ART. XII. The Hiftory of the Wars in Scotland, from the Battle of the Grampian Hills in the year 85, to the Battle of Culloden in the year 1746. By John Lawrie, A. M. 12mo. 3s. fewed. Sold by the Author at Edinburgh.

THIS

HIS collection of battles is a proof of the gallant and warlike fpirit of the Scottish nation; and its elevation of old, forms a ftriking contraft to the dejection in which it has remained for fome years. America has difplayed fully its confequence, and Ireland has begun a conteft which from the feeblenefs of our statefmen, inay terminate in its difunion from Great-Britain. The Scots, on the contrary, preferve the filence which is characteristic of defpotifm. The gentlemen are merely idle, or engaged in frivolous diffipations. The nobility, without vigour, have loft their independence. The houfe of Arnifton affumes a fupreme fway. Its nod is the law. In the prefent humiliating fituation of the Scots, this performance may have the effect to recal to them the glory of their ancestors; and in some measure to roufe them from the unhappy lethargy into which they have fallen.

With refpect to Mr. Lawrie he is not to be confidered as an author. He is properly a collector. The battles which he holds out to view, he gives in the precife words of the Scottish hiftorians. Of confequence there is nothing new in his publication. As to himself he is intitled only to the praife of labour. We are not forry, however, to have perufed his collection; and for the entertainment of our readers, we fhall lay before them the battles of Otterburn and Culloden.

1. Anno 1388. July 21. Otterburn. A truce between Scot land and England, from June 1386 to May 1387, being no fooner expired, than the war broke out with fresh fury. The Earls of Fife and Douglas, ravaged Northumberland and Weftmorland, and the new created Earl of Nithfdale deftroyed a party of 3000 English, killing 200, and taking 500 prifoners.

Lord Douglas and the Earl of Fife having fuccefsfully invaded Ireland, defeated the Irifh militia at Dundalk, fent home fifteen fhips loaded with the fpoils of Carlingford, which they plundered, then failing to the Ifle of Man, at that time belonging to the Montague family, the profeffed enemies to the Scots, and having laid it waste, they returned with their fpoils to Scotland, and landed near Lochrian, Thefe fucceffes encouraged King Robert to make higher attempts. He called his parliament together at Aberdeen, where a double invafion of England was refolved on. Two armies were raised, each confifting of 15,000 men; the one commanded by the Earls of Fife, Monteith, Douglas lord of Galway, and Alexander Lindfay; the other by the Earls of Douglas, March,

Crawford

Crawford and Murray. Both armies_rendezvoufed at Jedburgh, where they parted. That under the Earl of Fife entered by the weft marches into Cumberland, and that under Douglas and March fell directly into Northumberland, which was laid wafte, and both armies, according to concert, joined within ten miles of Newcastle. All the north of England was thrown into the moft dreadful confternation by this invafion. Newcastle was defended by the Earl of Northumberland, whofe age and infirmities difabled him from taking the field; but his place was more than fupplied by his fons Ralph and Henry; the latter being well known by the name of Hotspur, which he obtained from his fiery difpofition. The town was garrifoned by the flower of the English nobility and gentry, as well as the inhabitants of the adjacent counties, who had fled thither for refuge. Douglas to distinguish himself, had selected 2000 foot and 300 horfe out of the two armies, and encamped on the north fide of the town, with a view (as the Scots fay) to storm it next day. In the mean time he received a challenge from the Hotfpur Piercy to fight him hand to hand with fharp ground fpears in view of both armies. Douglas accepted the challenge. The combatants met. Piercy was unhorfed in the first encounter, and forced to take refuge within the gate of the town, from whence Douglas brought off his lance. But he and his men were foiled in their attempt to ftorm the town, for the befieged were far more mumerous than the affailants, therefore in the night he decamped. Piercy breathing revenge, purfued and overtook them at Otterburn. According to the continuator of Fordun, the principal divifion of the Scots army under the Earl of Fife had taken a different rout from that under Douglas, who, with the Earls of March and Murray, were unarmed, and preparing to fit down to fupper, when they had intelligence of the approach of the enemy. The Scotch army in an inftant was under arms; but fuch was their confufion, that the Earl of Douglas in his hurry forgot his cuirafs. Both leaders encouraged their men by the most animating fpeeches, and both parties waited for the rifing of the moon, which happened that night to be unusually bright. The battle being joined upon the moon's appearance, the Scots at first gave way; but being rallied by Douglas, who fought with a battle ax, and reinforced by Patrick Hepburn, his fon and attendants, the English were routed, though greatly fuperior in numbers: but the brave Earl of Douglas, being mortally wounded, was carried to his tent, where he expired in the morning. His precaution was fuch, that his misfortune was concealed from his men, who, thinking themfelves invincible under his command, totally routed the English, of whom 1200 were killed on the fpot, and 100 perfons of distinction, (ainong whom were the two Piercies) were made prifoners by Keith, then marfhal of Scotland. The chief of the other English were Robert Ogle, Thomas Halberk, John Lilburn, William Wandclutie, Robert Heron, the Baron of Hilton, John Colvil, and Patrick Lovel, knights, whofe ranfoms brought large fums of money into Scotland.

