| Administrative History | William Creech [1745-1815] Bookseller in Edinburgh. He attended Edinburgh University, and originally intended to enter medicine, but was apprenticed to bookseller Alexander Kincaid in 1764, becoming Kincaid partner when the latter's partnership with John Bell dissolved in 1771 - just after the firm had published the first edition of the first book of the Minstrel. His shop became a well-known meeting place, and he published the work of many of the Scottish literati. Beattie had a long and generally happy relationship with him from 1771, both personally and in business matters |
| Description | Balance of account is £18-4-0 in Beattie's favour. Please pay to Forbes. Forbes will send him in a few days Essays and Fragments in Prose and Verse. Compiled from son's papers. Sent to Creech as friend of the author, whom Creech often saw in Edinburgh. Not published, but a few copies printed for friends. English pieces have great merit, but Latin poems are the most curious, particularly Pope's 'Messiah', 'Elegy on an unfortunate Lady', and 'Sir Balaam'. Style of translation rare since classical ages-literal but elegant and harmonious. Beattie could easily have made miscellany larger. Please to ask Cadell to send account - unreasonable of him to withold it so long. |