Scougal's "Life of God in the soul of man," was published by Bishop Burnet, in 1691, 8vo. and it has since passed through many editions, being considered a work of eminent piety, without enthusiasm, and written in a clear neat style. Henry Scougal died in the life time of his father, the bishop, who is said to have supported his loss by the purest source of christian consolation, and offered up thanks to God as his son's funeral passed by the house in which he was, that he had been blessed and honored with such a son. Of the particulars of the life of Henry Scougal little is known, and the traditions respecting him are somewhat contradictory.-He is said to have been eminently pious towards God, and at the same time to have found it hard to restrain the excess of his devotion towards women. It is said that becoming enamoured of a married lady, at Aberdeen, that he might keep himself from her company, and subdue his passion, he took up his residence in an apartment of the steeple of the Cathedral Church of St. Machars, until his death. He is said to have been then so corpulent, that his executors were forced to extract the body through a window. It is not improbable, however, that he may have chosen to take up his abode in that singular place for the sake of retirement, and from an enthusiastic desire of applying, without interruption, to his literary pursuits. A portrait of him is preserved in the hall of the King's College. CAMP OF THE COVENANTERS, AT DUNS-LAW, 1640. It is a round hill, about a Scots mile in circle, rising with very little declivity to the height of a bow-shot, and the head somewhat plain, and near a quarter of a mile in length and breadth; on the top it was garnished with nearly forty field-pieces, pointed towards the east and south. The colonels, who were mostly noblemen, as Rothes, Cassilis Eglington, Dalhousie, Lindsay, Lowdon, Boyd, Sinclair, Balcarras, Flemyng, Kircudbright, Erskine, Montgomery, Yester, &c. lay in large tents, at the head of their respective regiments; their captains, who generally were barons, or chief gentlemen, lay around them; next to these were the lieutenants, who were generally old veterans, and had served in that, or a higher station, over sea and the common soldiers lay outmost, all in huts of timber, covered with divot or straw. Every company, which according to the first plan did consist of two hundred men, had their colours flying at the captain's tent-door, with the Scots arms upon them, and this motto in golden letters, "For Christ's Crown and Covenant." Against this army, so well arrayed and disciplined, and whose natural hardihood was edged and exalted by a high opinion of this sacred cause, Charles marched at the head of a large force; but divided by the emulation of the commanders, and enervated by disuse of arms, a faintness of spirit pervaded the royal army, and the King stooped to a treaty with his Scottish subjects. This treaty was soon broken; and in the following year, Duns-law again presented the same edifying spectacle of a presbyterian army; but the Scots were not contented with remaining there. They passed the Tweed; and the English troops in a skir mish at Newburn, shewed either more disaffection or cowardice than at any former period. This war was concluded by the treaty of Rippon, in consequence of which, and of Charles's conces sions, made during his subsequent visit to his native country, the Scottish parliament congratulated him on departing " a contented king from a contented people." If such content ever existed, it was of short duration! THE END. 66 to commence his studies, Buchanan was appointed careful to preserve himself from the charge of to the principalship of St. Leonard's College at partiality. During the time of its composition he St. Andrews, an office which he filled for four suffered much from bad health, and the infirmities years with singular credit. Having applied him- of age. In a letter, dated August 25, 1577, writself in the former part of his life to the study of ten in the old Scottish, and addressed to Master controversial theology, Buchanan, though a lay- Randolf, Squeir, Master of Postes to the Queen's man, was elected moderator of the synod of Scot- Grace of England, he thus writes:-"As for the land, which assembled in June, 1567; and the am- present, I am ocupiit in writynge of our History, bition of the Regent Murray, his old pupil, dis-being assurit to content few, and to displease covered no inconsiderable resources in the litera-mony their-throw. As to the end of it, yf ye gett ry talents and politicial abilities of our author, it not or this winter be passit, lippen not for it, while in that situation. About the end of the year nor nane other wrytings from me. The rest of my 1563, when the prince had nearly completed his occupation is with the gout, quhilk haldis me fourth year, Buchanan was, by order of the privy besy both day and nyt. And qulair ye say ye council and states of the realm, directed to attend haif not long to lyf, I trust to God to go before the charge of his education at court; being at yow, albeit I be on fut, and ye ryd the post," &c. the same time very honourably permitted to no- He had the satisfaction, however, of completing ninate a successor to his office at St. Andrews. this, the greatest and the last of his mortal labours, The literary character and acquired talents of but survived its publication scarcely a single James VI. being known to every one at all con- month. Broken by age and infirmities, he retired versant in history, it may suffice to say, that the in 1581 from the court at Stirling to Edinburgh, public expectations respecting his instructors, resigning every public charge, and calmly com so far as their responsibility went, were amply posing himself for the approaches of death. In a satisfied. pleasing and pathetic letter, written in the