enstone." Mr. Marshall, in his "Planting and Rural
Ornament," has some critical remarks on the _Leasowes_, the expences in
perfecting which threw Shenstone "on the rack of poverty, and probably
hastened the dissolution of an amiable and valuable man." He says that
_Enville_ was originally designed by Shenstone, and that the cascade
and chapel were spoken of, with confidence, as his.[86]
LORD KAMES. His portrait is prefixed to the memoirs of him, by Lord
Woodhouselee, in 2 vols. 4to. 1807. There is an edition of the same
work, in 3 vols. 8vo. 1814, with the same portrait, which is engraved
from a drawing by D. Martin. His "Gentleman Farmer" spread his fame
through Scotland. Its preface is particularly interesting. Mr. Smellie,
in his Literary Lives of Gregory, Home, Hume, Adam Smith, and Lord
Kames, after giving many interesting particulars of the latter, and
after noticing his benevolence to the poor, during the whole course of
his long life, proceeds:--"One great feature in the character of Lord
Kames, besides his literary talents, and his public spirit, was a
remarkable innocency of mind. He not only never indulged in detraction,
but when any species of scandal was exhibited in his company, he either
remained silent, or endeavoured to give a turn to the conversation. As
natural consequences of this amiable disposition, he never meddled with
politics, even when politics ran to indecent lengths in this country;
and what is still more remarkable, he never wrote a sentence,
notwithstanding his numerous publications, without a direct and a
manifest intention to benefit his fellow creatures. In his temper he was
naturally warm, though kindly and affectionate. In the friendships he
formed, he was ardent, zealous and sincere. So far from being inclined
to irreligion, as some ignorant bigots insinuated, few men possessed a
more devout habit of thought. A constant sense of Deity, and a
veneration for Providence, dwelt upon his mind. From this source arose
that propensity, which appears in all his writings, of investigating
final causes, and tracing the wisdom of the Supreme Author of Nature."
He had the honour to be highly esteemed by the celebrated Mrs. Montagu.
The European Magazine of Nov. 1790, which gives an engraved portrait of
him, being a copy of the above, thus speaks: "He was one of the very
first who to great legal knowledge, added a considerable share of polite
literature. He arrived at the highest rank to which
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