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ΤΑΤΩΝ ΜΟΥΣΩΝ ΕΙΣΟΔΙΑ.

THE MUSES WELCOME

TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE JAMES, &c. THERE are two things which, we hope, will ever be found to go hand and hand to the end of time; we mean learning and loyalty; and that discontent and dissatisfaction will ever be confined to the utterly ignorant, and to that more mischievous class, which may be denominated the halfinformed; in which arrogance and pretension are more assiduous in making converts to crude speculations, than conscious of deficiency in making progress in true philosophy and sound sense. It is a considerable time now, since Pope told the world, that "a little learning was a dangerous thing," and assuredly the Spenceans and Radicals cannot be brought forward as an illustration of the falsity of his

maxim.

Were a comparison to be drawn between our ancestors of a century or two back, and the present times, we do not think, that, in many respects, we should have great cause to exult in the parallel. We should in all likelihood surpass them in the show, but yield to them in the substantial practice of good. We should exhibit more of finicalness, pretension, politeness, and all those arts and graces, which cost little in the exercise; but it is much to be feared, that, balanced against them in benevolence, hospitality, warm-heartedness, disinterestedness, generosity; or in any of those virtues, the practice of which requires a sacrifice of selfish feelings; or in profundity of knowledge; or in whatever demands severe exertion of the mental faculties, we have as much reason to dread our being found wanting, as Belshazzar, when he beheld

The armless band that wrote His senter.ce on the palace wall. Extremes meet. There are one set of people who are ever ready to exclaim, that the present age is by far the best and wisest of any that the world has exhibited; and that the past is to them but a scene of twilight indistinctness and confusion; while there is another set, who despising every thing recent, merely because it is so, and willing to adhere rather to old prejudices than to newly discovered truths, will be contented with nothing but what wears

the stamp of ancient usage, and venerable old age. In most things, truth, after all, generally lies in the middle; and the surest way of arriving at it is, by setting aside all prejudices, and forming our estimate from the consideration of facts alone. There is nothing, for instance, more loudly vaunted of than the present flourishing state of learning in Scotland—which is indeed supposed to form one of our most characteristic excellencies among the nations of the earth- and that li beral diffusion of ideas, originating in the cheapness of education, which has formed us into a large body corporate of authors and readers; yet we venture to stake our credit, that no such volume as the one before us, "The Muses Welcome to K. James," could, by any exertion of cotemporary talent, be possibly called forth on any similar occasion. As to our sister Erin throwing it into shade, by any thing which she may produce on the present occasion of his Majesty's visit there, we profess an equally sceptical opinion.

So inveterate were the prejudices, now fast dispelling, which our south ern neighbours, at least the most uninformed part of them, conceived against this portion of the island, that our forefathers were accounted a set of savages prowling about the mountains, and utterly ignorant of the arts which adorn civilized life. A journey to Scotland was considered as a thing far more hazardous than what we look on a voyage to China, to be now-adays; and the traveller, before leaving his disconsolate friends, generally made his will, and settled his affairs, as the chances were considerably against his safe return to the bosom of his family. We speak of things not half a century old; and which will be found to be not wholly extinct at the present day, as witness the fears expressed so pathetically in the commercial travels of our friend the Bagman, as may be found extracted in an early Number of our work: but we trust we have there made sufficient apology for him, in its being the first time he had ever lost hold of his mother's apron-strings.

A more complete refutation of the scandals thrown out against old Scotland, and a more triumphant display of her general scholarship and sound information, at a time when a great part of Europe was in a state of semibarbarism, can be found nowhere more satisfactorily, than in the collection from which we now propose to make some extracts. And we do think we shall be deemed to have rendered a service to our country, by putting our literary men on their mettle, against the expected visit of his Majesty next

year.

James the Sixth, after having resided, and held his court in London for fourteen years, found it expedient, for the better settling of the civil and ecclesiastical differences of his Scottish subjects, to visit his ancient dominions in person. In his journey northward, the heads of the civil authorities, and the seminaries of learning, in testimony of their loyalty and joy, delivered orations, held disputations before him, and greeted him with poems in the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English tongues, which were collected in a handsome folio, printed in 1618, (the year following,) and edited by John Adamson.