Such was the famous battle of Otterburn, which is univerfally allowed to have been the best fought of any in that age; and it

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is commonly believed, that the celebrated poem of Cheviot Chace (fuppofed to be composed by one Barry, and published by Bowmaker, the continuator of Fordun) is founded upon it. As a further confirmation of this, I had the honour lately to be in com❤ pany with an English phyfician, who has been upon the spot where the battle was fought, and told me that the people of the neighbourhood mention it with the most positive affurance; and the tra dition has been handed down from father to son, that the above battle is that called Cheviot Chace by the poet.'

2. Anno 1746, April 16. Culloden. In the beginning of April the Duke of Cumberland began his march from Aberdeen; and on the 12th paffed the deep and rapid river Spey, without oppofition from the rebels, though a confiderable number of them appeared on the oppofite fide. Why they did not difpute the paffage is not eafily accounted for: but indeed from this inftance of neglect, and their fubfequent conduct, we may conclude they were under a total infatuation. His royal highnefs proceeded to Nairn, where he received intelligence that the enemy had marched from Inverness to Culloden, about the distance of nine miles from the royal army, with an intention to give him battle. On the 16th of April, the duke having made the proper difpofition, decamped from Nairn early in the morning, and after a march of nine miles, perceived the highlanders drawn up in order of battle, to the number of 5000 men, in 13 divifions, fupplied with fome pieces of artillery The royal army, which was much more numerous, the duke immediately formed into three lines, difpofed in excellent order; and about one o'clock in the afternoon the cannonading began. The prince's artillery was ill ferved, and did very little execution, but that of the king's troops made a dreadful havoc among the enemy. Impatient of this fire their front line advanced to the attack, and about 500 of the clans charged the duke's left wing, with their ufual impetuofity. One regiment was difordered by the weight of this column; but two battalions advancing from the fecond line, fuftained the firft, and foon put a stop to their career, by a fevere fire that killed a number. At the fame time the dragoons under Halley and the Argylefhire militia pulled down a park wall that covered their right flank, and, falling in among them fword in hand, compleated their confufion. The French picquets on their left did not fire a fhot; but ftood inactive during the engagement, and afterwards furrendered themfelves prifoners of war. An entire body of the clans marched off the field in order, with their pipes playing the reft were routed with great flaughter, and their prince was with reluctance prevailed upon to retire. In lefs than thirty minutes they were totally defeated, and the field covered with the flain. The road, as far as Inverness, was ftrewed with dead bodies; and a great number of people, who, from motives of curiofity, had come to fee the battle, were facrificed to the undistinguishing vengeance of the victors. About 200 rebels were flain in the field and in the purfuit. The Earl of Kilmarnock was taken, and in a few days after Lord Balmarino furrendered himself to one of the detached parties. The glory of the victory was fullied by the barbarity of the foldiers. They had been provoked by their former

:

difgraces

difgraces to the most savage thirft of revenge. Not contented with the blood which was fo profufely fhed in the heat of the action, they traversed the fields after the battle, and maffacred thofe miferable wretches who lay maimed and expiring. Nay, fome officers acted a part in this cruel fcene of affaffination; the triumph of low illiberal minds, uninftructed by fentiment, untinctured by humanity. The vanquished adventurer forded the river Nefs, and reached Aird with a few horfe, where he conferred with old Lord Lovat: then he difmiffed his followers, and wandered about, a wretched and folitary fugitive among the ifles and mountains for the fpace of five months; during which, he underwent fuch a series of dangers, hardships, and miferies, as another perfon never outlived. Thus in one fhort hour all his hope vanished, and the rebellion was entirely extinguifhed.'

