he faithfull full of
consolation. Edinb. 1594. 8o.

Four Discourses, of Praises unto God, to wit, 1 in Praise of the Mercy
and Goodness of God. 2 of his justice. 3 of his Power. 4 of his
Providence. Edinb. 1594. 8o.

In conclusion, my acknowledgments are due to David Laing, Esq., who
has kindly suggested some corrections in the list of Hume's works, in
addition to what is noted above.

London, February, 1865.

* * * * *

To the maest excellent
in all princelie wisdom,
learning, and heroical
artes, JAMES,
of Great Britan,
France, and
Ireland,
King,
Defender of the faeth,
grace, mercie, peace,
honoure here and
glorie hereafter.

May it please your maest excellent M_ajestie_, I, your grace's humble
servant, seeing sik uncertentie in our men's wryting, as if a man wald
indyte one letter to tuentie of our best wryteres, nae tuae of the
tuentie, without conference, wald agree; and that they quhae might
perhapes agree, met rather be custom then knawlege, set my selfe, about
a yeer syne, to seek a remedie for that maladie. Quhen I had done,
refyning it, I fand in Barret's Alvearie,[3] quhilk is a dictionarie
Anglico-latinum, that Sr. Thomas Smith,[4] a man of nae less worth
then learning, Secretarie to Queen Elizabeth, had left a learned and
judiciouse monument on the same subject. Heer consydering my aun
weaknes, and meannes of my person, began to fear quhat might betyed my
sillie boat in the same seas quhaer sik a man's ship was sunck in the
gulf of oblivion. For the printeres and wryteres of this age, caring for
noe more arte then may win the pennie, wil not paen them selfes to knau
whither it be orthographie or skuiographie that doeth the turne: _and_
schoolmasteres, quhae's sillie braine will reach no farther then the
compas of their cap, content them selfes with +autos ephe:+ my master
said it. Quhil I thus hovered betueen hope _and_ despare, the same
Barret, in the letter E, myndes me of a star _and_ constellation to calm
al the tydes of these seaes, if it wald please the supreme Majestie to
command the universitie to censure and ratifie, and the schooles to
teach the future age right and wrang, if the present will not rectius
sapere. Heere my harte laggared on the hope of y