In passing from Berwick to Dunglass, the King was first addressed by A. Hume, in a most elaborate piece of oratory, which sets out with saying, that Priam of Troy had fifty sons; and that between father and children there subsisted many reciprocal duties. This postulate we immediately grant to Mr A. Hume; but let us see what use he makes of the fact. James the Sixth is likened to Priam, and the Scottish people to his offspring; but, as Priam had a Paris, as well as a Hector, the similitude will not hold good here, in Mr A. Hume's opinion, as his countrymen were all Hectors. He then proceeds to give a sketch of the history of Scotland from the days of the Picts, the landing of Fergus, the invasions of the Britons, Danes, Normans, and Romans, down to the day and the hour in which the King stands before him. Nothing surely can be more loyal or rhetorical than the following passage.

"Nos hactenus per duo ferè millia annorum soli fuimus majorum tuorum; illiq; nos respiciebant solos. Si labores et sudores; si frigus et famen; si incommoda, et pericula, quæ illi pro nobis, nos pro il

lis hausimus, enumerare velim; dies me, quid diem dico? imò annus, imò et ætas deficiet priùsquàm oratio."

The speech being concluded, a great number of "poesies," in the Latin tongue, were recited, some of them considerably above mediocrity, and one or two of them very chaste and classical.

On the 15th of May, " the King's majestie came to Sea-towne," where he was presented with a Latin poem, half as long as the Pilgrims of the Sun, composed by Joannes Gellius a Gellistown, Philosoph. et Med. Doc. who seems to have been fond of congratulatory addresses, as, previous to this, he was also author of an Epithalamium in Nuptias Frederici V. et Elizabethæ, printed at Heidelburg in 1613.-But let us turn from him to a name with which we are more familiar, and not more so than we ought to be; for, whatever Mr Gifford may say to the contrary, we uphold Drummond to be, if not a great historian, at least a poet of exquisite sensibility. When stupidity is trampled on, it remains in the mire; but genius re-assumes its native superiority. Such has been the fate of Drummond's writings, and they illustrate the motto which he has prefixed to the poem of "Forth Feasting," in this collection; "A Virtute orta occidunt rarius." The poem was presented by Drummond in person ; but whether recited or not, we are not informed. We extract the following as a specimens:

"Let others boast of blood and spoyles of

foes,

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Such thronesas blood doth raise blood throweth downe,

No guard so sure as loue vnto a crowne." Notwithstanding its animation and poetical merit, the following is in a strain of hyperbole, which, at the present day, would hardly be tolerated. "The wanton wood-nymphs of the verdant spring,

Blew, golden, purple flowres, shall to thee bring,

Pomona's fruits the paniskes, Thetis gyrles, Thy Thulys amber, with the ocean pearles, The Tritons, heards-men of the glassie field, Shall give thee what farre-distant shores

can yeeld,

The Serean fleeces, Erythrean gemmes, Vaste Platas silver, gold of Peru streames, Antarticke parrots, Ethiopian plumes, Sabean odours, myrrhe, and sweet perfumes: And I myselfe, wrapt in a watchet gowne, Of reedes and lillies on mine head a crowne, Shall incense to thee burne, greene altars raise,

And yearly sing due pæans to thy praise." The same poem may be found in the folio edition of the Collected Works of Drummond, published at Edinburgh in 1711, p. 35.

On the King's entering Edinburgh by the West Port, on 16th May, the city deputed" Mr Johne Hay, their clerk deputie," to make an oration in their name, and on their behalf. Master Johne proved himself no mere man of straw, and one whose diffidence would not overcome him on the day of trial, as may be guessed at from the following passage in his speech

"This is that happie day of our newbirth, ever to be retained in fresh memorie, with consideration of the goodnesse of th' Almightie God, considered with acknowledgement of the same, acknowledged with admi. ration, admired with love, and loved with joy; wherein our eyes beheld the greatest humaine felicitie our harts could wish, which is to feide vpon the royall countenance of our true Phoenix, the bright starre of our northerne firmament, the ornament of our age, wherein wee are refreshed, yea revived with the heat and bright beames of our sun, (the powerful adamant of our wealth) by whose removing from our hemispheere, we were darkned, deepe sorrow and feare possessing our hearts, (without envying of your M. happiness and felicitie,) our places of solace ever giving a newe heat to the fever of the languishing remembrance of our happinesse: The verie hilles and groves, accustomed of before to be refreshed with the dewe of your M. presence, not putting on their wounted apparell; but with pale lookes representing their miserie for the departure of their Royal King."