It is remarkable that Mr. Lawrie has contented himself with mere tranfcriptions from the Scottish hiftorians. As an editor, he ought, doubtlefs, to have furnished fome notes and illuftrations. He ought, at leaft, to have pointed out the differences between hiftorians with regard to particular battles; and to have produced materials for afcertaining the truth. The moft illiteral pupil of the moft illiterate schoolmafter in the kingdom could have atchieved what he has done.

ART. XIII. An Essay on Punctuation, Addreffed to Sir Clifton Wintringham. 2s. 6d. Walter, 1785.

WE E have read with much pleasure this elegant little pamphlet, which exhibits many fpecimens of taste and just criticism. We cannot, however, ageee with the learned writer in every particular. Though, in all points of confequence, his rules of punctuation feem to be just, and to rectify many errors which are but too prevalent, yet we think that in fome inftances, his commas are inserted without occafion. But thefe, being arbitrary, are of little import, for as he fays himself, regard must be paid to the length of thofe claufes, which form a compounded fentence, and are fuppofed to require the infertion of a commar. When the claufes are fhort, and clofely connected, the point may be omited." The fenfe, we apprehend, is more to be attended to in punctuation, than the found; and indeed it would be as fuperfluous, as it would be troublesome, to put a comma at every part of a fentence; where a good reader, either upova gratia, or for fome other reason, may choose to make a paufe. The author's illustration of the impropriety of ufing a note of interrogation in certain fentences which have not the interrogatory form, is particularly useful, because this is a fhameful fault, and yet too frequently committed, even by good writers.

Let

Let us be allowed, with all humility, to propose an emendation of his criticifm upon the dafh, and confequently the fufpenfion of voice, which he tells us Mr. Garrick ufed to infert as mark'd in the following line :

Draw, archers! draw!-your arrows to the herd!

The author commends the paufe at the repetition of the word, draw; and fays: "The ardour and impetuofity of "Richard is more naturally and forcibly expreffed, by this "divifion of the fentence, than by the regular pronuncia "tion of the words, in their grammatical connection."

We, on the contrary, apprehend that this divifion of the fentence, interrupts the fenfe, without adding in the leaft to the rapidity with which it ought to be spoken. This interruption fhould be avoided, as much as poffible, by every fpeaker or actor; and therefore we fhould prefer the follow ing mode of punctuating, and confequently of pronouncing the fentence

Draw, archers!-draw your arrows to the head! The latter part fhould be spoken with much impetuofity, and with a rapid elevation of the voice from the first to the last word, which will give the paffage all its force, without interrupting the sense. If we mistake not we have heard our immortal Rofcius fpeak the line in both thefe ways with equal effect, but with more propriety in the latter mode.

ART. XIV. An Answer to David Hume and others, on the Subject of Liberty and Nec fity, Providence and a future State: 8vo. 2s. Hookham, 1785.

HE writer of this anfwer complains that Dr. Beattie, "inftead of refuting, never met Mr. Hume in argument; that he had eftablished an arbitrary tribunal of his own erection, and tried his adverfary by laws with "which he was unacquainted.", "Now, fays he, as I

had ever deemed it to be the firft law of argumentation, that the Refpondent should fhew a fallacy either in the "premifes or the conclufions of his antagonist, I was vaftly difappointed at perceiving that Dr. Beattie had neglected the fyftem of Hume, and had, by declamations attempted to prejudice mankind againft it, as containing "doctrines pernicious to Society."

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Dr. Beattie is too acute a logician not to know that in controverting any doctrine or opinion, he must attack either the premises or the conclufion of the argument, or fyllogifm on which it is founded. Accordingly, Dr. Beattie has

attacked