as Cromek did[1], with the help of his friend Allan Cunningham, having nothing but a few ancient chorusses or couplets, familiar among the peasantry, to bear them through; yet I certainly would like to see a saving hand stretched out to rescue these relics of broad and simple humour; and rather than they should perish, or give offence to modesty and good breeding, venture to use the pruning-knife a little. Are we to lose such productions as "The Wyfe of Auchtermuchtie," because, forsooth, there may be two words in it that one would not choose to read aloud in a mixed company?
Ritson has done a good deal for the preservation of our lyrical lore; Johnson has done more; and as both their works are wearing scarce, it would surely be a good speculation to republish them together, with such omissions or additions as a man of judgment might see meet. I look upon Johnson's Museum as the most valuable collection of that nature that ever was made in our country—not so much on account of the songs, (for many of them are now to be found in other collections) as for the great mine of original music which it contains. Many of these tunes, it is true, have been since modernised, and certainly are improved by the symphonies, graces, and accompaniements, that have been added; still the preservation of them in their simple and original state is a laudable and desirable object; and there is no doubt but an enlarged edition of that work, wherein elegance and utility might be conjoined, is a desideratum in the vocal and musical miscellanies of the day.
Observing that you had set out on your miscellaneous career, with the resuscitation of some valuable old poetic lore, I have thrown these few cursory remarks together, in hopes they may be instrumental in bringing to light some more relics of the pastoral, romantic, and rustic poetry of former ages, which you will do well to preserve, and of which the collectors of songs and music may afterwards avail themselves to their own advantage, and the cause of song in general. If simplicity be the last refinement, and the highest excellence to which a poet can reach, then these lyrical effusions of our ancestors possess it in a very high degree—true, it is not always elegant simplicity, but it is better than pompous affectation. Every thing in the universe moves in a circle till the two extremes meet; thus the highest refinement returns again to where it set out—the walks of simple nature.
May 27, 1817. S.
EXPERIMENT, BY MR LAUDER DICK, YOUNGER OF FOUNTAINHALL, RELATIVE TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE VEGETATIVE POWER IN THE SEEDS OF PLANTS.
MR EDITOR,
The following is an extraet of a letter from my friend, Mr Lauder Dick, dated Relugas, near Forres, 6th May 1817. It contains a short notice of an experiment, which, taken in connexion with some others of a similar nature, already familiar to the vegetable physiologist, may perhaps appear of considerable interest to some of your readers. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, G.
"A friend of mine possesses an estate in this county, a great part of which, lying along the Moray Frith, was, at some period not very well ascertained, but certainly not less than sixty years ago, covered with sand, which had been blown from the westward, and overwhelmed the cultivated fields, so that the agriculturist was forced to abandon them altogether. My friend, soon after his purchase of the estate, began the arduous but judicious operation of trenching down the sand, and bringing to the surface the original black mould. These operations of improvement were so productive, as to induce the very intelligent and enterprising proprietor to undertake, lately, a still more laborious task; viz. to trench down the super-incumbent sand, on a part of the property where it was no less than eight feet deep.
Conceiving this to be a favourable opportunity for trying some experiments relative to the length of time which seeds preserve their power or vegetation, even when immersed in
- ↑ We have inserted our correspondent's remarks as they came to hand, though we profess ourselves ignorant with regard to the ground of the charge that he makes against Cromek. We trust he can make good his assertion. It would be a curious instance pf literary fraud. Editor.