He must have presumed on the King possessing a voracious swallow, when he afterwards declared his conviction that he was "in heart as upright as David, wise as Solomon, and godlie as Josias." The Sovereign was here also deluged with Latin and Greek poems, by Thomas Hopeus, Henricus Charteris, Patricius Nisbetus, Jacobus Sandilandius, Patricius Sandæus, Thomas Synserfius, David Primrosius, Thomas Nicolsonus, Alexander Peirsonus, Nicolaus Udward, Andreas Fuorius, Jacobus Reid, Johannes Rayus, Jacobus Fairlie, and fifty others, all learned men in their day; but (alas! how are the mighty fallen,) all now forgotten and unknown! The university presented a pithy Latin oration-at the palace of Falkland, a long Latin poem was recited and compositions, in Latin and English, were produced at Kinnaird, particularly by Joannes Leochæus, and town-clerk of Dondie also made a notAlexander Craig of Rose-craig. The able speech, and two Latin poems were, at same time, there presented.

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At the Palace of Dalkeith," the "Philomela Dalkeithensis" welcomed

him in eight Latin poems; and when celebrate on the xix of Junii, in the "his Majestie's happie nativitie was delivered to him in Hebrew by Andrew Castle of Edinburgh," a speech was Kerr, a boy of nine years of age. We had always imagined Mr Odoherty as having been the most wonderful inwe doubt that he has here found a stance of precocity that ever lived, but tough rival. As the Ensign is Scottish by the mother's side, we doubt not that, with proper care, he may trace back Andrew to have been a lineal ancestor of his own, more especially as talents are often hereditary in families.

At Stirling, the King was welcomed in an elaborate speech by " Master Robert Murray, commissar there," who, towards the conclusion of his address, has the following words

"This towne, though shee may iustlie waunt of her naturall beautie and impregnable situation, the one occasioned by the laberynths of the delightsome Forth, with the deliciousnes of her valayes, and the heards of deare in her park; the other by the statlie rock on which shee is raised; though shee may esteme herself famous by worthy founders, reedifiers, and the enlar gers of her manie priviledges; Agricola, who in the dayes of Galdus fortified her,

Kenneth the Secund, who heere encamped and raised the Picts, Malcolme the Secund, Alexander the First, William the Lyon; yet doeth shee esteme this her onlie glorie and worthiest praise, that shee was the place of your M. education, that these sacred brows, which now beare the weightie diademes of three invincible nations, were empalled with their first heere: And that this day the only man of kings, and the worthiest king of men, on whom the eye of heaven glaunceth, deignes (a just reward of all these cares and toyles which followed your cradle) to visit her. Now her burgesses, as they have ever bein to your M. ancestors obedient and loyall, they here protest and depose to offer wp their fortunes, and sacri

fice their lives in maintenance and defence of your sacred person and royall dignitie, and that they shall ever continue thus to your worthie progenie; but long long may you live. And let ws still importune the Almightie

"That your happy dayes may not be done,
Till the great comming of his Sonne,
And that your wealth, your joyes, and peace,
May as your raigne and yeares increase.

Amen."

This was surely enough for one day, but the good people of Stirling thought otherwise; and some thousands of hexameter verses were thrust into the King's hand.

Perth, otherways called SainctJohnes-towne, was determined not to be beat, and they deputed "Johne Stewart, marchant burgesse" of the said burgh, to give his Majesty a specimen of their loyalty, and their oratory. After enumerating all the benefits bestowed by royal favour on Perth, he concludes in the following delect

able strain

"Wee, your maiesties ever-loyall subjects, the citizens of Perth, as heretofore wee have bein alwayes readie to serve your highnes to the last gasp, being earnest with God for your owne long, and your seed's everlasting reigne over ws in peace; so now praying Almightie God, that your majestie may shyne in the firmament of these kingdomes like Josua's sunne in Gibeon, there to dowble the naturall dyett of man's abode vpon earth, with the citizens of Jerusalem, who gaue a shoute to the heaven for joy of King David his returne home unto the citie after his long absence, wee bid your Majestie most hartlie welcome home againe to your ancient kingdome and cradle, Scotland, and to this the hart thereof, your Maiesties Pe

niel Perth."

