EDINBURGH

FUGIT I V E

PIECE s.

The Muse's labour then success shall crown,
When Folly feels her laugh, and Vice her frown.

a

THERE has hitherto been no asylum for
Fugitive Pieces, or Occasional Essays, in Scot-
land, although many such have been made in
England. It is thought that a Collection might
be furnished from this country, which would
prove both entertaining and useful; and the
Editor, impressed with this idea, has ventured
to give the plan a beginning. The periodical
publications give a transient existence to many
papers that often deserve a better fate; and a
collection of the present nature, while it pre-
serves, in part, a view of the manners, opi-
nions, and taste of the times as they rise, may
also serve to encourage many to write oc-
casional papers, who are either too indolent or
unambitious to appear formally as authors.

a

The Editor, by this collection, means to preserve such productions, either in prose or verse, as may occasionally appear and deserve

notice,

notice, and which do not belong to any other
regular collection; and, if it meets with en-
couragement, it will be continued from time
to time by additional volumes.

He only begins a few years back, from the
year 1782, with such fugitive pieces as he has
had occasion to see published; but will gladly
receive the contributions of those who possess
original papers or poems of a moderate length,
that have not been printed,

Explanatory Notes and Observations will
be given, where necessary, as far as the Editor
knows, or could obtain information; and the
collection will embrace every variety of sub-
ject, of Scottish production, whether serious or
humorous, poetical or prose, if of a delicate
nature, and useful tendency,

The letters E. C. mean Edinburgh Courant; C. M. Caledonian
Mercury; E. G. Edinburgh Gazette. In these papers most of
the pieces contained in this volume originally appeared ; and
many of them were afterwards copied into various periodical
publications in Britain and Ireland.

CONTENTS.

Page

12

48

63

1. REsolutions of the Citizens of Edinburgh, on the change of Ministry, when Lord North retired,

5 2. A debate on the loyal address proposed to be made on

occasion of a change of men and measures, 3. Advertisement of An universal warehouse for all sorts

of goods, 4. Cato Censor's letters,

35 s. Casualities during a week,

45 6. The Jezebel Club, 7. Resolutions occasioned by the proposal for killing the dogs, in the scarcity of provision in 1783,

53 8. Verses by a penitent prostitute,

59 9. Letters containing a comparative view of Edinburgh

in the years 1763 and 1783-respecting the modes

of living-trade-manners, &c. 10. The letters of Horatius on the foregoing comparison, 93 II. A comparison fimilar to that of Edinburgh, from a country parish,

103 12. A comparison of the British nation in 1763 and 1783, 107 13. Men are in every respect like books,

II2 14. On the character and tendency of Rousseau's writings,

with a prophecy, 15. Two letters from Constantia Phillips, at the age of

forty, to Lord Chesterfield, on female education, 131 16. On indelicacy, in conversation before Ladies,

141 17. A letter occasioned by a sentiment of Lord Kames, on the observance of Sunday, by Pascal,

143 18. An answer to the above, containing an account of a Sunday paffed in Westmoreland, by Eusebius,

145 19. A reply to the above, by Pascal, 20. Another letter on the same subject, by Philo-Sabbạticus,

121

159