another of Anagrams, which were mightily in Vogue even among learned Men in his Time, thơ' now feldom us'd and little regarded. Among other Papers of our Author's, we found written with bis own band, a firft Draught of an Answer to a Libel printed, Anno 1648, against James Duke of Hamilton, &c. which we thought also proper to Print, fince the Teftimony of fo truly wife, and incontestably loyal a Man, who liv'd in thofe Times, cannot but be of very great Weight and Authority in this Affair. There are feveral other Papers, but imperfect, or Juvenile Effays, which may be fuppofed our Author never defign'd, and we thought not fit for the Prefs. While we were printing of thefe Sheets, a Worthy and Honourable Perfon fent us the Original Copy of An Indenture of Agreement made betwixt the Drummonds and Menteiths, about 350 years ago, which we thought fit to publish to gratify the curious Reader.

His Poems were written on different Occafions, and feveral of them compos'd 100 Tears ago; yet they can still bear reading very well, and may be justly compared for Senfe, Wit and Language with the best English Poems of that Time. The Second Impreffion of his Poems which we have made ufe of, was printed at Edinburgh, Anno 1616, and The Flowers of Sion, Anno 1630. In the Year 1656 there was a new Edition made at London of his Poems, and Flowers of Sion, in one Volume, and in it there are feveral Poems wanting, and fome few added, which were not in the former Editions. We have put all together, that nothing may be wanting of our learned and ingenious Author, which was formerly printed. There are fubjoyned fome Poems never before Printed, not unworthy, we fuppofe, of the Author. The Tranflations of the ancient Hymns of the Church are both exact and smooth, and his other Mifcellanies are very pleasant and diverting. We have prefixt The Author's Life, taken from fome few Notes left by himself, and from the beft Information we could get. There are published fome Commendatory Poems never before Printed; as one by the ingenious Colonel George Lawder of Hatton, the Author's intimate Acquaintance; it is a Paftoral call'd Damon, the Name by which our Author pafs'd frequently in bis Writings, and among his Comrads, as his Friend the Earl of Stirling by that of Alexis. There are alfo made publick fome Verfes made in Commendation of our Author, by the incomparably learned and loyal Sir George Mackenzie, and by that excellent Poet and Hiftorian Mr. David Crawford of Drumfoy.

We have endeavoured to do all things with the utmost Care and Accuracy; for which we are mightily obliged to a learned and ingenious Friend, much converfant in thefe Affairs, who with great Diligence and Exactness has Revifed and Corrected the whole Work Which we hope fhall please all Lovers of Honefty and Ingenuity; for it contains a great many Things very useful, and also very delightful, and will be a Standard Book: So by this agreeable Variety the Reader is both inftructed and diverted, which is the chief defign of Writing.

Omne tulit punctum, qui mifcuit utile dulci,

ΤΗΕ

LIFE

O F

William Drummond

Of HAWTHORNDEN.

W

ILLIAM DRUMMOND of Hawthornden was Born the 13th of December 1585. His Father was Sir John Drummond of Hawthornden, a Man of great Worth: Who was Gentleman-Ufher to King James VI. but did not enjoy that Place long, being in Three Months afterwards taken away by Death. He was immediately defcended of the Drum monds of Carnock, and they, 300 Years before that, (about the fame Time Annabella Drummond was Queen of Scotland) came off the House of Stobball, the Chief of the Name of Drummond; which, for Antiquity, Honour, Honefty and Loyalty, is inferior to no Family in the Nation. His Mother was Sufanna Fowler, Daughter to Sir William Fowler Secretary to Queen Anne; fhe was a Woman of excellent Breeding, and of a good and vertuous Life.

The First Years of his Youth were spent at the High-School in Edin burgh, where the early Signs of that Worth which afterwards appeared to the World were very confpicuous. He was in due Time fent to the University of Edinburgh, where, after the ordinary Stay, he was made Master of Arts. Tho' he very well underftood the common Metaphyfical Learning, which then obtained in the Schools; yet he did not take up all his Time that way, but applied fome of it to the reading of the Claffick Authors and Mathematicks.

