^{page 67 note *} See the preceding letter from Dr Carlyle.

^{page 68 note *} First written, relate.

^{page 68 note †} A kind of hut, built for a summer habitation to the herdsmen, when the cattle are sent to graze in distant pastures.

^{page 69 note *} Collins had written, seer.

^{page 69 note †} Collins had written, Lodg'd in the wintry cave with— and had left the line imperfect : Altered and the chasm supplied by Dr Carlyle.

^{page 69 note ‡} First written, gloom.

^{page 69 note §} First written, afflicted.

^{page 69 note ∥} A blank in the manuscript. The word piercing supplied by Dr Carlyle.

^{page 69 note **} First written, mark.

^{page 69 note ††} A leaf of the manuscript, containing the fifth stanza, and one half of the sixth, is here lost. The chasm is supplied.by Mr Mackenzie.

^{page 70 note *} First written, sad.

^{page 71 note *} A blank in the manuscript. The line filled up by Dr Carlyle.

^{page 71 note †} First written, cottage.

^{page 71 note ‡} First written, Shall seem to press her cold and shudd'ring cheek.

^{page 71 note ∥} First written, proceed.

^{page 72 note *} A name given in Scotland to a supposed spirit of the waters.

^{page 72 note †} On the largest of the Flannan islands (isles of the Hebrides) are the ruins of a chapel dedicated to St Flannan. This is reckoned by the inhabitants of the Western Isles a place of uncommon sanctity. One of the Flannan islands is termed the Isle of Pigmies; and Martin says, there have been many small bones dug up here, resembling in miniature those of the human body.

^{page 72 note ‡} The island of Iona or Icolmkill. See Martin's Description of the Western Islands of Scotland. That author informs us, that forty-eight kings of Scotland, four kings of Ireland, and five of Norway, were interred in the Church of St Ouran in that island. There were two churches and two monasteries founded there by St Columbus about A.D.565. BED. Htft. Eccl. l. 3. Collins has taken all his information respecting the Western Isles from Martin; from whom he may likewise have derived his knowledge of the popular superstitions of the Highlanders, with which this ode shows so perfect an acquaintance.

^{page 73 note *} The character of the inhabitants of St Kilda, as here described, agrees perfectly with the accounts given by Martin and by Macaulay, of the people of that island. It is the most westerly of all the Hebrides, and is above 130 miles distant from the main land of Scotland.

^{page 73 note †} This stanza is more incorrect in its structure than any of the foregoing. There is apparently a line wanting between this and the subsequent one. In musing hour,&c The deficient line ought to have rhymed with scene.

^{page 74 note *} These four lines were originally written thus :

How have I trembled, when, at Tancred's side,

Like him I stalk'd, and all his passions felt;

When charm'd by Ismen, through the forest wide,

Bark'd in each plant a talking spirit dwelt!

^{page 74 note †} These lines were originally written thus :

Hence, sure to charm, his early numbers flow,

Though strong, yet sweet––––

Though faithful, sweet; though strong, of simple kind.

Hence, with each theme, he bids the bosom glow,

While his warm lays an easy passage find,

Pour'd through each inmost nerve, and lull th' harmonious ear.

^{page 75 note *} A blank in the manuscript. The word spacious supplied by Dr Carlyle.

^{page 75 note †} Ben Johnson undertook a journey to Scotland a-foot in 1619, to visit the poet Drummond, at his seat of Hawthornden, near Edinburgh. Drummond has preserved in his works, some very curious heads of their conversation.

^{page 75 note ‡} A blank in the manuscript. Social supplied by Dr Carlyle.

^{page 75 note ∥} Both these lines left imperfect; supplied by Dr Carlyle. This last stanza bears more marks of hastiness of composition than any of the rest. Besides the blanks which are supplied by Dr Carlyle, there is apparently an entire line wanting after the seventh line of the stanza. The deficient line ought to have rhymed with broom.