befave touch'd, who have

cafion, there will a plentiful Crop remain to whoever will take the Pains to glean after us. We have endeavour'd, as much as poffible, to avoid making our Remarks on the fame Places, where others gone before us; but where the Thing was to flagrantly fcandalous, as not to be paft over, we thought fit by a new Attack to finish the Defeat. In Regard to the Affairs of Scotland, in which his falfe Af Jertions are luxuriously abundant; we have dwelt less than we first defign'd, on that Part of this Hif tory, upon Information that fome Gentlemen of that Country had undertaken this peculiar Province, for which they are better qualify'd, by being Natives, upon the Spot, and having Access to Records and Regifters;

The PREFACE.

gifters; but as yet they have not appear'd, if they should not think fit to oblige the World, we have faid enough to difabufe that Nation.. It is very evident that Revenge has abfolutely guided him thro' this Hiftory, that Paffion more predominant than the reft feems to have animated the whole Defign, and has fo wrench'd his Reafon, and darkned his Understanding, as to make him fometimes fall into the groffeft Abfurdities, and muft convince his Reader, that he was à much weaker Man, than the World believ'd him. A Want of Fudgment, as it may be fome Kind of Excufe, tho' a very bad one, for Errors and Writing ill, So it is an Aggravation of the Fault in Writing at all, when fo unqualify'd by Nature thro' Want of common Temper, His

His Malice to the four laft Princes, of a Race, who, if we may believe the Scotch Hiftorians, have govern'd him and his Anceftors two thousand Years, is very unaccountable: This Paffion feems to be so very unfatiable, as not to be the natural Growth of a Northern Climate, but to have been brought with him from the other Side of the Alps. It is Pity that be took so long a Journey only to Italianize a Scotch Man, and make no better Improvement.

Not content with the Mischiefs that he had done in his Life, he feems refolv'd to carry his Refentment beyond the Grave, with a Defign to make War in the other World on Vertue and Goodness. If the English Tongue Should laft a thousand Years, he is responsible STOLHOS for

The PREFACE. for every Reader whom he deceives debauches, and poyfons, their Crimes influenc'd by him will be charg'd on his Account, that fuch an Impofition on Pofterity was in his View, Seems too plain, by his ordering this Pofthumous Work to be publish'd fo many Years after his Death, when he believ'd that probably moft would be out of the Way, who could perfonally contradict him. This furprizing Conduct feems to fupport his Friends of one Perfwafim in their Doctrines of Predeftination, and looks as if this unhappy Man had been ordain'd to commit thofe Crimes, of which it was impoffible to repent.

We shall detain the Reader no longer in this Preface, but only to let him know, that the principal Motive to this Undertaking was

the Love of Truth; to make any other Appeals in regard to the Sincerity of our Intentions, after the terrible Example in the Preface of his Book, would be now both ridiculous and fhocking to the Reader. No one can imagine that any perfonal Pique engag'd us to encounter this Author, whom we never had the Honour to fee but once, and that was in the Pulpit, perhaps to his Difadvantage; however, we must own that it has So far gratify'd our Curiosity, that If we should live to grow very old, we may be able to tell Pofterity, that thefe Eyes have bebeld fo prodigious a Man.

REMARKS