LANARK COTTON MILLS the property of DAVID DÁLE Esq?

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LETTER X.

DEAR SIR,

EFORE I received your laft, I BE wrote you word that I had finished my poem, and fent it to Mr Frafer, defiring him, if he thought fit, to tranfmit it to you. But I have not heard from him fince; for what reafon I know not. I have inclofed ano

ther copy for you, and leave you to do with it as you think beft, either to publish, or commit it to the flames. You will find, that I have made Cha

rity addrefs a confolatory fpeech to Learning, in which, by way of prophecy, I have made her relate Mr Frafer's bounty to your univerfity. And this as is And this method, as it is the moft poetical, fo, perhaps, it is the most artful, and leaft fhocking to the good fenfe of the perfon prais'd.,

There is an impropriety in this expreffion,

th' instructing trade;

but I let it ftand, for the fake of the line that follows it.

If you publish it, I beg that you will order the printer to follow my way of pointing exactly, and to print, as I have written, feveral words in a diffe rent character from the reft.

I find by experience, that it is ve. y difficult to write an historical, or narrative poem of this kind. The feverity of the fubject hinders one from making ufe of a great many em bellishments that are admitted into fome images purely poetical, fuch as other writings. And yet I have that of Time fhaking your arches, and with his imaginary companion, Simouldering your piles; as alfo Ruin, lence. I have already taken notice of ing, and beauty of thofe fhort alLearning and Charity. The meanlegories, will be obvious to every reader of a tolerable taste. I have taken notice of the books that Mr and, if I have guels'd right, the Frazer has gifted to your Library; lines are perhaps the best in the whole poem.

If you are not satisfied with the alterations I have made in the En glish

SIR,

I WISH could an

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now and then, from your ferious bufinefs, to write to me. I have only had one letter from you these feven or eight months. I have been informed, how truly I know not, that Mr Dundas is about to refign his office of Humanity Profeffor; and that you are in the number of thofe who ftand candidates for that poft. If it is true, I beg that you would let me know, whether my lord can be of any fervice to you in that affair. In the mean time, I think you should make ufe of your intimacy with Mr Campbell, to engage his father Sir James in your intereft. By his means, the Duke of Argyle might be prevailed upon to use that power which he has with the Magiftrates of Edinburgh in your behalf.

DEAR SIR,

RECEIVED the pleasure of your's laft night, and am very glad that my poem has the approbation of your fociety. Some time ago, I had a very obliging letter from Dr Frafer on the fame account; in which he tells me, that feveral gentlemen, to whom he had fhewed his copy, were not difpleased with it.

Believe me, Sir, I did not defign the two lines you threw out of my poem, a, fatire on the Reformation in general; but only on fome particular perfons, whofe well meaning, but intemperate zeal, betrayed them in

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