PREFACE

THE general increase of readers for some years past, and the many advantages arising from it in a nation where Liberty is enjoyed, have encouraged various attempts to suit the learning of the times to the purchase and opportunity of persons of every station.

AMONGST these, after many trials without success; after Monthly Mercuries, Chronicles, Registers, Amusements, etc. had been tried in vain, a Monthly Magazine at last appeared, which, from the industry and influence of the proprietor, soon met with encouragement; the variety of which it consisted, and the unusual quantity it contained, yielding satisfaction to all who gave it a perusal.
THE kind reception which the Gentleman's Magazine met with, quickly produced a rival; and as it is much easier to improve the plan of another, than to form one, the London Magazine appear'd with some advantage: And, had not the managers of that work discover'd so much prejudice against the Gentleman to whom they owed its existence, it would, probably, have had superior success. But, as it is, they are both enabled to appear with far more advantage than any works of the same kind which preceeded them.

THE demand of these Magazines being considerable in this kingdom, and our distance from the place of their publication rendering their contents stale before they came to hand, several persons were put upon endeavouring to remove these inconveniencies by supplying their place with a production of our own. But this was found liable to so many difficulties as were not easily removed: - though at length they were surmounted; and The SCOTS MAGAZINE was offered the public when the taste for such collections promis'd all desirable success. - And we are far from complaining of its reception.

BESIDES these, there were other, more important causes for undertaking this work; since, surely, the interest of Scotland, abstractedly considered, is worthy our most watchful attention: In which view we have had the pleasure of gaining the thanks and approbation of several Gentlemen who have done great honour to this undertaking. And when many are so variously engaged to promote the particular interest of the more Southern part of this island, it is at least laudable, if it be not necessary, to pay some separate regard to the welfare and prosperity of the country that has been the scene of actions the memory whereof will ever bloom while Fame exists.

FOR, though in many things calculated for the good of Great Britain, Scotland is little more than nominally consider'd; her distance from the seat of monarchy, instead of dispiriting, should prompt her sons to compensate that misfortune by their extraordinary zeal in her service, to shew themselves equal to the present disadvantage of their situation; and, by an earnest exertion of their talents, revive that universal esteem which SCOTLAND so justly acquir'd amongst her neighbours by the valour and learning of our ancestors.

THOUGH we do not offer to swell the intention of this work so far as to pretend to be free from all desire of gain; we can, with the utmost sincerity, assure the public, that any increase to the generous encouragement we have already met with shall be carefully applied toward making this Magazine more acceptable. And we hope we have already convinced our readers, that we are as earnest after its merit, as the profits it may be expected to produce: - Though this may, indeed, be vindicated from the rules of private policy; for, however men may from indolence, or other causes, be sometimes deceived, profit is only accidental where the foundation for expecting it is not good. - If our great labour and expence produce not an adequate return to our readers, we must inevitably be losers by our assiduity: And if we are found worthy the continuance and increase of the countenance we have received, we are bold to say, we fear not but we shall have it: since, notwithstanding the fashionable complaint against the modern taste, it is our opinion, that though sometimes, from unavoidable circumstances, a work of merit may fail of the encouragement it deserves; yet such instances are very rare, when compar'd with the numerous attempts made, without even a probability of success, by persons incapable of executing what they undertake.
OUR most grateful thanks are due to our many kind and ingenious correspondents; by whose aid we have been greatly assisted, and the public agreeably entertained. And we must own, that the chearful help we have received from most parts of this kingdom, gives yet further hopes of success, as it proves that the real intention of The SCOTS MAGAZINE is agreeable to those upon whose favour it must principally, if not entirely depend.

WE shall only add, that as our study is to instruct and entertain, in such manner as is most agreeable to our readers, we shall cheerfully comply with any hints given for the improvement of our design; and beg leave to repeat it again, that before every thing else, whatever concerns the interest of this kingdom, shall always be preferred; for as our labours, so are our wishes employed on the PROSPERITY OF SCOTLAND.

