You next some method must be trying, When printers are to lies addicted, From pillory though they are exempt, But you can stop our Demo's dashing, ing letters, is an indication of the kind of liberty which he and his party would favour the simpletons, who are capable of being lulled to repose by the syren song of Liberty and Equality. But, my good sovereign friends, I now Take my advice, which not pursuing, ADDITIONAL NOTES. ILLUMINISM-Page 17. WE have lately, by the favour of a friend, been fur nished with a tract, entitled, "Proofs of the Real Existence, and Dangerous Tendency of Illuminism, by Seth Payson, A. M." This, however, did not come to hand till we had nearly completed the Canto which treats on that subject. The treatise of Mr. Payson is a well digested summary of the evidence, which has been exhibited by Robison and Barruel, and likewise exhibits much collateral evidence of this infernal combination, and of its existence in America. Had we not already exceeded the limits, which, when contemplating to write this Poem, we had prescribed, we should be happy in presenting our readers with such extracts and remarks as would serve for a sort of epitome of the evidence exhibited by Mr. Payson in favour of the credibility of the principal witnesses, in convicting this nefarious gang of their diabolical machinations. We must, however, content ourselves with a single quotation : “As Dr. Robison is a principal evidence in the cause now pending, it will be necessary to inquire, whether this is indeed a just view of the man. The result of this inquiry, contrasted with the above character, will serve to give the public some idea of the means which have been made use of to discredit Illuminism, and how benevolently disposed some among us are, to prevent their countrymen from being misled by what are called, the ridiculous reveries of Robison. The reader's patience, it is feared, will be exhausted by the detail of credentials which the effrontery of his accusers have rendered necessary; but the character of a witness is of the first importance. The following sketch of the principal events of the life of Dr. Robison, was drawn up from authentic documents, received direct from Edinburgh,through a respectable channel.* "The father of the Professor, a respectable country gentleman, intended him for the church, and gave him eight years of an University education at Glasgow. Preerring a different profession, he accepted an offer of going into the Navy, with very flattering prospects. He was appointed Mathematical Instructor to his Royal Highness the Duke of York. In that office, he accordingly entered the Navy in February, 1759, being that day twenty years old. He was present at the seige * Concerning the facts contained in this historical sketch, which were communicated to Dr. Erskine, he writes thus. "The 'most important facts in it I have had access to know, being first settled at Kirkintillock, the neighbouring parish to Boderoch, where lay the estate of his worthy father. For the few facts of which I know less, full and unexceptionable vouchers can be produced,' of Quebec. With the late Admiral Knowles, he was particularly connected, and his son, afterwards captain Knowles, one of the most promising young officers in the British Navy, was committed to his charge. "In 1761, he was sent by the board of Admiralty, to make trial of Harrison's Watch at Jamaica. At the peace of 1763, he returned to College. In 1764, he was again appointed by the Admiralty to make trial of Harrison's improved Watch at Barbadoes; but his patron, Lord Anson, being dead, and the conditions not such as pleased him, he declined the employment, returned again to College, and took under his care the only remaining son of his friend, Sir Charles Knowles. This son is the present Admiral Sir Charles Knowles. In 1770, Sir Charles was invited by the Empress of Russia to take charge of her Navy. He took Mr. Robison with him as his Secretary. In 1772, Mr. Robison was appointed superintendant of the education in the Marine Caslet Corps, where he had under his direction about 500 youth, 350 of whom were sons of noblemen and gentlemen, and 26 masters in the different studies. The Academy being burnt, Mr. Robison, with his pupils, removed to an ancient palace of Peter the Great at Constradt, a most miserable, desolate island, where, finding no agreeable society, he availed himself of the first opportunity, of quitting so unpleasant a situation, and accepted an invitation from the Magistrates of Edinburgh, to the Professorship of Natural Philosophy in the University in that city, which |