stuff"'d full of oaten straw, Sits the Goodwife, Tam, Katey, Jock, and Jean;

In flow'rs and ribbands drest the horses draw

Stoutly their creaking cumbersome machine,

As, on his cart-head, sits the Goodman proud, And cheerily cracks his whip and whistles clear and loud.

Then from her coal-pits Dysart vomits forth Her subterranean men of colour dun, Poor human mouldwarps, doom'd to scrape in earth,

Cimmerian people, strangers to the sun; Gloomy as soot, with faces grim and swarth, They march, most sourly leering every

And from Kinghorn jump hastily along

Her ferrymen and poor inhabitants: And th' upland * hamlet, where, as told in

song,

Tam Lutar play'd of yore his lively rants, Is left dispeopl'd of her brose-fed throng,

For eastward scud they now as thick as ants;

Dunfermline, too, so fam'd for checks and ticks,

There are several passages which give a very favourable idea of the writer's descriptive powers, tho' their effect is somewhat injured by the admixture of comic ideas and expressions. We shall particularly instance the following:

and walking-sticks,

And market-maids, and apron'd wives, that bring

Their gingerbread in baskets to the FAIR, And cadgers with their creels, that hang by string

From their lean horse-ribs rubbing off the hair,

And crook-legg'd cripples, that on crutches swing

Their shabby persons with a noble air, And fiddlers, with their fiddles in their cases, And packmen, with their packs of ribbons, gauze, and laces.

And from Kinross, whose dusty streets, unpav'd

Are whirl'd through heav'n on summer's windy day,

Whose plats of cabbage-bearing ground are

lav'd

By Leven's waves, that clear as crystal play,

Jog her brisk burghers, spruce and cleanly shav'd,

Her sullen cutlers and her weavers gay, Her ploughboys in their botch'd and clumsy jackets,

Her clowns, with cobbled shoon stuck full

of iron tackets.

Next ride on sleek-man'd horses, bay or brown,

Upon the top of many-fountain'd Ide, That I might thence in holy fervour greet The bright-gown'd Morning tripping up her side;

And when the low Sun's glory-buskin'd feet Walk on the blue wave of th' Ægean tide, O, I would kneel me down, and worship there The God who garnish'd out a world so bright and fair!

The saffron-elbow'd Morning up the slope Of heav'n canaries in her jewell'd shoes, And throws o'er Kelly -law's sheep-nibbl'd top

Her golden apron, dripping kindly dews, And never, since she first began to hop

Up Heav'n's blue causeway, of her beams profuse,

Shone there a dawn so glorious and so gay, As shines the merry dawn of ANSTER Market day.

Round thro' the vast circumference of sky

One speck of small cloud cannot eye behold,

Save in the East some fleeces bright of die, That stripe the hem of heav'n with woolly

gold,

Whereon are happy angels wont to lie

Lolling, in amarathine flow'rs enroll'd, That they may spy the precious light of God, Flung from the blessed East o'er the fair Earth abroad.

VIEW of the Agriculture, State of Property, &c. in Dumfries Shire. By D. Singer, large 8vo. 18s. The Edinburgh Annual Register, for 1810. Vol. III. 8vo. 1/. 4s. The Anonymous and Fugitive Essays of the Earl of Buchan. Collected from periodical works, vol. I. 7s. The Earl of Buchan, considering his advanced age, has thought proper to publish this volume, and to meditate the publication of others, containing his anonymous writings; that no person may hereafter ascribe to him any others than are by him, in this manner, avowed, described, or enumerated.

ΤΗ

Literary Intelligence.

HE attention of the literary world, during the current month, has been engaged by the Sale of the extensive and valuable library of the late Duke of Roxburgh. It was confided to Mr Evans, of Pall-Mall; and so numerous and interesting were the lots, that it was extended to forty-two days. All the collectors of first and rare editions, having, on this occasion, been drawn into competition; this species of literature has attained a price never before remembered, insomuch that we conceive we cannot more highly gratify our readers, than by recording some of the most remarkable. On the 30th day, the sales had produced nearly 20,000/.; and it was estimated, that the whole library would fetch little short of 30,000%.

