of Scotland, the whole purport of which is, to calm
the disturbed minds of the populace, to reason the better sort into
loyalty, and to check the growing evils which he saw would be the
consequence of their behaviour. Those of his own countrymen, for whom
he had the greatest esteem, were Sir William Alexander, afterwards
earl of Stirling, Sir Robert Carr, afterwards earl of Ancram, from
whom the present marquis of Lothian is descended, Dr. Arthur Johnston,
physician to King Charles I. and author of a Latin Paraphrase of the
Psalms, and Mr. John Adamson, principal of the college of Edinburgh.
He had great intimacy and correspondence with the two famous English
poets, Michael Drayton, and Ben Johnson, the latter of whom travelled
from London on foot, to see him at his seat at Hawthornden. During
the time Ben remained with Mr. Drummond, they often held conversation
about poetry and poets, and Mr. Drummond has preserved the heads of
what passed between them; and as part of it is very curious, and
serves to illustrate the character of Johnson, we have inserted it in
his life: though it perhaps was not altogether fair in Mr. Drummond,
to commit to writing things that passed over a bottle, and which
perhaps were heedlesly advanced. It is certain some of the particulars
which Mr. Drummond has preferred, are not much in Ben's favour, and as
few people are so wise as not to speak imprudently sometimes, so it
is not the part of a man, who invites another to his table, to
expose-what may there drop inadvertently; but as Mr. Drummond had only
made memorandums, perhaps with no resolution to publish them, he may
stand acquitted of part of this charge. It is reported of our author
that he was very smart, and witty in his repartees, and had a most
excellent talent at extempore versifying, above any poet of his time.
In the year 1645, when the plague was raging in Scotland, our author
came accidentally to Forfar, but was not allowed to enter any house,
or to get lodging in the town, though it was very late; he went two
miles further to Kirrimuir, where he was well received, and kindly
entertained. Being informed that the towns of Forfar and Kirrimuir
had a contest about a piece of ground called the Muirmoss, he wrote
a letter to the Provost of Forfar, to be communicated to the
town-council in haste: It was imagined this letter came from the
Estates, who were then sitting at St. Andrew's; so the Common-Council
was called with all expeditio