Having paft his Courfe at the Univerfity, he did not, according to the common Cuftom, give over Reading, or think that he had a full Stock of Learning, as a great many vainly imagine: He had more Sense, and knew better Things; That the fhort Time spent at Schools and Colleges, is only defigned to begin Youth in their Studies, and fet just

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Rules and true Methods for the profecuting them. So he continued close some Years reading the folid and unaffected Authors of Antiquity, which he not only retained in his Memory, but digested in his Judgment: Which was of great Ufe to him afterwards, as may be seen frequently in his excellent Works both in Prose and Verse.

His Father fent him to France in the Year 1606, being then 21 Years of Age, and of more Sense, and better inftructed in Letters than many of his Years. He ftudied at Bourges the Civil Law with great Diligence and Applaufe, and brought Home not only the Dictates of the Profeffors, but also his own Obfervations on them; which the Worthy, Learned and Judicious Prefident Lockhart seeing, faid, That if our Author had followed the Practice, he might have made the best Figure of any Lawyer in his Time. After he had ftay'd 4 Years abroad, he returned to his Native Country in the Year 1610, in which Sir John his Father died. Every Body then thought, that our Author, who had fo good a Genius, and fo proper an Education, would have applied himfelf seriously to the Practice of the Law, both for fetting his own private Affairs at Rights, and raifing his Fortune: But he neither lov'd the Fatigue nor Harfhnefs of Law, tho' it indeed brings great Gain and Advantages along with it; for the Delicacy of his Wit always run on the Pleasantness and Usefulness of Hiftory, and on the Fame and Softnefs of Poetry, imitating his Mafter Ovid, and remembring thefe Verfes in the 15 El. Lib. 1. Amor..

Non me verbofas leges edifcere; non me
Ingrato vocem proftituiffe foro.

Mortale eft, quod quæris, opus: mihi fama perennis

Quæritur, in toto femper ut orbe canar.

And indeed he made so great Advances both in Hiftory and Poetry, that he is reckoned amongst the exacteft Hiftorians and beft Poets of the Scottish Nation, as the Elogiums of the Learn'deft Men, and best Judges of his Time, do fufficiently declare.

Having given over all Thoughts of appearing in Publick, he retired to his own House at Hawthornden, a fweet and folitary Seat, and very fit and proper for the Mufes; and fell again to the studying the Greek and Latin Authors: And he then compofed feveral excellent Treatifes. After he had escaped a very dangerous Sickness, he wrote his Cypress Grove, a Piece of excellent Profe, both for the Sublimity and Piety of the Thoughts, and for the Fineness of the Stile. In it he reprefents the Vanity and Inftability of Human Affairs, teaches the Contempt of the World, propofes Confolations against the Fears of Death, and gives us a View of Eternal Happiness. Much about this fame time he wrote his Flowers of Sim; tho' the Numbers are not now very Fashionable yet they are ftill Harmonious, and contain a great many excellent and Divine Thoughts, very proper for the Conduct of Human Life. The

Cypress

;

Cypress Grove, Flowers of Sion, and feveral other Poems, were neatly and correctly Printed in his Lifetime by Andrew and John Harts, Famous Printers in Edinburgh.

'Tis true, he lov'd Obfcurity and Retirement, for which he was mightily to blame: For it's a great Difparagement to Vertue and Learning, that thofe Things which make Men useful to the World, should incline them to go out of it. But this Liberty ought to have been granted to him as foon as to any Man; for he did not spend his Time in Eafe and Indolence, with a Defign only to please himself, but withdrew out of the Crowd, with Defires of Inlightening and Instructing the Minds of those that remained in it.

Notwithstanding his clofe Retirement and ferious Application to Studies, Love ftole in upon him, and did intirely captivate his Heart : For he was on a fudden highly Enamour'd of a fine Beautiful young Lady, Daughter to Cuninghame of Barns, an Ancient and Honourable Family. He met with fuitable Returns of chaft Love from her, and fully gain'd her Affection: But when the Day for the Marriage was appointed, and all Things ready for the Solemnization of it, he took a Fever, and was fuddenly fnatch'd away by it, to his great Grief and Sorrow. He expreff'd his Grief for her in feveral Letters and Poems ; and with more Paffion and Sincerity Celebrated his dead Miftrefs, than others use to Praise their living Ones.

