PREFACE.

As the history of the eminent Person, whose life is the subject of the following Work, is intimately connected with every species of improvement, whether of an intellectual or a political nature, that took place in Scotland during his age, the task incumbent on his biographer, will at once appear to be much more comprehensive in its plan, and various in its objects, than that which ordinarily belongs to this species of writing. To fulfil his duty in its amplest form and measure, the author ought not only to delineate the life of an individual Lawyer, Philosopher, Political Economist, and Critic; but to exhibit the moral and political character of the Times in which he lived, and to detail the progress of the

Literature,

Literature, Arts, Manners, and General Improvement of ScorLAND, during the greater part of the eighteenth century.

Aware of the magnitude and difficulty of the task thus conceived in its utmost extent, the present writer declined engaging in it, for a long period of time, while there appeared any probability of its falling into abler hands :—And when at length, after a fruitless expectation of more than twenty years, he took it upon himself, he was very far from entertaining such confidence in his own abilities, as to deem them at all equal to its complete accomplishment. What he proposed to execute, therefore, and what he has executed, he wishes to be regarded in no other light than as a very imperfect sketch of an interesting picture; which neither his few hours of leisure, in the intervals of a laborious public duty, permitted; nor, as he is conscious, his powers enabled him, to finish in its full proportions, or with ability equal to its importance.

Some circumstances, however, contributed to point out this task to the writer in the light of a particular duty; and,

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at the same time, gave him certain advantages for its execution, which have not always been enjoyed by the biographers of distinguished men. He had the happiness, for many years of his life, to be intimately acquainted with LORD KAMES, and to possess a very flattering share of his friendship and confidence. Patronized by him in his early years, admitted to the freedom of a partner in his studies, and even of an associate in some of his literary labours, he had the best opportunity of discerning his character; by viewing it in all that variety of aspects, which are afforded by familiar intercourse, where the temperament itself, (as was peculiarly his nature), was altogether open, ingenuous, and undisguised. Though more than fifty years younger than his venerable friend, who had been the companion and friend of his Father, he could say, as CATO of QUINTUS MAXIMUS, "Senem adolescens ita dilexi ut æqualem: erat "enim in illo viro comitate condita gravitas; nec senectus mores mutaverat."

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To this personal advantage, was added, the most liberal and unreserved communication of materials, from

Mr

Mr DRUMMOND HOME, the only son of LORD KAMES; who furnished the writer, not only with a very ample epistolary correspondence, of which abundant use has been made in these Memoirs,-and which forms not the least valuable part of the work, but with many particulars relative to his Father's life and character, which his own knowledge only, and that of his family, could supply.

In addition to these sources of information, it would be ingratitude in the author, were he to omit mentioning his obligations to a very learned and ingenious friend *,—an old and intimate acquaintance of LORD KAMES; for a variety of curious matter, illustrative of his Lordship's character, the characters of his cotemporaries, and the manners of his age, which that gentleman had studied with the most discriminating sagacity.

In digesting the plan of the following work, that easy and convenient mode of writing which the French term Mémoires

* JOHN RAMSAY, Esq; of Ochtertyre, in the county of Perth.