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rity in the distance between the different stones was not much regarded.

There are remains of temples of this kind in several parts of Scotland; though so many of them have been demolished in the cultivated parts of it, that persons who reside there, have had no opportunity of seeing them. The very temple that gave rise to these observations is now (January 1792) entirely destroyed, and the place where it stood turned up by the plough. They abound in the hilly parts of Aberdeenfhire, and along the Grampian mountains.

Stonehenge in Wiltshire is, without doubt, a monument referable to this general clafs, although differing from the above in many particulars.

There are some vestiges of these four kinds of antiquities in South Britain; but it is doubtful if there are any of a similar nature with those of the other two classes that remain to be taken notice of. I fhall, therefore, in some future number of this work, be a little more particular with regard to them*.

Since the above was written, I have accidentally learnt that Dr Thorkelin, professor of antiquities at Copenhagen, who saw many of these circular structures in Scotland, is of opinion that they were not druidigal temples, as tradition has it; he thinks they were rather erected as a kind of civil courts for the distribution of justice, or for deliberating on national affairs. He was led to think this, from having observed that circular structures of this kind abound in Norway, where the religion of the druids never did prevail. It is obvious that they might have been equally well fitted for civil, as for religious purposes.

JOHN EARL OF MA

(Continued from p. 104. and conclu

On the 17th of December 1615, on earl of Somerset, the king gave his whi şurer of Scotland, to the earl of Marr for more than fifteen years, when, being he voluntarily resigned it into the ha who conferred it on the earl of Morton

As the part Marr bore in his negotia in concert and commifsion with the

Kinlofs, has found its way into sever and collections of state papers, I ha swell this memoir with an account of it, clude with observing, that the good old

ral years after his retreat from the cour of Alloa, in the county of Clackman dicted himself to study, and rural solace married his four daughters to the earls Rothes, Strathmore, and Haddington, a all his sons in very honourable situations

He died at his house, as governor of being the mefsuage of his lordship of St 14th day of December 1634; and was sole with a concourse of his family and frien in the chapel of the family at Alloa, of April 1635. In his person, as appears ginal portrait by Cornelius Jansen, as w by George Jamesone, he appears to have and animated countenance, and well

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body; in his manners, he was active, sprightly, and witty, affecting much of the poignant manner of his master Buchanan, as he did occasionally to please the king, the rougher salt of the Stuarts; and many of his jokes, as well as those of the king, in his company, are repeated in Scotland, which would be improper for a grave narration.

On the first day of April 1608, he had executed a last will and testament, whereby, leaving the tuition of the children of his second marriage to their mother, he gives to his son, the earl of Buchan, the hundred of Ocham, to relieve him from the incumberance of legacies to his brothers and sisters. To his eldest son, lord Erfkine, he leaves, as a memorial of his particular affection, the bason and laver, set with mother-ofpearls, which he had from queen Elizabeth ‡, to remain with his house, together with all his silver plate, and fine tapestry, excepting always such part as my lord of Dryburgh. §, Mr John Preston, the master general, and my cousin the laird of Dunnipaifs have got. To lord Erfkine, his fairest jewel which he got from Henry the great, king of France, To his wife, the fine jewel he bought in London from Sir William Lerick. Lastly I leive my hairt to my maister the king's majesty, maist houmblie intreating his hieness to be a patronto, my wyffe, that nane doe her wrong; as also I leive unto my yonge sueitte maister

These are still preserved entire in the house of Alloa by his heir,
Ancestor of the earl of Buchan.

His third son of the second marriage, Sir Alexander Erfkine, blown up at Dunglass castle, anno 1649, and died without issue.

the prince, my eldest sonne, and his hail briether and sister, because their greatest honor is that they were brocht up with him, in oure houfs not doubting bott quen time serves, (giff thay be worthie of thaimselves) seeing that thair father was his faithfull servant". J. S. Marr.

READING MEMORANDUMS.

Continued from page 80.

ALTHOUGH I despise that proud race of mortals, who, by birth and fortune, think themselves beings privileged beyond the rest of their species, because they are exalted a little higher-God formed them of the same clay, their ashes will not be distinguished in the bowels of the earth, nor will the worms pay any respect to their bodies.-Yet those truths will not persuade any one to descend from the ladder on which he is mounted; and therefore I go with the stream, and bow my head to him whom chance has placed above me.

I am not superstitiously credulous; yet I think that nature sometimes designs to give us a secret presentiment of approaching misfortunes. We have ominous impressions of future hopes and fears.

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Never despise old friends, because their conduct may not always be pleasing. For if you acquire new friends, you will not find them exempt from follies and imperfections.

To be continued.

TO THE AUTHOR OF THE VERSES TO THE DEBAUCHEE.

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AN ADVICE TO MARRIED LADIES.

Be this, ye fair, your rule, this maxim prize,
Ye who are leagued in chaste connubial ties;
Think, if your Iulbands act a wayward part,
'Tis mild, persuasive softnejs gains the heart.

Man, proud by nature, conscious of his sway,
The loud, tyrannic scold scorns to obey;
That gentle sweetnefs, which at first did charm,
Must still conspire all sourness to disarm,
To mould these pafsions, where his weakness lies,
Ye fair! the day's your own were ye but wise.
Thus have I often seen a mule refuse

T'obey his driver, tho' the whip he'd use,
VOL. vii.

T

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