"come to his final refolution? When we are "asfured, that this is the cafe, and that this "Shuttlecock is confined to one party, then will "be the time to fettle all disputes with him. "And yet, though he is in the above aukward "attitude, fuch is the effrontery of the man, "that he will not be put to the expence of a "confcious blufh; but imagines, forfooth, he "must be thought of confequence, and claim "the attention of the public, becaufe he is "noify and infolens. 3 I' "My firft acquaintance with Mr. Shaw's "character commenced fo early, as his coming "to teach a grammar - fchool in Glenurchy. "From whence he thought prudent to decaip "after a few weeks refidence: but I leave Mr. "Shaw himfelf, to explain the caufe of this "fudden elopement. "The next fpecimen, I had of him, was "in a letter from my efteemed friend Mr. M'In"tyre of Glenoe; informing me, that he was "fo inconfiderate, before he knew Mr. Shaw's "character, as to give him, for a few days, "till he should return from Mall, the perufal "of a collection of vocables, which he compil (f) 3 1 "ed "ed for an intended Gaelic dictionary, and "which Mr. Shaw was bound in honour to re"turn on his coming back from Mull; but that "he fent only fuch as he had time to copy off. "The reft he has not yet thought proper to "reftore, for which Glenoe now threatens to "profecute him. This fhameful and glaring "breach of confidence was inftantly made public "over the whole neighbourhood, And as the "complaint came from a perfon of Glenoe's "known modesty and integrity, Mr. Shaw's cha "racter was immediately blasted, and marked "with the proper ftigma. At that very time it "was thought prudent, as a caveat to the com, "mmunity, to fend a note relative, to the above, "mentioned fraud, to the publishers of the "Weekly Magazine. But they did not think "proper, to interfere with private characters. "My next acquaintance with him was his "Gaelic grammar and dictionary; performances "of as defpicable a nature, as ever disgraced "the prefs in this or any other age, and fuch "as are abfolutely below cenfure. Notwithstand"ing my avowed, I had almost faid, enthu"Gaftic, fondness for all performances of this "fort, that have the fmalleft fpark of merit; € (1 I, "I, with all fuch as know any thing of the "fubject they contain, frequently lamented over "them with real contempt and pity; confidering "them as downright infults to the public, and "mere catchpennies. His dictionary in particu"lar is a mock upon common fenfe, and an in"fult upon the public: because, in place of an "Albin - Gaelic dictionary, which he had pro"mifed, and was impatiently looked for, he "put off his subscribers with a pitiful, unmean"ing rap of an Irish vocabulary, favouring "rankly of the Arran dialect deeply Hibernized. "Were it neceffary, I could procure numbers "of the most refpectable characters in the High"lands, and all of them deeply verfed in the "Gaelic language, to confirm the above asfer"tion. Mr. Shaw fcorns to advife; he imperious ly commands the public, to pay no regard to "the declaration of any Scotsman, or indeed to "the whole community of Scotsmen, fhould they "unite as one man, to contradict his single tes"timony, as to any fact whatever. This is a "new mode of argumentation, by which all "disputes will be easily fettled in his favour. "And it is highly neceffary for him, to take "helter under this, fallacious mark. "When Mr. Shaw's treatment of Glenoe "was once made public, there was an end to This procuring any more intelligence in this "part of the world, had he feriously meant it; "becaufe different gentlemen inftantly wrote one "another an account of his character, fo as to "guard against his defigns. And yet he would "perfuade us, that the late Mr. Neill M'Leod, with fome others, were defirous of procuring "intelligence for him. Does he really imagine, though mankind bore fo long with his infolence, that they are become altogether fuch "gulls, as to give credit to fo unlikely a tale? "We may be fure, few would entrust him with MSS. after his intention was fo publicly known, "For, if he faw any thing, that reflected the "fmalleft honour upon the country, they were confident, he would deftroy them. And I would recommend to Mr. Mackenzie, to be "cautious in laying any MSS. before him for "the future. Let him beware of Glenoe's fate! "In the preface to his Dictionary, Mr. "Shaw has the asfurance, to amufe the public "with imaginary aid, he got from Mr. Archi"bald M'Arthur, minifter in Mull; with a "view, no doubt, to perfuade the world, that he "he was indebted, in this pitiful cheat, to per"fons well acquainted with the Gaelic language. "This story ftands as follows: Mr. M'Arthur "informed me, that he one day laid before Mr. "Shaw fome vocables, he had collected for an 4 intended Gaelic Dictionary; but that he no "fooner observed him beginning to mark down "a few words, than he immediately gathered "his papers, and locked them by, as he knew "Mr. Shaw's defign; fo that he told me, he "was confident, he did not copy off a dozen of "words. Mr. Shaw, we fee, can be fometimes "thankful for fmall favours, though he gave "Glenoe no credit for the vocables got from him. "Were I in your place, I would not ho"nour him with any anfwer, as to the main "queftion: - it will be fufficient to fnew "the public, that his performance is one con tinued train of falfehoods, and referve your "ferious anfwers on that fubject, for an oppo"nent more worthy of them. "I am, Sir, your, &c. DONALD M'NICOLL. To Mr. John Clark, (f) 5 I have |