FLETCHER, ANDREW, was the son of Slr Robert Fletcher, of Saltoun, in East Lothian, where he was born in 1653. Sir Robert is said to have died When his son was a child. Andrew Fletcher's early education was superintended by Gilbert Burnet, afterwards the celebrated bishop of Salisbury, who was at this time parish minister of Saltoun. To him Fletcher was probably indebted for his first bias in favour of those political principles to which he adhered through his life. When he grew up he spent some time in travelling on the continent. On his return home he obtained a seat in the Scottish parliament as commissioner, or member, for his native county ; and In that capacity he soon became distinguished as one of the foremost opponents of the government. After some time however he deemed it prudent to withdraw to Holland ; on which he was summoned before the lords of the council, and when he did not make his appearance wars outlawed, and his estates confiscated. He ventured to come home in 16S3, but soon returned to the continent, and there remained till 16S5, when ho engaged in the attempt of the duke of Monmouth. But ho had scarcely landed in England when he shot the mayor of Lyme dead in a private quarrel, and found himself obliged precipitately to leave the country. He then proceeded to Spain, and afterwards to Hungary, where he took part in some military opera tions against the Turks, and distinguished himself by his gallantry. When the scheme of the English Revolution began to be projected, he repaired to Holland to join the councils of his countrymen there ; and he came over to England with the Prince of Orange and his old friend Burnet in 16,58. He now recovered possession of his estate, and again sat as representative for his native county, first in the Scottish Convention, and afterwards in parliament. After a short time however he became nearly as determined an opponent of the govern ment of King William as ho had formerly been of that of Charles II. His last exertions as a publio man were directed against the scheme of the union of the two kingdoms. He died in London in 1716. lie is the author of the following tracts, all of which, we believe, were originally publi.hed without his name :-1, 'A Discourse of Govern
ment with relation to Militias,' Edinburgh, 169S; 2, Two Discourses concerning the Affairs of Scotland, written in the year 169S,' Edinburgh, 169S; 3, 'Discorso dells Cosa di Spagna, ecritto nel mese di Luglio, 1698; Napoli, 1693; 4, 'Speeches by a Member of the Parliament which began at Edinburgh the 6t11 of May, 1703; Edin burgh, 1703; 5, An Acconnt of a Conversation concerning the right Regulation of Governments for the Common Good of Mankind ; in a Letter to the Marquis of Montrose, the Earls of Rothea, Roxburgh, and Haddiugton, from London, the lot of December, 1703; Edin burgh, 1704. The original editions of these publications are scarce, but they were all reprinted at London in an octavo volume in 1737, under the title of ' The Political Works of Andrew Fletcher, Esquire.' Fletcher writes in a flowing and scholarlike style, occasionally rising to considerable warmth and energy ; his compositions ere interspersed with many sagacious and happily expressed remarks, and they have at all times the charm of earnestness and perfect conviction. But for deep or extensive views in the philosophy of politics they will be starched in vain. He is a stern democrat, and violent iu his denuncia tions of the arbitrariness and oppression of kings, yet he professes to provide for the poor by the restoration of some such system of slavery as he conceives existed among the Greeks and Romans. This singular proposal is contained in his Two Discourses on the affairs of Scotland. Among the most curious of his works is his 'Conversation on Govern ments, which appears to be a report of a real conversation, the parties being Fletcher himself, the Earl of Cromarty, Sir Edward Seymour, and Sir Charles Musgrave. The part of the dialogue given to Seymour In particular, is highly characteristic. It is in this pro duction that we find the remark so often quoted about the superior influence and importance of the national ballad-maker to the national law-giver : Fletcher gives it as the observation of a friend.