The great Grief for the Death of his Mistress so fenfibly affected him, that he could not keep his former Retirement, or follow his wonted Studies; fo that he was in a manner compell'd to go again beyond Seas to ease himself of his Melancholy Thoughts. In which Peregrination he ftay'd Eight Years abroad; his chief Refidence being at Paris or Rome; tho' he travell❜d through all Germany, France and Italy: Where he vifited all the Famous Univerfities, converfed with the Learned Men, and made an excellent Collection of the beft ancient Greek and Latin Authors, and of the best modern Spanish, French and Italian Books. Some of them are yet to be feen at Hawthornden in the Poffeffion of his Son Sir William Drummond; who, as he poffeffes his Father's Estate, so he does inherit many of his Virtues, especially that great Honour, Honesty and Loyalty which were fo confpicuous in our Author. He gave a Noble Prefent of rare Books and Manufcripts to the College of Edinburgh, where he was Educated; and it is one of the most curious Collections of any in that great Library. The Catalogue of the Books is Printed Anno 1627, with an excellent Preface in ornate Latin, about the Advantage and Honour of Libraries, written by himself. I find also among his other Papers a fhort Difcourfe in English, concerning Libraries, much to the fame Purpose. He was not much taken up with the ordinary Amusements of Dancing, Singing, Playing, c. tho' he had as much of them as a well bred Gentleman fhould have; and when his Spirits were too much bended by fevere Studies, he unbended them by playing on his Lute, which he did to Admiration. But the most

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Part of his Time was spent in reading the best Books, and converfing with the Learn'dest Men, which he improv'd to great Advantage.

After this long Stay of Eight Years abroad, he returned again to his Native Country, where he found great Heart-burnings, Fewds, and Animofities, which not long after burft forth into an Unnatural War, and put all things in Disorder and Confufion. This made the Retirement which he fo paffionately loved very neceffary and convenient for him: Wherefore he went and ftay'd fome while with his Brother-in-law Sir John Scot of Scotftarvat, a Man of excellent Learning and good Converfation. We fuppofe he then wrote his Hiftory of the Five King James's, which is an excellent Work, for the Prudent and exact Conduct of the Story, for the Judicious Reflections, and for the fine Language, which was received in England, as if it had been written by a CountryMan of their own. And tho' it be a great While fince it was firft written, none in Scotland can yet better the Stile and few equal it. It was firft published fome Six or Seven Years after the Author's Death, and a Preface or Introduction wrote to it by Mr. Hall of Grays-Inn; who tho' he has not been exact in the Hiftory, and fpares no Reflections on our Country, yet he has done a deal of Juftice to our Author: For his manner of writing (fays he) tho' be treats of Things, that are rather Many than Great, and Troublesome rather than Glorious; yet be has brought so much of the main together, as it may be modeftly faid, none of that Nation has done before him. And for his way of handling it, be has fufficiently made it appear, bo Converfant he was with the Writings of venerable Antiquity, and how generously be bas emulated them by a happy Imitation; for the Purity of that Language is much above the Dialect he wrote in. His Defcriptions lively and full, bis Narrations clear and pertinent, bis Orations eloquent, and fit for the Perfons who fpeak, (for that, fince Livy's Time, was never accounted a Crime in a Hiftorian ) and his Reflections folid and mature: So that it cannot be expected, that thefe Leaves can be turned over without as much Pleasure as Profit, especially meeting with fo many Glories and Trophies of our Ancestors. In this Hiftory he chiefly followed Bishop Elphinston, and has given a different Turn to Things from our Printed Hiftorians, efpecially from Buchanan. Our Author had a particular Respect and Fondness for his Name, and this seems to have been one of the Reasons he had for writing his Hiftory, which also is pretty evident from his own Dedication of it to John Earl of Perth. He begins his Hiftory with the Life and Reign of King James I. who was Son of Queen Annabella Drummond, a Lady of great Beauty and fingular Piety and Prudence, as all our Hiftorians bear Witness. Her Father was Sir John Drummond of Stobball, Chief of that Ancient Name, which came into Scotland from Hungary with Queen Margaret in King Malcolm Canmore's Time, when Sirnames came first to be in Ufe amongst us. What great and excellent Men, what vertuous and good Women this Family hath produced, and their Alliances not only with all the great Families of Scotland, but with the most of the Royal Families in Europe, may be feen at large in a MS.

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