: practicable to identify the compositions of an author, but, when prose is compared with verse, it is much. more difficult to detect this peculiarity of manner. When I ascribe the Complaynt of Scotland to Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, an author, whose compositions, that have been edited, are entirely in verse, I am sensible how little confidence can be placed in any argument derived from the similarity of style. But there is a style of thinking, as well as of writing; a style, which every author finds infinitely more difficult to disguise, than that which depends on the collocation of phrases, and the form of words. Diverfity of topics, or subjects of discussion, require different combinations of ideas; but the general laws of association are seldom essentially changed the mind retraces the same succession of ideas, and reverts with fondness to its favourite objects. If the Complaynt of Scotland be the solitary production of an unknown and anonymous author, his memory has faded for ever; but if it be the composition of an author, whose other productions are still extant, we may expect to detect some traces of the same style of thinking, and the same favourite subjects of discussion. In the compositions of every author, there are many circumstances introduced, which may be termed adventitious; many ideas, very slightly connected with the principal subject, which are linked with it by accidental association. Now, the more accidental the introduction of these circumstances, and the more slightly they are connected with the proper subject, the stronger is the argument which results from such a coincidence. We shall now attempt to point out some of these coincidences. And, And, first, let us attend to the title of the Complaynf of Scotland. It has already been stated, that the title of "Complaynt of Scotland," does not appear to have been uncommon at the period of its original publication; at the same time, it is certain, that there is no positive proof of such a title having been used by any other author than Sir David Lindsay. The titles of Lindsay's works, form such a series of Complaints, as is almost unparalleled in literary history. His earliest compositions arc-" THE COMPLAINT OF OUR SOVE- RANE LORDIS PAPINGO; "- THE COMPLAYNT OF SCHIR DAUID LYNDESAY of the Mont, knicht, &c. "directit to the Kingis grace; ""THE COMPLAINT "OF BAGSCHE, the Kingis auld hound;" and, what is more immediately to the purpose, one of the divisions of his Dreme is entitled-" THE COMPLAINT OF "THE COMMOUN WEILL OF SCOTLAND." This coincidence of title is strengthened by an additional circumstance of congruity. After the general title of the Complaynt in the Harleian Catalogue, the addition follows-" vyth ane EXORTATIONE to the THRE ESTAITS "to be vigilante in the deffens of their public veil.” Now, Lindsay has likewise composed "a satire upon "the THRE ESTAITS, in commendatione of vertue, and "vituperatione of vyce. It may likewise be proper to observe, that the last division of the fourth book of the Monarchy, is entitled, "Ane EXHORTATIOUN be Experience to the Courteour;" and one of the divisions of the Dreme is termed "The EXHORTATIOUN "to the Kingis grace." The author of the Complaynt of Scotland introduces in "the Prolog to the Redar" (p. 12.), an elaborate apology for using "the domestic Scottis lan "gage "gage maist intelligible for the vlgare pepil." In various passages, he imitates Gawain Douglas, who, though he positively denies the comparative poverty of the Scotish language, is yet forced to apologise for the use of "mony vordis of antiquite, the quhilkis culd nocht be translatit. " "Besyde Latyne our langage is imperfite, Quhilk in sum part is the cause and the wyte, With mony hundreth other terms mo, Diuersite in our leid to seik I ceisse." * The first instance, of animal and homo, which the learn ed Bishop adduces, is likewise cited by the author of the Complaynt, who seems, in his example of mulier and homo (p. 27.), to allude to the terms genus, sexus, and species, likewise particularized. If Lindsay be the author of the Complaynt, this imitation of G. Douglas is easily accounted for, as we know the high terms of approbation in which he expresses himself concerning that author. "Allace for ane quhilk lamp was in this land, Of eloquence the flowand balmy strand; And in our Inglis rhetorick the rose, As of rubeis the carbunckle bin chose : G. Douglas' Æneid, p. 9. Ruddiman's edit. And And as Phebus dois Cynthia precell, Lindesay's Warkis, p. 185. 1592. The author of the Complaynt (p. 26.), after mentioning various Latin terms, which refer to particular institutions and customs, declares, that if such words were rejected in translation, the phrases of antiquity would be lost and confounded. This, however, is no apology for using the popular Scotish dialect, but, on the contrary, a strong reason for not using it. But, when he alludes to his deficiency of skill in the Latin language, and is anxious to vindicate himself "contrar the detractione of inuyful clerkis "that ar mair expert in Latyne tong," we perceive the drift of his apology to be the same with that of Lindsay, in his "Exclamatioun to the reider, tuitching the "wryting in vulgare and maternall language," in the first book of his Monarchy. "Gentill reidar, haue at me na despite, Howbeit that diuers deuot cuning clerkis, To To Jok and Thome, my ryme salbe directit, Aristotell nor Plato, I heir sane, Wrait nocht thair hie philosophie naturall, Wrait not in Caldie läguage, nor in Grew, In the mein time, quhen y thir bald Romance Maid Latin sculis, thair gloir for to auance, Traisting that thair impyre suld ay indure; After declaring his opinion, that the diversity of languages originated from the malediction of God, he adds "Notwithstanding, I think it greit plesour, Quhair cunning men hes languages anew, |