EDINBURGH 1739.

domestick OCCURRENCES
January 1739

The eclipse of the Moon, the 13th, at night, begun about 26 min. after 9, and ended about 16 min. after 12, apparent time. There was more than 7 digits eclipsed. From one to four next morning, wind W. S. W. we had the most violent hurricane (with lightning) ever felt here, by which the streets and lanes of this city were covered with large stones, tiles, slates, sign-posts and rubbish. The castle suffer'd extremely; huge stones were carried to some distance, the leads rolled up or blown over the walls, most of the roofs either destroy'd or much damag'd, particularly the chapel, arsenal, and magazine; a part of Ensign Kinloch's house was beat down, and the walls of the Storemaster's house shatter'd; but nobody killed, only one Soldier and the Storemaster's son were wounded. The centries were oblig'd to retire to the guardhouse. - The leads that cover'd the stately buildings in the Parliament close were carried off theroof; one part of it, 1200 wt. was born up about half a minute in the air, and carried to the middle of the area, and the rest thrown into Mr. Jolley's close. - The steeple of St. Giles's was much affected by it; the leads of the Tron-church steeple were rolled up; the weather-cock and spire of Magdalen chapel were carried away; the Canongate-church was much damag'd, and its fine portico levelled with the ground. - The chimney of a house in Todrick's wynd falling down, broke the roof and the next floor; by which Mr. Moubray's child and maid fell one storey, and were much hurt. - A maid of Sir Thomas Gordon's, in Lawn-market, leaving the house in despair, and carrying a grandchild of that gentleman's, fell down and broke the child's thigh-bone. - A man was sorely crush'd by the fall of a stone from a house. - A large house at the back of the Canongate, belonging to Mrs. Hyres, was laid level with the ground, and the tiles were blown off the new play-house. - In this general panic, we were alarm'd by the fire-drum, the catastrophe being much more melancholy in the neighbourhood. The impetuosity of the wind scatter'd the fires in some chimnies, and set the houses in flames: particularly Mr. Bryson's Brewer at Summerhall, which reduc'd it to ashes, with above 200 bolls of grain, etc. and some low houses at a considerable distance. The wind increased the flames, and the fire-engines could not be used. - Numbers of Gentlemen, Farmers, etc. are great sufferers. Many of their houses are blown down; their corns carried away and promiscuously scattered in the fields and roads, or blown into waters; trees torn up by the roots; some people killed by the falling in of houses, and a great many cattle. - The palaces of Hamilton and Dalkeith, the abbay of Culross, the castles of Stirling and Clackmannan, the houses of Hopeton, Aloa, Ernock, and Craigmiller, the salt-pans along the coast, and the lead-mill at Leith, are much damag'd; the house of Auchinbowie, and the new Church of Killearn are blown down. - At Darnhall and Prestonhall the whole planting was torn up; - at Yester about 1000 full-grown trees, - at the Lord Elibank's seat 400, - at Edmonston 300, - and at Ernock 8 large firs, 16 foot round each, suffered the same fate.

We have the like accounts from Glasgow, and several places in the country.
- From Cockenzie, that two fine ships were dashed to pieces in the harbour. - At Loch-Leven in Fife, great shoals of pearches and pikes were driven a great way into the fields; so that the country people got horse-loads of them, and sold them at one penny per hundred.
Five boats, smuggling brandy were cast ashore at Inverkip, near Greenock, and all the hands perish'd.
A boat was cast away near Banff, and eight persons drowned.
Alexander Thomson Smith at Aberlady, who for some time seemed disorder'd in his senses, went into the road with a knife in his hand, and, without provocation or acquaintance, attack'd and murder'd one Forrester a land-labourer, but cutting his throat from ear to ear, and ripping up his chest. Designing to perpetrate more barbarity, he made up to a Royal Gray Dragoon, who knock'd him down, and had him secured. He was brought prisoner to Haddington jail, and has confessed.

EDINBURGH, June 1739

THE High Court of Justiciary, in the trial of James Ratcliff, who was indicted for house-breaking, and found guilty, have sentenc'd him to be hanged in the Grassmarket on the first day of August next.