Then follows the Perth poetry. Amaryllis expostulates and exults with his Majesty, in two eclogues of the longest. The very bridge gets a tongue for the occasion, in the person of Henri

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The indefatigable Johannes Stewartus, not content with the dazzling display of his oratory, pours out a long poetical dialogue between Scotia and Genius; and, after Alexander and Henricus Adamides,and Adamus Andersonus have sung till they are tired, the Musa Perthnenses are winded up by Eyuasin, auctore Georgio Stirkeo, who, to give him his due, fairly puts to shame all ideas of relationship, either with stirks or stots, which his name might suggest.

As might have been expected, "The City of Sainct Androes" was not deficient in the demonstrations of their loyalty and learning. Maister Harie Danskin, schoolmaister thereof " held forth in a Latin oration, whose prolixity must have wholly excused his Majesty, if he took a nap towards the middle of it, and whose pedantic and fulsome panegyric would have made any countenance, short of one framed of solid brass, to blush scarlet. We can almost conceive with what ineffable delight, and self-gratulation, the pedagogue signed himself " Henricus Danskenius, Civitatis Andreannæ orator, et Juventutis ibidem, moderator.” This exhibition of oratory was surely enough for one day, but the wisdom of the University thought otherwise; and, as his Majesty was hastening from his seat of suffering to the great church, (whether seeking sanctuary or not, we are uninformed,) he was met at the very porch, with another torrent of Latin eloquence, by Dr Bruce, rector of the University, who,

His Majesty having arrived at the city, which was then called Glasgow, and now the West Country, Mr William Hay of Barro, delivered a most luminous oration, which, however, the sight of such a splendid cavalcade very nearly made him fall through, as he fairly confesses.

on concluding, presented as many Latin and Greek verses, good, bad, and indifferent, as would suffice to fill a decent twelve shillings octavo. Even this was not enough; they could not think of the King's departure, while a single vestige of doubt could possibly remain in his mind, as to their wonderful acquirements. They accordingly held "Theses Theologice de "Seing euerie thing heere about mee Potestate Principis," with great parade magnificent, high, and glorious, I am beof logic and learning; and, (not to let come like one tutched with a Torpedo, or the King escape without a complied, ar loath to come out of my mouth; but seen of a Woulfe; and my words, as affrayment,) we are informed, that when it shall be no dishonour to mee to succombe any difficulty, worthy of regal solu- in that for the which few or none can be tion occurred, that is to say, when the sufficientlie able." Principal and Professors were fairly baffled, his Majesty interfered, and so successfully, "ut omnes (qui et plurimi et dictissimi interfuerant) auditores in summam rapuerit admirationem."

But he afterwards cheers up, and proceeds in the following strain, which we boldly stake against the finest things ever uttered by Counsellor Phillips :

"O, day! worthie to bee marked with the with them which that enamoured Queen of most orient and brightest pearls of Inde, or Nile did macerat to her valorous as vnfortunat lover! O, day, more glorious (becaus without blood) then that in which, at the command of that imperious captain, the sune stayed his course, and forgot the other hemisphere! Thou hast brought vs againe our prince, by three diadems more glorious than hee was in that last day, when with bleeding harts and weeping eyes wee left him. Those who never looked on our horizon but as fatall comets, nor ever did vi

Philosophical problems, on a subsequent day, were also propounded, no doubt, to the great illumination of his Majesty, who departed for Stirling, where he was met by the whole posse of Professors from Edinburgh, Adamson, Fairlie, Sands, Young, Reid, King, &c. who spouted their philosophical theses by the hour. The King, when at supper the same night, is said to have produced the following jeu d'esprit in compliment to them, which is fully as good as any dusty metaphy-sit vs but heavie with armes, and thirstie of sics he got from them, and certainly far more ingenious :—

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blood-Thou, O day! as benigne planets, friends, and compatriots, bringest vnto vs.'

When he concludes, forward steps Master Robertus Bodius, in the name of the University, and delivers a glorious Latin speech, copiously interspersed with Greek quotations, and concluding with the words, "Amen. Amen. Vivat Rex Jacobus in æter

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The Glasgow scholars were not deficient in their turn, but thundered forth Latin poems, signed Robertus Blarus, and Greek congratulations, ending with David Dicksonus.

Paisley would appear to have been a city, noted for its extensive literature even at this remote era of our history; and, what is still more remarkable, their knowledge appears to have come to them by intuition; a great proof of which is exhibited in the volume before us, wherein is a clever oration, delivered in the Earl of Abercorn's great hall, "by a prettie boy, Williame Semple," which commences with the following noble similie :

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