lefs valuable materials, as of enamel'd work; alfo of rofes, myrtle and olive leaves. Vid. Seld. ubi fupra.

• Thine eyes are " sparkling," &c. "now" thy veil is removed.] Or, Thy veil being removed; (literally without thy veil.) The Jewish maidens, before marriage, were under fuch strait confinement, and fo rarely fuffered to appear in public, that the very name for a virgin in Hebrew is by hidden. This referve rendered the veil a very effential part of their drefs+; and which, even when they were first presented to their husbands, they carefully drew over their faces, as we learn from the example of Rebecca, Gen. xxiv. 15. On what day of the marriage ceremony it was publicly laid afide, does not appear.

• But among the Greeks it was thrown off on the third day, for then the Bride, for the first time, appeared in public company without her veil, and received prefents from her husband on that occafion, which were thence called ανακαλυπτήρια. Se Potter. II. 294, &c. Now, if we fuppofe the fame cuftoms prevailed in Palestine, then the subject of this day's Eclogue will relate to the ceremony of taking off the veil: then we shall account for the fplendid gaiety of the Bridegroom's drefs on fo joyful an occafion; and his compliments on her beauty will have a peculiar fpirit and propriety. Now on the Bride's appearing for the first time in the public eyes of men, and that too in the presence of the perfon, with whom she was entering into the most endearing connections, it might well be expected that consciousness of beauty, tenderness, and exquifite fenfibility, mixing with virgin bathfulness, should improve the native luftre of her eyes, and convey to them all that brightness and fparkling, for which those of the eastern doves are remarkable. B.

• Thy hair is-as-goats, which come up fleek, &c.] Bochart refers the comparison to the hair of the eastern goats, which is of the most delicate filky softness, and is exprefsly observed by an ancient Naturalift, to bear a great refemblance to the fine curls of a woman's hair. Vid. Hierozoic. t. i. 1. 3. c. 15.Le Clerc obferves farther, that the hair of the goats in Paleftine is generally of a black colour, or of a very dark brown, fuch as that of a lovely brunette may be supposed to be,

Which come up fleek, fcil. to Jerufalem, which being the capital, it was ufual to fpeak of afcending to it from any part of Judea, as we fay, "Go Up to London." See Pfal. cxxii. 4. - is a word that occurs no where elfe, and it is difficult to ascertain its meaning. The Rabbins interpret it poliuntur,

+ See Selden's Uxor Hebraica, 1. ii. c. 15.

comuntur,

6

comuntur, decoræ fiunt ac fi pectine pecterenter: Bochart from the Gr. and Vulg. afcendunt: we have chosen to express both fenfes in the tranflation.-P. Houbigant's verfion is Quæ pendent, for which he affigns this reafon, tum, ut id congruat cum monte Galaad, velut in eo carmine Virgiliano, "Dumofa pendere procul de rupe”-tum vero ut retineatur fimilitudo Capillorum, qui de capite pendent.

Thy teeth are as a flock, &c.] Thefe images are intended to denote that the Bride's teeth were-even-white-exactly paired or matched-and the whole fet entire and unbroken.

We have followed Le Clerc in rendering fimply twins; and, (not barren) but [orba] deprived fcil. of its fellow, as in Jeremiah xviii. 21. In defence of this verfion we refer the Reader to the judicious Note of that Commentator. A brede of fearlet.] Or, as it might be rendered, thread, lace, fillet, ribband, &c.

As the flower of the pomegranate, &c.] We have here followed Caftellus, tho' the more received interpretation is, As a fection of the pomegranate. In either fenfe, the words feem to be Spoken in praife of the Bride's modesty. The Bridegroom's meaning is, "that on the removal of her veil, her cheeks glow"ed as red with blufhes, as the bofom, or flower of the pome"granate." If we confider the great referve in which the eastern Ladies were educated, we fhall not wonder, that on their appearing among men for the first time, the blood should mount into the face in brifker floods than ordinary.

B.

Thy neck is like the tower of David built upon an eminence, &c.] As if he had faid "Thy neck is taper and tall, gracefully rifing from thy fhoulders, and fplendidly hung with jewels." This tower of David was probably remarkable for the elegance and nice proportion of its #tructure. Among the various interpretations given to the words ", we have chofen to follow that of P. Houbigant, as it seems beft to express the fituation of the neck, finely rifing from the shoulders.

The

Two young roes, &c.] The original conveys a ftill more delicate image, being literally Two twin fauns of the roe. 28 or Roe is an animal of a reddish colour, that abounds in Judea, and is of fuch exquifite beauty, that it has thence its The word y fignifies loveliness. See Bocharti Hierozoic. p. 1. 1. 3. c. 25.

name.

While the fauns of the roe are browsing among, or between the white lilies, only the little round convexity of their red backs is feen: and to this the comparifon feems peculiarly

to

to refer. In Syria the lilies grow common in the fields. Matt. vi. 28. Vide Hierozoic. t. 1. 1. 3. c. 24.

• This mountain of myrrhe, &c.] Myrrhe and frankincenfe were among the moft valued perfumes of the Eaft: the Bridegroom therefore concludes his compliments on the Bride's perfon, by comparing her to an entire heap of those precious ef fences.

*

We shall here take our leave of this performance, with ob ferving, that the learned and ingenious Author proposes, if the prefent attempt meets with approbation, to penetrate through the veil in fome future undertaking, and enquire what fublime truths are concealed under the literal expreffions of this poem.

* Since writing this article, we have been informed, that the prefent publication is the work of a Reverend Gentleman in Northamptonfhire, Author of fome late applauded performances relating to the Chinese.