P.S. July 6. The court of Session, in a complaint by George and Margaret Cochrans, against John Bar Mason, and William Spence late Deputy Town-clerk of Rutherglen, find it proven, That the minutes of the Majestrates of Rutherglen upon a criminal complaint at the instance of the Procurator Fiscal, against the said John Bar, in the year 1730, were falsified, by counter-feiting the name of David Pinkerton then Baillie there, and part of the sir-name of Andrew Leitch then Provost there, to defend the said John Bar in another criminal prosecution before the Sheriff-court of Lanerkshire, anno 1738; and that the minute was made use of before the Sheriff-court in judgment, and sworn to by the said William as a true and authentick minute; and that the said John Bar and William Spence are guilty art and part of these facts; and that, in order to prevent a legal trial into the said forgery, etc., the said John Bar and William Spence, in December last, endeavour'd to seduce James Hamilton Writer in Hamilton, to deliver up to them the said falsified minute, and other writings, then made part of the record of the said court of Lanerk; and that, not succeeding in that wicked attempt, they did violently seize and take the said minute from James Hamilton and burnt the same; as also, that John Bar and William Spence have been guilty of gross falsehood and prevarication, in presence of the Lords, by obstinately denying all the above facts; And therefore they find the said John Bar and William Spence liable, conjunctly and severally, to the complainers, in damages and expences, which the Lords modify to the sum of 80 L. Sterl. And decern therefore. And further they ordain the said John Bar and William Spence to be carried to the tolbooth of Edinburgh, to remain there to the sixth day of October next, and thereafter till the said sum is paid, in case it be not paid against that time. And ordain the Magistrates of Edinburgh, so soon thereafter as it shall be proved to them that the said sum is paid, to dismiss the said John Bar and William Spence out of prison. And further, the Lords do banish the said John Bar and William Spence out of Scotland, from and after the space of ten days from the day they shall be dismissed out of prison, during all the days of their life; and do order them, to depart out of Scotland, on or before as aforesaid, never again to return into it; and, in case of their return, they order and require all officers of the law within whose jurisdiction they shall be found, to apprehend and incarcerate them, or either of them, in the prison of the county where they shall be so apprehended; and ordain such Sheriff, and those interjacent, to transmit them, or either of them, to the tolbooth of Edinburgh; from thence to be carried, on the first market-day thereafter, and to be whipt through the town by the hands of the common hangman, and then to be returned to the said prison, to remain there till an opportunity offer of transporting them to his Majesty's plantations in America. And the Lords ordain and impower the Magistrates of Edinburgh to deliver them over to any ship-master, etc. finding 100 L. Sterl. Security for each of them, to land them as aforesaid: And, in case of their return again, ordain them to be imprisoned in the tolbooth of Edinburgh during life. And further, the Lords do declare the said John Bar and William Spence infamous in all time coming, incapable of bearing any publick trust, or of being witnesses in any cause or action, or passing upon any assize. And ordain the sentence to be recorded for the terror of others in time coming.


domestick HISTORY JULY 1739

In the trial of Robert Thomson, Smith in Aberlady, for the murder of George Forester land-labourer in Haddington, the panel pleaded non compos mentis. The Lords found the libel relevant to infer the pains of law; but allowed the panel to prove his defence; reserving to the Court to determine on the import of such proof after the return of the jury's verdict. The jury found the libel proven as to the murder, and no curiosity proven previous to the murder. When the court met in order to pronounce sentence, it was pled for the panel, That as his trial began on the 11th June, and was not finished before the 21st of July, he ought to be affoilzied by the act appointing all criminal trails to be finish'd within 40 days. To which it was answered, That there were exceptions in the act, viz. If any delay made was at the suit of the panel, or for his behoof; and, That the 40 days must be free days. Parties are appointed to inform betwixt and the second Monday of November.

James Ratcliffe, who was sentenced to be executed the first of August, found means, with the assistance of one Clarkson, another rogue confin'd in a separate room, to saw off his fetters, and the bolts off the room-door. They both placed themselves at the back of the outer-door till it was open'd to let a Gentlewoman pass home, and then rush'd out and got clear off. The Magistrates made a strict search of the city, and sent expresses to several parts of the country; and an advertisement is published, whereby the Magistrates promise 50 L. Sterl. and the Keeper of the prison 20 L. to any person who shall apprehend Ratcliffe within three months.


A Cure for the Dropsy

TAKE sixteen large nutmegs, eleven spoonfuls of broom-ashes, dried and burnt in an oven, an ounce and half of mustard feed bruised, an handful of horse-radish scraped; all to be put in a gallon of strong mountain wine, and stand three or four days: then a gill or half a pint to be drank fasting every morning, and to fast an hour or two after it.

NOVEMBER 1739



The following receipt, for the cure of the bite of a mad dog, has not failed in the cure of any one person, out of many, who have taken it.

TAKE twenty-four grains of Native Cinnabar, twenty-four grains of Factitious Cinnabar, and sixteen grains of the finest Musk; reduce each of these, separately, to an exceeding fine powder; then mix them well together in a glass of rum, arrack, or brandy, and drink it off, all at one dose, as soon as possibly you can after you are bit; and take a second dose thirty days after the first. - But suppose you should happen to be bit by a dog, and should neglect taking any remedy soon after the bite, upon a supposition that the dog was not mad; in such a case, as soon as any symptoms of madness appear in the person, by that neglect, they must take a dose as soon as possibly they can after those symptoms appear; and instead of taking a second dose thirty days after the first, as in the other case mentioned above, the second dose must be given three hours after the first, which, by throwing the patient into a profound sleep and strong perspiration, will thoroughly cure the bite of any mad animal, though the distemper were in the very last stage.

DECEMBER 1739