His correspondence, it is evident, was very extensive, but unfortunately a very inconsiderable proportion of it has been preserved. A small volume is all that re mains, to which there is no prospect of any augmenta tion. Notwithstanding the many avocations which con sumed so much of his time,and the infirm and precarious state of his health, Buchanan had found leisure to com pose a treatise of political philosophy, under the title Dc Jure Regni apud Scotos Dialogus." It was pub lished in 1579, and dedicated to the young king, his pu pil. The subject, as announced in the title, is local and limited ; but, as discussed in the body of the work, em braces the general maxims and principles of govern ment, which the author lays down with much precision, and expatiates upon with much eloquence. This book excited a great deal of attention, and procured for Buchanan high applause from the friends of liberty, and most bitter hostility from the abettors of popery and despotism. When Buchanan reached the 74th year of his age, he drew up a short account of his life. It is characterized by elegance, simplicity, modesty, and candour.
The last work which he completed was his History of Scotland. It issued from the press in the year 1582. With this admirable production, every scholar is ac quainted. Of its classical merits, no doubt can be enter tained. Some, who must be considered as among the most competent judges, have not scrupled to prefer it to the elegant productions of Livy. As a history, it has
some faults, but these are far more than counterbalanced by its excellencies; and although the author's political leanings, and his occasional attachment to fable, have subjected his authority to a degree. of doubt and suspi cion, yet the more his material facts have been investi gated, the more reason has appeared for confiding in his correctness and veracity.
A short time before his death, Buchanan was visited by some learned friends, and they found him employed in teaching the hornbook to a young man in his service ! They held some conversation with him, chiefly respect ing his History, which was then in the press, and which they thought contained some dangerous passages. In the coarse of conversation, he exhibited that firm regard to truth, and that undaunted boldness in stating it, by which he had been long distinguished. He expired on the 28th of September, 1582, in the 77th year of his age, and was interred in the burying ground of the Grey friars. For more particular information concerning this celebrated character, the reader may consult Buchanruz's Life, written by Himself, and the various publications referred to at the end of Dr I•ving's Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Buchanan,—a very able and inter esting work, and much less known than it deserves. (T)