means of improving both this and his former works.

"He again begs leave to entreat the encouragers of learning, that, if they discover any mistake, or can suggest any improvement, they will have the goodness to communicate it to him. He hopes the industry he has bestowed, and the evident intention of his labours, will dispose every one who wishes to promote the improvement of youth, to fayour him with advice and assistance. The testimonies of approbation which he has received from several of the first literary characters in the kingdom, and the favourable reception which the Roman Antiquities have met with from the public in general, have encouraged him to enlarge the plan of the present work, and to exert his utmost diligence in improving it, that he might at least shew how highly he values the honour they have done him. He will consider himself happy,

if his efforts shall be thought to merit the continuance of their esteem,

In this most laudable wish he was not disappointed. The work was received with avidity, and large impressions were sold. It bears evident marks of that skill in arrangement, and that anxious attention in condensing valuable matter within a limited compass, for which the other productions of the same authour are so remarkable. The principal defect arises from the heavy notes which clog the body of the sections, and often tend to distract a young reader, by overloading his mind with a multifarious collection of facts. Dr Adam's works did not stand in need of exterior decoration, and they were all given to the world in the same manner as the "Summary of Geography." He often recounted to the writer of this memoir, several incidents which had occurred with regard to his publications, and which had been the cause of much labour and anxiety. He aimed at sim

plicity, and always wished to present his books to the public in a form as cheap and attainable as was at all consistent with the fastidious taste of the times. But, though he did not undervalue his own productions, and though he was not disposed to overrate those of certain modern authours, he never vented his spleen by railing at "super-royal quartos," and "large plate-paper."

At that eventful period, which seemed big with the fate of kingdoms, when great and novel events appeared ready to burst into existence, and when this country seemed approaching to the state of an adjacent nation, where every man's hand was lifted against his neighbour, our authour was marked with "the odious brand of wild democracy." His detractors originally brought their vile imputation from one instance, in which he avowed, in his public capacity, sentiments hostile to the men who ruled this country. In his class, he had taken occasion openly to remark,

that Pitt and Dundas misled the people, and that they had sacrificed thousands of lives, and spent millions of money, in an unrighteous cause. The characters of public men, and the situation of public affairs, were topics not exactly suited to the consideration of boys, and, indeed, for many good reasons, the Rector acted imprudently when he gave vent to his feelings in such a place. But, was there no friend to admonish him? It would appear not. A great officer of the law, who had been informed of Dr Adam's address to his scholars, called on a third party, for the express purpose of putting interrogations respecting it. The gentleman thus interrogated was then a master of the High School, and is still alive. The meanest capacity is quite equal to the task of deciding, whether it was most fair and proper to call Dr Adam himself to account for his own conduct, or to endea vour to gather proofs of his guilt from a party who had never heard the obnoxious expres

sions. Even upon the supposition that the Rector was highly culpable, was this single errour enough to evince any want of principle? And, above all, did his subsequent conduct tend to shew that he was a turbulent person, on whom it was necessary that the government should keep a watchful eye? The writer means to shew what that conduct was, and, when he has done so, every reader will be able to reply to the last and most important of these queries. Dr Adam's conduct will appear to great advantage when represented, as it was, after the period at which he began to be, according to the jargon of the times, a suspected character.

From that time, he determined to associate with no set of men in particular, and to lock those sentiments in his breast, which, had they been explained, would have appeared to be in the medium between those odious extremes which prevailed at that period. This was certainly acting a very decided part, though it