THE Lives and Characters Of the most Eminent WRITERS OF THE SCOTS NATION; WITH An Abstract and Catalogue of their WORKS; AND The Judgment of the LEARN'D Concerning B Y GEORGE MACKENZIE, M. D. Qui autem docti fuerint fulgebunt quafi fplendor firmamenti. Dan. Cap. XII. V. 3. Ducit, & immemores non finit effe fui. Ovid. Majorum gloria pofteris quafi lumen eft; neque bona corum, neque mala in occulto EDINBURGH, Printed by James Watson in Craig's-Clofs, on the North-fide of the Crofs. M. DCC. XI. JOHN Earl of MAR, Lord Garioch, Erskin and Alloway, &c. Rich. Alex. Oswald AND 3 Vol: Auchincruive MY LORD, T HE Lives of Learned and Eminent Men naturally claim the Patronage of Perfons of your Birth and Quality: For it has been the conftant Obfervation of all Ages, That never any had the Character of a truly Great Man bestowed upon him, but he who was a Patron to the Muses. Upon which Account, My Lord, I could not have published a Work of this Nature, under a more fuitable Patronage than that of your Lordship; your Family having produced so many Illuftrious Persons both in Literature and War, that it were hard to determine, Whether they have deserved most of their Country for their Performances in the One, or Atchievements in the Other. And altho' the brave and fhining Actions of Heroes amuse the World more than the Performances of the Learned; yet we are told by the Roman Orator (a), That there is a certain Sort of Domeftic Valour which is equal to the moft Glorious Actions of the greatest Heroes; and that the Exploits of the Learned, in their Retirements, are more to be valued than all the Victories of the greatest Conquerors, because they are more useful to Mankind. But, My Lord, altho' the great and main Defign of this Work be, to show what amazing Heighths of Knowledge, in all the Sciences, our Predeceffors have arrived to, yet there is likewise an Account of their Noble and Heroic Exploits, no lefs furprifingly Great than that of their Learning in fo much, that what the above-cited Orator fays of Italy (b), when (4) Sunt domefticæ fortitudines non inferiores militaribus, in quibus plus etiam quam in iis operæ ftadiique ponendum. Cic. Offic: lib. 1. (b) Perfecerit ille ut fi montes refediffent, amnes exaruiffent, non naturæ præfidio, fed victoria fua rebufque g fis Italiam munitam haberemus, Cic. cont. Pifon. |