K-n-k

The Peerage of Scotland, containing an historical and genealogical Account of the Nobility of that Kingdom, from their Origin to the prefent Generation: collected from the public Records, and ancient Chartularies of this Nation, the Charters, and other Writings of the Nobility, and the Works of our beft Hiftorians. Illustrated with Copper-plates. By Robert Douglas, Efq; Folio. Il 15s. Millar.

HIS account of the ancient and prefent ftate of the Peerage

that of Great-Britain, (all the privileges whereof are conveyed to them, by the act of union, except that of fitting in the house of peers, where they are reprefented by a felect number of their own body) appears to be drawn up with great accuracy and precifion, in the main. And though it abounds with Scotticifms, in almost every page, yet an English reader fhould the more readily overlook that accidental imperfection, when he reflects, that none but a native of that kingdom, could well be qualified to give us, even, a tolerable view of the Peerage of Scotland; in which the limitations of hereditary honours, and family connections, are so very different from what we experience here in England. In one country, thofe honours are commonly limitted to the heirs-male, in a direct fucceffion; whereas in the other, they are fo often extended to the heirs-general, (whether male or female) that it is frequently no eafy matter, to determine whether a particular title be, in fact, extinét, or not. Of this, numerous

3

inftances

inftances occur in the work before us; but none more remark able than what relates to the title of Lord Rutherfoord, which is, at this time, claimed by two different perfons. It feems that, anno 1733, George Durie of Grange, as heir of line, claimed and aflumed the titles of Lord Rutherfoord; and that year voted at the election of a peer, without any objection; but at the next election, in 1734, Capt. John Rutherfoord having claimed the fame honours, protefted against him, and he, in his turn, protefted against the faid Captain John, and both voted. At the election in 1738, the two claimants renewed their protests against each other; fo that the right to the titles of Lord Rutherfoord can only be determined by the Houfe of Lords.'-This quotation, though fomewhat out of place, is brought in here, as a proof of the above remark, concerning the great difficulty of deducing the Scotch pedigrees down to the right heir.

- A proof of the Author's peculiar idiom of language occurs, even, in his very fhort dedication, (which confifts only of a fingle fentence) where he tells us, that his patron, the Earl of Morton, is eminent for encouraging every undertaking that may tend either for the honour or intereft of his country.'

The neceffity of publishing a new peerage of Scotland, and the utility of it, (we are told in the Preface) is acknowledged by all. And this the compiler fays he has attempted on a more regular and accurate plan than has hitherto appeared how far he has fucceeded, the world muft judge. But if the most affiduous application for many years; if a painful enquiry into the public records, and ancient chartularies; if an unwearied fearch after every degree of knowledge, neceffary for carrying on fo arduous a tafk; if these have any merit, or deferve the favour of the Public, the Author flatters himself this work, on perufal, will not be found deficient.'

Inaccuracies in point of language, [which, doubtless, fometimes occur,] he hopes the Reader will overlook; as that has not been (he owns) fo much attended to, as might have been wished.

The chief and principal point the Author had in view, and the great object of his attention [was,] in a plain and distinct manner, to deduce the hiftory of each family from its origin to the prefent generation, and to ascertain their genealogy and chronology by undifputed documents.' And this, we think, he has, in general, accomplished.

-

The arms of the nobility are tolerably engraved, upon ten folio copper-plates, and prefixed to the work; but we are forry to be obliged to add, that the method of blazoning the arms in the body of the work, does not always agree with the engravings upon the

plates.

plates. Inftances, in proof of this, may be feen under the Earls of Buchan, Glencairn, and Marchmont. The arms are faid to be engraved according to the order in which the nobility were ranked in the roll made up at the Union Parliament: but in giving the accounts of the different families, their parricular rank is dif regarded, and the whole thown into alphabetical order.

As a fpecimen of his manner of deducing the pedigrees of families, we fhall give an extract from that of the Duke of Argyle, omitting his authorities; which are all along referred to, in the margin of the book.

'CAMPBELL Duke of ARGYLE.

That the noble and illuftrious name of CAMPBELL is of very great antiquity in Scotland, is acknowledged by all our hif

torians.

• Cambden derives their origin from the antient kings of Argyle, about the fixth century.

"Mr. Martin of Clermont, a learned and judicious antiquary, fays, "It is the opinion of fome, that they came originally from France, and affumed their firname about the reign of king Malcolm Canmore."

"In the traditional accounts of our bards, it is faid, that their predeceffors were in poffeffion of the lands of Lochow, in Argylefhire, before the reftoration of our monarchy by King Fergus II. anno 404; and that the firft appellation they used, was O-Dubhin. The bards have recorded a long feries of the barons of Lochow, renowned both for courage and conduct; one of whom (Gillefpick O-Dubhin) got their name changed to Campbell, to perpetuate the memory of a noble and heroic action performed by him for the crown of France, in the reign of king Malcolm Canmore.

• From this Gillefpick, therefore, we fhall deduce the descent of the illuftrious family of Argyle.'-[We fhall here only give the names, and number, of fome of the firft ancestors of the family; referring for their particular relationship to each other, to the work itself.

I. GILLESPICKO-DUBHIN, or CAMPBELL, Lord of Lochow, lived in the reign of K. David I. and married Eva, only daughter and heiress of Paul O-Dubhin.

2. DUNCAN CAMPBELL of Lochow, flourished in the reign of K. Malcolm IV.

3. COLIN CAMPBELL of Lochow, lived in the reign of K. William the Lion.

4. GIL