spring On the misfortunes which befel the beautiful of that year to his only surviving friend in Portubut imprudent Mary, he went over to the party of gal, he says, "I have for some time bidden adieu the Earl of Murray; and at the earl's earnest de-o letters. My sole concern now is, how I may sire he was prevailed upon to write his "Detection," a work in which, he endeavours to blast the character of the queen. Having been sent with other commissioners to England against his mistress, he was, on his return, rewarded with the abbacy of Croceraguel; made director to the chancery; and some time after lord of the privy council and privy seal. He was likewise rewarded by Queen Elizabeth with a pension of £100 a year. quietly withdraw from my ill-assorted companions; a dying man from the society of the living." Thus gracefully and deliberately quitting the scene of life, departed this extraordinary man, on the morning of Friday, the 28th of September, 1582, in the 76th year of his age. GENEROSITY OF COMMON SOLDIERS. While the forty-second was on duty in Dublin, in the year 1770, a Scotch vessel lay in the bay, The last twelve years of his life he employed the master of which was an old friend of three of in composing, in Latin, his "History of Scotland." the soldiers of the regiment. This man was arAfter having vied, with all the more eminent of rested for a debt of a considerable amount, and the Latin poets, he contested with Livy and Sal- lodged in jail. There he was visited by his mililust the palm of eloquence and political sagacity.tary friends, through whose means he was enabled But it is to be remembered with pain, that like to make his escape. The keeper of the prison the former of these historians, he was not always suspecting the soldiers, took out a warrant to ap RAMAGE'S REFLECTING TElescope. prehend them, and sent them to prison. When the clergy in former times always chose the best this was reported to the commanding officer, Co- of the land, and the most commodious habitaJonel Gordon Graham, he mentioned the circum-tions," but we do not advert that religious houses stance at morning parade, and expatiated on the were frequently erected on waste grounds, afterdisgrace which such conduct, reflected on the re- wards improved by the art and industry of the giment. The companies immediately consulted clergy who alone had art and industry. together and resolved to subscribe a sum equal to the debt, and, on condition that the men should be discharged, and their punishment left to their own commanding officer, they pledged themselves to satisfy the demands of the creditors. This offer was rejected, and the jailor who was responsible for the debt refused to give up the prosecution. Lord Townshend, then lord lieutenant hearing of the circumstance, was so much pleased with the conduct of the regiment, that he ordered the three men to be set at liberty, becoming himself responsible for the debt. M. Dupin and Dr. Gregory, during an excursion in Scotland, were much delighted with the excellence of the instruments made by Mr. John Ramage, of Aberdeen, and their facility of use, and valuable observations of the Heavens, worthy of an observatory of the first order. They were astonished to find such inventive talents and knowledge in a humble tradesman, who devotes the leisure hours, spared from his business, to scientific pursuits, whose knowledge and genius are only excelled by his great modesty, and readiness to oblige. ENDOWMENT OF MONASTERIES BY DAVID I. One of these telescopes is placed at Broadford, The liberality of David to the ecclesiastical or- near Aberdeen, in the grounds of Dr. Dauney, the der, highly extolled by his contemporaries, has professor of law. The tube is twenty-five feet been severely censured in late times. James (the long, and its diameter eighteen inches. At the first of that name king of Scotland.) said that he was bottom of the tube when the telescope is to be a sore saint to the crown. This has been transmitted used, is placed a metallic speculum, finely polishto posterity as a shrewd and judicious apothegm. ed, of fifteen inches diameter.-From this specuWe ought to judge of the conduct of men accord-lum a fine bright and clearly defined image of the ing to the notions of their age, not of ours. To endow monasteries may now be considered as a prodigal superstition, but in the days of David the First it was esteemed an act of pious beneficence. Much may be urged in justification of this beneficence. Although David was the founder of many monasteries, it was not he alone that endowed them. An ample accession to their revenues was obtained in succeeding ages, by the donations of private men as well as of princes. In monasteries, the lamp of knowledge continued to burn however dimly. In them men of business were formed for the state; the art of writing was cultivated by the monks, they were the only proficients in mechanics, gardening, and architecture. When we examine the sites of ancient monasteries, we are sometimes inclined to say with the vulgar-"That body observed is reflected: and as an eye piece of only a small magnifying power is required; there is as pleasant and distinct a view as if the object was seen by the eye.-The superior view of the Heavens as seen by such an instrument, can be appreciated by those only who have enjoyed the advantage of an observation with it. To produce any considerable power upon a small telescope, deep magnifying eye-glasses must be used, con sequently the field of view is much contracted, and there being but little light, the object is seen very unsatisfactorily. But with the large reflect ing telescope the observation is one continued source of unmixed pleasure. Mr. Ramage's tele scope is erected on a cast iron platform, twentyseven feet in diameter, on piles jointed, and dove tailed together. The whole was placed in a |