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ty be removed,-though, like the poor laws established in. England by Elisabeth, these distant effects are concealed under a specious appearance of humanity. Let us, however, be taught by the fatal experience which these poor laws afford, carefully to guard against the very beginning of this evil, and join with one voice in opposing a measure that is so fraught with the seeds of future mischief. I therefore earnestly beseech my countrymen, now to attend to these consequences with care, while they may be so easily obviated, Even schoolmasters themselves, who. could only receive a temporary benefit from it, but who would thus entail perhaps upon their own posterity, a load that would prove highly burdensome, fhould not in pru-. dence-be desirous of obtaining relief by a mode that is so highly exceptionable; and other men, who, from a principle of humanity, feel themselves disposed to befriend this lowest class of literary labourers, ought carefully to advert, that, fhould their present demand be complied with, it would greatly increase the very evil they intended to remove; and therefore, while, from a principle of humanity, they refuse to yield the smallest aid in the manner proposed, they should set themselves to examine, if no other method, that is not liable to similar objections, could be devised for affording that relief which every liberal mind would wish. to bestow.

"The writer of the present paper, though he has, from a sense of duty, thought it necessary to expose the evil tendency of the present proposal, is sensible that the revenues of the schoolmasters in Scotland are in general lower than they ought, or he could with them to be; and would therefore most cheerfully concur in any mode that: could be devised for augmenting them, which fhould nos have a manifest tendency to prove hurtful to the community & And though it may be difficult to devise a plan for this pur

pose, that would in all situations prove effectual; yet yet he believes that as few objections can lie against the following, as any other that could be proposed, which induces him to submit it to the public, as a measure that might be beneficially substituted in place of that which has been proposed.

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"The fees of teaching in country places of Scotland are in general too low. In some places they are so extremely insignificant, as scarcely to be an object of importance even to those who are in very mean circumstances. This serves at the same time to deaden the efforts of the teacher, by precluding all hope of being able thus to procure, by his greatest exertions, a comfortable subsistence, and is attended with other consequences that are hurtful to the community, as explained in the first part of this efsay. To obviate at once, in some measure, both these evils, I would humbly propose, that the schoolmasters should be authorised by law to raise their teaching fees. I will not pretend to say that these fees fhould be exactly the same in all cases, as that must depend upon local circumstances; but methinks that no inconvenience could in any case arise from fixing the minimum of the fee for teaching to read English in country parishes, at one fhilling a quarter, and the maximum at half a crown; authorising the teacher in each parish to fix on any rate of fees between these two that he should think proper. For all such scholars as were not recommended to him by the heritors, minister, and kirk sefsion, to be taught at the lowest rate. For writing, arithmetic, and Latin or Greek, the minimum might be five fhillings per quarter, and the maximum seven fhillings and sixpence; with the same reservation as above. These fees would not be so high as to prevent any one from acquiring such useful branches of education as were suited to their circumstances and

prospects in life, while it would operate as a reasonable bar to prevent the poor from attaining those unnecefsary acquirements, the frequency of which at present so powerfully tends to derange that due subordination which ought ever to prevail in civil society.

"I might enlarge on the beneficial consequences that would result to all parties, from adopting this mode of augmenting the salaries of the schoolmasters in Scotland. I might show that it would increase their industry, and render them as independent in their circumstances as the nature of their office will permit; that it would confine them to a faithful discharge of their day; that it would make them become more knowing in their profefsion, and much more respectable members of society, than at present; and that, by consequence, useful literature would be more perfectly taught than it now is. But this paper is already so long, and these consequences are so easily deducible from what has been already said, that I think it unnecessary here to enter any farther into this discussion.

I am,

A FRIEND TO LEARNING, TO INDUSTRY, AND Arts.

ANECDOTE.

THE late Dr Magrath being called upon to visit a sick man, asked him, as he entred the room, how he did? "O doctor," replied the man, in a plaintive tone," I am dead." The doctor immediately left the room, and reported in the neighbourhood, that the man was dead. The report was at first believed and circulated; but as soon as the mistake was discovered, the doctor was afkea, Why he had propagated a false report?' He replied that "he did it upon the best authority; for he had it from the man's own mouth."

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.

HE Editor having been absent for some time past, hopes his correspoлdents will pardon him for having omitted to acknowledge their favours so duly as usual.

The dialogue in the fhades by Cascabel, does not seem to mark the characters of the speakers with a sufficient degree of force, or precision, without which this kind of composition is seldom acceptable to the public. Thanks to G. G. for the anecdotes. His further correspondence will

be acceptable.

The interesting observations on the fisheries from Greenock are come to hand, and shall be attended to, as the ingenious writer desires.

The observations of Sertorius are received, and fhall be inserted with all convenient dispatch.

The reading memorandums, by an old correspondent, are thankfully received. His farther communications, occasionally, will prove highly acceptable. In answer to his private request, the Editor of this miscellany hopes he shall always so conduct himself, as to stand in no danger of being affected by any law or regulation respecting the internal government of the nation. The late proclamation can have no more effect upon him than the pafsing wind as it goes; he never will veer he never will veer even towards the borders of libel, though he will continue to point out useful truths as usual, without regarding what set of persons they may affect.

The very obliging and interesting communication by Timoleon is received. The Editor returns his best thanks for this communication; it will be inserted with the very first conveniency; the continuation is requested.

The poems by Martial junior, are received, and shall be duly attended to. The verses by R. V. with the corrections, are also come to hand and shall have a place as early as pofsible. The excellent verses on marriage are thankfully received, and will appear with the earliest opportunity. The communication by A. L. L. by Antigonus, by Alexander Ordo, Seraphina, Dante, Recordator, &c. are received and under consideration.

*The Editor has been favoured with a drawing of Ankerstroem, by a Swedish correspondent, taken when that unfortunate being was upon the pillory, which is now in the hands of the engraver, together with an account of his trial, and some anecdotes of his life; an abstract of which will be given as soon as pofsible.

ERRATA.

In the absence of the Editor, the following introduction to the Russian gentleman's account of hims 1., p. 142, was accidentally omitted:

Send a fool to France, and he will return a greater fuol. Proverb. The following is a natural and well written description of the way in which our men of fashion, for the most part, spend their time abroad; no other proof need be adduced of the inestimable benefit they derive from travelling. Since parents know that such are the advantages to be reaped from that branch of education, can we be surprised that they make such haste to allow them to enjoy it, nor grudge any expence that may be necessary for enabling them to reach such high attainments?

Page 96, line 6 note, for Northumberland and, read Northumberland 411s. 6d, and.

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To the Editor of the Bee.

of

SIR, I HAVE been a subscriber to your work from the beginning, and have remarked, with pleasure, that, in conducting it, you discover a manly independence and firmness of mind, that disdains alike to bend to the influence of power, or to stoop to the meaner compliances that are sometimes required to court popular applause. I have not been able to perceive in your lucubrations the smallest germ of prejudice against, or favour forany party, but, throughout the whole, a gene-. rous desire to promote the prosperity of your native country, wherever it seemed to come within the reach of your own power. These considerations have induced me to make choice of your Miscellany as a proper vehicle for communicating to the public, a few observations, that appear to me to deserve the very serious attention of the people in the present crisis, which many consider as very alarming, but which I myself cannot yet view in that light. If you approve of the specimen sent, be so kind as publish it without

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