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discharge my conscience I would not trouble you with it; but after, all my diligence I could make it no sooner nor better.

For my own affairs, I am in a fair way of becoming as eminent as Thomas a Kempis or John Bunyan; and you may expect henceforth to see my birth-day inserted among the wonderful events, in the Poor Robin's and Aberdeen Almanacks, along with the Black Monday, and the battle of Bothwel bridge.-My lord Glencairn and the Dean of Faculty, Mr. H. Erskine, have taken me under their wing; and by all probability I shall soon be the tenth worthy, and the eighth wise man of the world. Through my lord's influencc it is inserted in the records of the Caledonian hunt, that they universally, one and all, subscribe for the 2d. edition.—My subscription bills come out to-morrow, and you shall have some of them next post.—I have met in Mr. Dalrymple, of Orangefield, what Solomon emphatically calls, " A friend that sticketh closer than a brother."-The warmth with which he interests himself in my affairs is of the same enthusiastic kind which you, Mr Aiken, and the few patrons that took notice of my earlier poetic days, shewed for the poor unlucky devil of a poet.

I always remember Mrs. Hamilton and Miss Kennedy in my poetic prayers, but you both in prose and verse.

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May cauld ne'er catch you but a h
Nor hunger but in plenty's lap!
Amen!

No. 246.

TO DR. M.KENZIE, MAUCHLINE.

Inclosing him the Extempore Verses on dining with Lord Daer.

DEAR SIR,

Wednesday Morning.

I NEVER spent an afternoon among great folks with half that pleasure as when, in company with you, I had the honour of paying my devoirs to that plain, honest, worthy man, the professor.* I would be delighted to see him perform acts of kindness and friendship, though I were not the object; he does it with such a grace. I think his character, divided into ten parts, stands thus-four parts Socrates-four parts Nathaniel-and two parts Shakespeare's Brutus.

The foregoing verses were really extempore but a little corrected since. They may entertain you a little with the help of that partiality

* Professor Dugald Stewart.

with which you are so good as favour the per

formances of,

Dear Sir,

Your very humble Servant.

No. 247.

To J. BALLANTINE, ESQ. BANKER, AYR.

Edinburgh, 13th. Dec. 1786.

MY HONOURED FRIEND,

I WOULD not write you till I could have it in my power to give you some account of myself and my matters, which by the bye is often no easy task.—I arrived here on Tuesday was se'nnight and have suffered ever since I came to town with a miserable head-ache and stomach complaint, but am now a good deal better.-I have found a worthy warm friend in Mr. Dalrymple, of Orangefield, who introduced me to Lord Glencairn, a man whose worth and brotherly kindness to me, I shall remember when time shall be no more.-By his interest it is passed in the Caledonian hunt, and entered in their books, that they are to take each a copy of the second edition, for which they are to pay one guinea.—I have been introduced to a good many of the Noblesse, but my avowed patrons

and patronesses are, the Duchess of GordonThe Countess of Glencairn, with my Lord and Lady Betty* The Dean of Faculty-Sir John Whitefoord.I have likewise warm friends among the Literati; Professors Stewart, Blair, and Mr. McKenzie-the Man of feeling.-An unknown hand left ten guineas for the Ayrshire bard with Mr. Sibbald, which I got.-I since have discovered my generous unknown friend to be Patrick Miller, Esq. brother to the Justice Clerk; and drank a glass of claret with him by invitation at his own house yesternight. I am nearly agreed with Creech to print my book, and I suppose I will begin on Monday. I will send a subscription bill or two, next post; when I intend writing my first kind patron, Mr. Aiken. I saw his son to day and he is very well.

Dugald Stewart, and some of my learned friends, put me in the periodical paper called the Lounger, a copy of which I here enclose you.-I was, sir, when I was first honored with your notice, too obscure; now I tremble lest I should be ruined by being dragged too suddenly into the glare of polite and learned observation.

I shall certainly, my ever honored patron,

*Lady Betty Cunningham.

+ The paper here alluded to, was written by Mr. M'Kenzie, the celebrated author of the Man of Feeling.

write you an account of my every step; and better health and more spirits may enable me to make it something better than this stupid mațter of fact epistle.

I have the honor to be,

Good Sir,

Your ever grateful humble servant.

If any of my friends write me, my direction is-care of Mr. Creech, bookseller.

No. 248.

To MR. WM. CHALMERS, WRITER, AYR.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Edinburgh, Dec. 27, 1786.

I CONFESS I have sinned the sin for which there is hardly any forgiveness-ingratitude to friendship-in not writing you sooner; but of all men living, I had intended to send you an entertaining letter; and by all the plodding, stupid powers, that in nodding, conceited majesty, preside over the dull routine of businessa heavily-solemn oath this!I am, and have been, ever since I came to Edinburgh, as unfit to write a letter of humour, as to write a commentary on the Revelation of St. John the Divine, who was banished to the Isle of Patmos,

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