Plan for a Royal Forest of Oak in the Highlands of Scotland

In this age of Industry, when improvements are making rapid progress in all other corners of Great Britain, the Highlands of Scotland are much neglected. The Highlands may be made the capital FOREST of Great Britain; the grand magazine of the nation for ship-building timber; and it is capable of being made a very large one, and, in time, the best and most convenient in all Europe.

An inquiry into the origin of the name of the Scottish nation

To a Society, the purpose of whole institution is to investigate the antiquities of their nation, any reasonable attempt to account for the name of that nation, cannot be unacceptable; and this subject seems naturally to present itself, as a proper introduction to their future inquiries.

An historical account of the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland

Like other nations of Europe, the political and historical monuments of Scotland have not only been injured by the natural operations of time, but by many other causes. Our desolating and depredatory wars with England continued for ages. The demolition of ancient buildings, the destruction of public archives, and of private documents, were results of these unhappy contests. When the two nations were partially united, by the succession of our James VI to the throne of England, a temporary peace was established, and promised great and mutual advantages. But, not long after this auspicious event, fanatical and feudal dissentions arose, and produced effects equally pernicious to the objects of the Historian and Antiquary. Though these and similar causes have long ceased, yet, by annihilating our principal materials, they depressed the spirit of inquiry, and made us negligent of those which had escaped the general devastation.

Of the league said to have been formed between the Emperor Charlemagne and the King of Scotland

Five or six years ago (anno 1773) two short treatises were published, one denying, and the other affirming, that the King of Scotland had entered into alliance with the Emperor Charlemagne. I will not here enter into the arguments alleged on either side, but only lay before the Society an observation I made on reading the history of those times, and which seems to have escaped the observation of all who have written on that subject.

An inquiry into the beverage of the ancient Caledonians, and other northern nations, at their feasts

The early inhabitants of the north-west part of what is now called Scotland, appear evidently not to have been far advanced in those arts which are commonly reckoned the improvements of polished life. A simple race, whose principal care was herds and flocks; their dainties were produced by hunting, and their ordinary drink must have been water, which was supplied by every fountain or stream, or milk, which was procured by little labour. But, as these could only serve to answer the pressing calls to thirst, it is evident that inventive luxury had made them acquainted with some fermented liquor, which was used at festivals and grand entertainments, that dissipated their cares, elevated their spirits, and is called by their poets, The Joy of the Shell. But what that liquor was, of what made, or how prepared, we are left almost entirely in the dark.