WILLIAM CREECH. The Lucknbooths.
remembered after he had passed away; but he
had acquired penurious habits, with a miserly
avidity for money, which not only precluded all
benevolence to the deserving, but actually marred
even the honest discharge of business transactions.
In 1771 he entered into partnership with Mr.
Kincaid, who left the business two years after, and
came from his establishment. He published the
works of Cullen, Gregory, Adam Smith, Burns,
Dugald Stewart, Henry Mackenzie, Blair, Beattie,
Campbell (the opponent of Hume), Lords Woodhouselee
and Kames, and by the last-named he
was particularly regarded with esteem and friendship
; and it was on the occasion of his having gone
WILLIAM CREECH. (From th Port~uit ay SW Henry Raebzmz.)
the whole devolving upon Mr. Creech, he conducted
it for forty-four years with singular enterprise
and success. For all that time his quaint shop
at the east-end of the Luckenbooths was the resort
of the clergy, the professors, and also all public
and eminent men in the Scottish metropolis ; and
his breakfast-room was a permanent literary lounge,
which was known by the name of " Creech's Levee."
During the whole of the period mentioned
nearly all the really valuable literature of the time
to London for some time in 1787 that Burns wrote
his well-known poem of " Willie 's Awa : "-
" Oh, Willie was a witty wight,
And had 0' things an' unco slight,
Auld Reekie aye he,keepit tight,
And trig and braw ;
But now they'll busk her like a fright-
Willie's awa ! "
.
We have already referred to the club in which
originated the Mirror and Lounger. These