In an age of avaricious speculation, it may serve the cause of literature generally, to add the remark, that it is not believed this library cost the Duke more than 5000/

The Festival; printed by Caxton, in two columns. 105. bought by Lord Spenser.

The Proffytable Boke for Mane's Soul, called the Chastysing of Godde's Chyldren; printed by Caxton. 140/ Lord Spenser.

Lyf of Saint Katherin of Senis; printed by Caxton. 951. Mr Clarke.

Sessions' Papers and Trials at the Old Bailey, from 1690 to 1803. 2 vols. in folio, and 80 vols. in 4to. 378. Mr Reed.

A Translation of Cicero on Old Age; printed by Caxton. 115/. Mr

Nornaville.

The Boke of Seynt Albons; printed at Saint Albans, 1486. imperfect. 147/. Mr Triphook.

The Mirrour of the World; printed by Caxton, in 1480. 3517. 15s. Mr Nornaville.

The Kalindayr of the Shyppers, folio; printed at Paris, 1503. 1807. Mr Nornaville.

Callimachi Hymni. Florence, 1472, 4to. 63/. Mr Payne.

A Discourse of English Poetrie, by W. Webbe, 1586, 4to. 64. Mr Triphook.

Paradise of Daintie Devises, 4to. 1580. 55/. 13s. Mr Rice.

A Collection of Old Ballads, in 3 vols. folio. 4771. 13s. Mr Harding.

Guy Earl of Warwick, a metrical Romance; printed by Copeland, 4to. 43/. 1s. Mr Heber.

Love's Martyr, or Rosalin's Complaint, by Chester, 4to. 1601. 24/. 3s. Mr Dubois.

Gower's Confessio Amantis; printed by Caxton, 1493, folio. 3367. Mr Payne.

Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a manuscript on vellum, folio. 3571.

Chaucer's Works, by Pynson, 1526, folio. 30. 9s. Mr Evans.

The

The Passetyme of Pleasure, by Stephen Hawys; printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1517. 811. Mr Dibdin.

The Exemple of Vertu, by Stephyn Hawys. W. de Worde, 1530. 601. Mr Rice.

History of King Boccus and Sydrake. 30%. Mr Triphook.

The Complaynt of a Lover's Life, 4to. printed by Wynkyn de Worde. 581. Mr Nornaville.

The Castell of Pleasure, 4to. by W. de Worde, 58/. Mr Nornaville.

The Love & Complaynte between Mars and Venus, 607. Mr Dibdin.

Watson's Translation of Brant's Ship of Fools, 4to. 64. Mr Nornaville. Churchyarde's Works, 2 vols. 4to. 86/. Mr Triphook.

Le Mystere de la Vengeance de Notre Seigneur J. Christ, 2 vols. folio, MS. 493/. 10s. Mr Payne.

Shakspeare's Plays, folio, 1623. 100% Mr Nornaville.

A Collection of Prints of Theatrical Scenes and Portraits of Perform ers, 3 vols. folio, 102/. 18s.

The Nice Wanton, a Comedy, 4to. 1573. 20/. 9s. 6d. Mr Nicol.

Marlow and Nash's Tragedy of Dido, 1594. 271. 17s. Mr Heber.

Morlini Novellæ, 4to. Neapolis, 1520. 48/. Mr Triphook.

Recueil des Romans des Chevaliers de la Table Ronde, 3 vols. folio, an ancient manuscript, 78/. 15s. Mr Triphook..

Le Romant de Fier à Bras le Geant, folio, Genev. 1478. 381. 17s. Mr Triphook.

Recueil des Histoires de Troyes, par Raoul Le Fevre, fol. 116. 11s. Lord Spenser.

