[To Lord Glenbervie], from Aberdeen Douglas's plan to write on Scottish barbarism. Beattie has written much on Scoticism, rules of verse, etc., but literary pursuits over [quotes Virgil, Aeneid, Book 2, lines 638-641]. Scots have to study English from books, like a dead language. Cannot achieve neatness and softness of phrase so conspicuous in Addison, Lyttelton and other elegant English authors. Afraid of committing gross blunders. Handle English like a person who cannot fence handles a sword. Absurd to say Hume and Roberston write better than the English. Has read no Scotch authors these several years except those who was obliged to. Comments on the origin of Scots words, Ruddiman's glossary to Gavin Douglas's Virgil, and the variety of Scottish provincial dialects. Believe Erse was once the universal language of Scotland. 5 January 1778