fubjects the writings of Scott have much clearness of argument and ftrength of ftile; but he has fometimes given way to acrimonious expreffion's, which I wish he had avoided.

When the publication of the poems, afcribed to Rowley, had engaged very general attention among the literary inquirers into antiquity, Scott entered the lift, and difputed their authenticity in two judicious and well written letters, in the Gentleman's Magazine for July and August 1777, and is faid to have produced the first arguments on that fide, except what are contained in a letter in the fame Magazine for May, 1777.

Scott had not only employed his literary talents on other fubjects than those of polite compofition, as has been shewn in his publication on the state of the poor; but he dedicated great part of his time to public bufinefs, and was very constant

conftant in his attendance at turnpike meetings, navigation trufts, and commiffions of land-tax: he took the lead in feveral undertakings, in which his plans proved fuccefsful. Ware and Hertford are indebted to him for opening a spacious road between thofe towns, which was undertaken in the year 1768, and is justly esteemed one of the greatest conveniences in that part of the country; and by his attention and diligence, alterations have been made in the principal streets of Ware, to the great improvement of

that town.

As he was well informed in the laws of his country, he was ever difpofed to stand forward in the arbitration of any differences between his neighbours; he frequently interfered in the leffer quarrels, and diftreffes of the poor inhabitants, and to apply his own emphatical words on the Vicar of Amwell,

oft heard, and oft reliev'd

Their little wants; oft heard and oft compos'd,
Sole arbiter, their little broils.-—

The

The active and public fpirit of Scott would not permit him to remain an uninterested spectator, when any occafion offered of fhewing his exertions for what he deemed the good of the community. The calm and difpaffionate temper of the man of ftudy and retirement was loft in the feafon of party and turbulence, when it may reasonably be imputed as a crime, for any member of fociety, to obferve a frigid neutrality. The warmth of zeal for that caufe, which he had espoused upon generous and deliberate principles, might in some instances be thought to have carried him too far. But where in man fhall we find perfection?

In January 1778, an anonymous attack was made upon Dr. Beattie, in the Gentleman's Magazine, for not continuing his " Inquiry concerning the Immuta

bility of Moral Truth;" when Scott, with a friendly zeal, undertook his de

fence

fence in a letter in the fame magazine, for March following, to which he figned his name, and received the Doctor's acknowledgments upon the occafion.

In 1778 he favoured the public with a work of great labour and extenfive utility, entitled, A DIGEST OF THE HIGHWAY AND GENERAL TURNPIKE LAWS. In this compilation all the Acts of Parliament in force are collected together, and placed in one point of view; their contents are arranged under distinct heads, with the addition of many notes, and an appendix on the construction and prefervation of public roads, probably the only scientific treatise on the subject.

Scott had frequently fignified his intention of publishing a volume of poems, in which he meant to include what he had already given to the world, his FOUR ELEGIES, AMWELL, and the ELEGY written, but not published, in 1768. Amongst

the

the several pieces defigned for this volume, were four moral eclogues, in which he profeffed to have endeavoured to exhibit a fpecimen of genuine and simple pastoral. These were first published separately, without a name, in 1778: but it was now no time for pastoral poetry to attract curiofity, when probably the merits of Theocritus and Virgil, infused into an English mufe, would have been little attended to. The Latin motto from Virgil, prefixed to these eclogues, was given him by Dr. Beattie, who, in one of his letters, speaks highly of the eclogue, entitled, "ARMYN," which he appears to have seen in manufcript, and expreffes himself in the following words, relative to the variety of Scott's publications.

"I am astonished, my dear Sir, at the activity of your mind, and the versatility of your genius. It is truly amazing that one and the fame perfon fhould, in one

and