ment, for reasons already urged in the commencement of this work, it has been thought best to class along with this any other correspondence which took place between Mr SMELLIE and Lord KAMES, and which has come to our knowledge; but, as often mentioned, a great deal of this correspondence was long ago destroyed. No. LXIX. Mr WILLIAM SMELLIE to LORD KAMes. MY LORD, As I believe your Lordship is inclined to befriend me, I presume to beg a favour which will be of the greatest importance to me, and cannot, I imagine, be in the least prejudicial to your Lordship. My business, these two years past, has increased to such a degree that I find a bank credit for L.200 or L.300 necessary to make the proper advantage of it. As Mr BALFOUR, my partner, is likewise bound for any intromissions, the risk must amount to nothing. you Now, my Lord, if will do me the honour to become one of my sureties, you will have the pleasure of doing an essential service to a man of business, which must always be peculiarly grateful to a mind so susceptible as that of your Lordship. I have the honour to be, &c. WILLIAM SMellie. No. LXX. To Mr WILLIAM SMELLIE from Lord Kames, DEAR SIR, Blair-Drummond, 28. May 1774, I have signed the bond this day, witness WILLIAM SCONCE writer in Stirling, and JOHN DICK my servant. THE Sketch on Government, being introductory only.to what follows, I know not what review can be made of it; though that it cannot be shortened is certain. There is another subject I wish much more to be brought under review, and which will furnish much matter; viz. The attempt to account for moral evil in this world, which concludes the first sketch in the second book. A good deal this subject. of genius may be exerted upon I SAW your friend HAMILTON at Perth, who seems well satisfied with his condition. Your friend most sincerely, MR SMELLIE enjoyed the honour and happiness of an intimate acquaintance with the great and good lawyer, philosopher, and judge, HENRY HOME Lord Kames, for moe than twenty years. Their acquaintance began in consequence of an anonymous letter which Mr SMELLIE sent to his Lordship, containing some observations, and even strictures, on his admired publication, the Elements of Criticism, then printing by MURRAY and COCHRANE, to whom he was corrector. These critical observations have not been preserved; but the accompanying letter and its appropriate answer are subjoined, together with some other letters which passed between them. It has been already mentioned that the acquaintance to which these critical observations gave occasion continued for a long time ;-in fact, it continued to the end of the life of Lord KAMES. The first edition of the Elements of Criticism was printed in 1762, in three volumes octavo; but we have no certain memorial of the date of Mr SMELLIES first acquaintance with Lord KAMES. FROM the want of date in the copy of this Mr SMELLIES first letter to Lord KAMES, there is considerable difficulty in settling the period of commencement of this acquaintance. Mr SMELLIE, jun. is disposed to believe that this intercourse, honourable to both parties, began while his father was still apprentice and corrector to his masters HAMILTON, BALFOUr, and NEILL. But, from the answer to this anonymous communication being dated in December 1764, it could not have been above a few days prior to that date when Mr SMELLIE first wrote anonymously; and from Lord KAMES expressing a wish to end the blind intercourse, it may be presumed that Mr SMELLIE declared himself shortly afterwards. He was corrector to MURRAY and COCHRANE in 1764. Of all the subsequent publications by Lord KAMES, Mr SMELLIE uniformly corrected the proof sheets, and constantly used full critical freedom in animadverting or proposing alterations in the language, &c. When Lord KAMES thought any particular observation or alteration on the proofs of his works not of any great moment, he used to express himself in writing, on returning the proof, in the following easy and good natured way, "Either of them is good enough, but I have altered the sentence to please you." Of this we have ample proof in the hand-writing of Lord KAMES, exactly conformable to the circumstance alleged. No. LXXI. Mr WILLIAM SMELLIE to Lord KAMES. MY LORD, No date. I HAVE perused the Elements of Criticism with great satisfaction. The utility, as well as the ingenuity of the performance, induced me to read it with even peculiar attention. Many observations occurred; some of which I committed to paper, that I might be the better enabled to judge if they were well founded. Sensible that your Lordships can |