Il Decamerone di Boccacio, folio. First Edition, printed at Venice by Valdarfer, 1471. 2260/. Marquis of Blandford.

The Boke of the Fayt of Armes, and of Chyvalrye; printed by Caxton 336/. Mr Nornaville.

The Veray trew History of Jason. 947. 10s. Mr Ridgeway.

The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye. by Raoul Le Fevre. Caxton, 1471. 1060/. Mr Ridgeway.

History of the Noble Appolyn, 4to. 1107. Mr Nornaville.

History of Blanchardyn and Eglantyne. Printed by Caxton, 215/. 5s. Lord Spenser.

Delphin Classics, 67 vols. 504/. Duke of Norfolk.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

NOTHING of public importance occurred

in the House of Lords from the 12th May till the 2d June, when the bill for making a provision for the family of the late Mr Perceval was read a third time, and passed.

Wednesday June 3.

The Earl of Liverpool moved an adjournment of the House until Friday; when the Duke of Norfolk, previous to adjourning, wished to know, whether the Noble Earl was then Minister, or only holding the place for a few days? To which his Lordship answered, that he was only holding the situa tion until the Regent should signify his pleasure as to any future arrangement.

The Marquis Wellesley thought it his duty to the House and the public to state, that his royal highness the Prince Regent had been most graciously pleased to command his advice and endeavours towards the forination of a new government on a firm and extended basis. He accordingly did proceed under those commands, and took such steps as, in his mind, were most likely to accomplish the end required. Not having succeeded, however, in his humble, but zealous attempts to effect that which his royal highness had so much at heart, and which was so necessary in the present state of the country, he had that morning humbly and duti fully tendered his resignation to the Prince Regent, which his royal highness had been graciously pleased to accept. It was also his duty to state, that his royal highness, with that anxious wish which he had all along displayed for the satisfaction of the country, had permitted him, (and he was ready so to do) if the House desired it, to state the whole progress of his negociations on this important subject; all the advice which he had presumed humbly to give, and every step which had been taken in attempting the formation of a new government. At the same time it was also his duty to state, and he was sorry to be oblig ed to do so in the present dreadful and embarrassed state of the country, that much dreadful animosity, much difference of opinion, had been found to prevail among some of those who had been applied to on this July 1812.

subject. He yet, however, expected that order might be soon restored, that these animosties would soon subside, and these differences of opinion be soon united. He was therefore of opinion, that it would be highly improper now for the public advantage, to agitate this subject. But he must repeat, that he was authorised by the Prince Regent to give the House and the country the fullest information on this subject, and he was ready so to do, if called on by the House for that purpose.

The Earl of Liverpool, for himself and his colleagues disclaimed any knowledge of the personal animosities spoken of by the Noble Marquis.

Earl Grey and Lord Grenville also denied having been actuated by any personal feeling in the negociations alluded to, and expressed their readiness to go into an explanation of the principles by which they had been governed; but a majority of their Lordships being of opinion that the discus sion would be premature, the question of adjournment was put and carried.

Friday, June 5.

Earl Moira rose to state, that, in consequence of the words "Dreadful personal animorities," which, on a former evening, had fallen from a Noble Marquis (Wellesley) in that House, and that the fact of such a feeling having been disclaimed by every Member, he was sorry to find that it had gone abroad, that that was a feeling which prevailed in the breast of the illustri ous person (Prince Regent) at the head of the Government. He begged leave now, to contradict such an insinuation, and to declare from what he knew of that illustrious character, his mind was incapable of harbouring such a feeling. He must also state, that the hitherto unsuccessful attempts to form an Administration had failed from misconception on the part of those to whom the propositions were made.

Lord Grenville was convinced that too much importance had been attached to the expressions which had inadvertently drops ped from the Noble Marquis, and which were not referrable to any individual. He could n however, coincide in the correct

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