London Review of English and Foreign Literature

ART. I. Annals of Scotland. From the Acceffion of Malcolm 1112 Surnamed Canmore, to the Acceffion of Robert I. By Sir David Dalrymple*, 4to. 15s. Murray.

To thefe Annals is prefixed the following advertisement.

"The defign of the following fheets, is to exhibit a chronological view of the hiftory of Scotland, from the acceffion of Malcolm, furnamed Canmore, to the acceffion of Robert Bruce.

"They commence with the acceffion of Malcolm Canmore; be. cause the history of Scotland, previous to that period, is involved in obfcurity and fable. They are not brought down to a later period than the acceffion of Robert Bruce, because the author is folicitous to know the opinion of the public as to his plan and its execution.

"If these are approved of, and if he has health and leisure, he proposes to continue the Annals of Scotland to the restoration of James I."

This learned and critical writer, having thus modeftly fubmitted his work to the opinion of the public, to that opinion we fhall candidly refer it, by confining ourfelves on this occafion merely to a display of the nature and extent of his performance. Of the text, or what may be more peculiarly stiled the Annals, the three or four firft pages, relative to thofe famous perfonages, on whofe ftory our immortal Shakespeare founded his tragedy of Macbeth, may afford as acceptable a fpecimen as any.

"Malcolm II. king of Scotland, had a daughter, Beatrice, the mother of Duncan.-Fordun, iv. 49.

"In 1034, Duncan fucceeded his grandfather Malcolm. In 1039, he was assassinated by M'Beth †.—Chr. Melros, 156、

One of the Lords of Seffion in Scotland.

At Inverness, according to our later hiftorians. They follow Boace, 1. xii. fol. 250. a. The register of the priory of St. Andrew's fays, "Doneath interfectus YOL. III.

By his wife, the fifter + of Siward Earl of Northumberland, he left two fons,, Malcolm, firnamed Canmore, and Donald, firnamed Bane 1.-Fordun, iv. 49.

"M'Beth expelled the fons of Duncan, and ufurped the Scottish throne. Malcolm fought refuge in Cumberland, Donald, in the Hebrides.-Fordun, iv. 51.1

"When Edward the Confeffor fucceeded to the crown of England, [1043.] Earl Siward placed Malcolm under his protection. Malcolm remained long at his court, an honourable and neglected exile.-Fordun, iv. 54.

"The partizans of Malcolm often attempted to procure his reftoration; but their efforts, feeble and ill-concerted, only served to establish the dominion of the ufurper.-Fordun, iv. 7.

At length, M'Duff thane of Fife, excited a formidable revolt in Scotland, while Siward, with the approbation of his fovereign, led the Northumbrians to the aid of his nephew Malcolm. He lived not to see the event of this generous enterprize +.--Fordun, v. 7.———— Chr. Lax. 169.

"M'Beth retreated to the fastneffes of the north, and protracted the war. His people forfook his standard. Malcolm attacked him at Lunfanan in Aberdeen-shire : Abandoned by his few remaining followers, M'Beth fell § [5th December 1056.]-Fordun, v. 7.

eft in Borbgouanan." Fordun fays, 1. iv. c. 49. that, being wounded, he was conveyed to Elgin, and died there. The word Bothgouanan means, in Gaelic, the Smith's Dwelling. It is probable, that the affaffins lay in ambush, and murdered him, at a fmith's houfe in the neighbourhood of Elgin.

+ Fordun calls her confanguinea comitis. Other historians call her bis daughter.

Cean-more, or great-bead, according to the rude diftinctions used in those times. Bane, white, or of a fair complexion.

* Our historians relate, that McDuff, in an interview with Malcolm, proposed the plan of his restoration; but that the young prince, fufpecting the fidelity of M'Duff, artfully pretended that he knew himself to be unworthy of a crown. He urged, that he was libidinous, a thief, and void of faith. On this falfe confidence, a moft abfurd converfation enfued, according to Fordun, 1. v. c. I.-6. Buchanan has polished the narrative, and bestowed a plausible appearance on the fable; 1. vii.

P. 114.

The Saxon Chronicle places his death in 1055; p. 169. Ingulphus, in 1056; p. 66. There is a curious paflage concerning him in Leland, Collectanea, i. 1. p. 529. Sivard fext bis fanne to warre in Scotland, wher be dyid of the flux; where he after toke the fame decease, and dyid of it. But he, much detefting to dy like a cow of the flux, cauffid himself to be armid at all peaces, and dyed yn his armure." Brompton, P 946. relates the dying words of Siward in a bombaft style, which he miftook for eloquence. The accompt which Brompton gives of Siward is ridiculous and contradictory. It ends with faying, that Siward put King Duncan in poffeffion of Scotland.

In Aberdeenshire, two miles north-weft of the village of Kincardin o Neil. Juft by the parish-church of Lunfanan, there is a valley where the vestiges of an antient fortrets are ftill to be difcerned. It has been of an oblong figure; in length, near an hundred yards, and twenty yards in breadth. A brook, which waters the valley, has been led round it. As no remains of buildings are to be seen, it is probable that the fortress was compofed of timber and fod. In this folitary place, we may conjecture that M'Beth fought an asylum.

We know few particulars of the real history of M'Beth. Boece fays, that his mother was Doada, a daughter of Malcolm II. and, confequently, that he was the coufin-german of Duncan; 1. xii. fol. 246. b. Fordun feems to have been ignorant of his connection with the royal family. He terms him fimply, M Beth the fox of Finele, (or Finlay ;) L. iv. c. 49. Bocce has exerted all his inventive powers in de

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