PREFA C E THERE has hitherto been no afylum for Fugitive Pieces, or Occafional Effays, in Scotland, although many fuch 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, impreffed with this idea, has ventured to give the plan a beginning. The periodical publications give a tranfient existence to many papers that often deferve a better fate; and a collection of the prefent nature, while it preferves, in part, a view of the manners, opinions, and taste of the times as they rife, may also serve to encourage many to write occafional papers, who are either too indolent or unambitious to appear formally as authors. The Editor, by this collection, means to preserve such productions, either in profe or verfe, as may occafionally appear and defei ve notice, [iv] notice, and which do not belong to any other regular collection; and, if it meets with encouragement, it will be continued from time to time by additional volumes. He only begins a few years back, from the year 1782, with fuch fugitive pieces as he has had occafion to fee published; but will gladly receive the contributions of those who poffefs original papers or poems of a moderate length, that have not been printed. Explanatory Notes and Obfervations will be given, where neceffary, as far as the Editor knows, or could obtain information; and the collection will embrace every variety of subject, of Scottish production, whether serious or humorous, poetical or profe, if of a delicate 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. 1. RESOLUTIONS of the Citizens of Edinburgh, on the 2. A debate on the loyal address proposed to be made on 3. Advertisement of An universal warehouse for all forts of goods, 4. Cato Cenfor's letters, 5. Cafualities during a week, 6. The Jezebel Club, 7. Refolutions occafioned by the proposal for killing the dogs, in the scarcity of provifion in 1783, 8. Verses by à penitent prostitute, 9. Letters containing a comparative view of Edinburgh in the years 1763 and 1783-refpecting the modes of living-trade-manners, &c. 10. The letters of Horatius on the foregoing comparison, 11. A comparison fimilar to that of Edinburgh, from a country parish, 12. A comparison of the British nation in 1763 and 1783, 13. Men are in every respect like books, 14. On the character and tendency of Rouffeau's writings, with a prophecy, 15. Two letters from Conftantia Phillips, at the age of forty, to Lord Chesterfield, on female education, Page 5 12 27 35 45 48 55 59 63 93 103 107 112 121 131 16. On indelicacy, in conversation before Ladies, 141 17. A letter occasioned by a sentiment of Lord Kames, on the obfervance of Sunday, by Pascal, 143 18. An answer to the above, containing an account of a Sunday paffed in Westmoreland, by Eufebius, 145 19. A reply to the above, by Pascal, 159 20. Another letter on the same subject, by Philo-Sabbaticus, 21. A letter respecting the fituation of the schoolmasters of Scotland, 22. A poetical epistle, on Mrs Siddons's first appearance on 163 168 the Edinburgh theatre, 171 23. On fingular fashions in dress, 175 24. Verses to Dr Beattie, the author of the Minstrel, 181 25. Verses to the author of the Man of Feeling, 26. A receipt for happiness, 27. Verses written on a window, 182 183 184 28. Return 28. Return to a card, on the first of April, 185 29. Abridgement of a fermon on Man is born to trouble, 185 30. Genteel economy, 186 31. On a letter by a clergyman respecting the American loyalists, 32. On the tax on bachelors, 187 190 33. A letter from Afiaticus, defcribing himself and the woman he would wish to marry, 193 34. Reflections on the cafe of a young woman who took poifon in confequence of a disappointment in marriage, 197 35. Advertisement of masquerade dreffes, 201 36. The letters of Belzebub, on modern education, 206-252 37. A letter on female feduction, 253 38. A letter from Peter Peafcod, contrasting the manners of the town with those of the country, 255 39. Account of the extraordinary duel of Capt. Wildair and Mr Manly, 259 40. An account of phyfical phænomena in Scotland fince 1782, 268 41. A prologue on Stewart Nicolfon's first appearance on the stage at Edinburgh, 276 42. Verfes on a Captain of Fencibles leaving his company on their march, and going into a hackney coach, : 277 43. Verses to the author of the Effay on Nothing, 278 44. A Critique on Logan's Ode to Women, 279 45. On Mr Henderson in the character of Hamlet, theatre, 47. On dancing, by Peter Paspy, 287 290 294 48. A letter from Gamaliel Pickle, on his wife's fondness for defultory reading, 298 49. Lines written by an Officer to a Lady whose name was Whiting, 300 |