SIR,

No. XXXVII.

From MRS. ROSE,

Kilravock Castle, 30th November, 1787.

І н

HOPE you will do me the justice to believe, that it was no defect in gratitude for your punctual performance of your parting promise, that has made me so long in acknowledging it, but merely the difficulty I had in getting the Highland songs you wished to have, accurately noted; they are at last inclosed; but how shall I convey along with them those graces they acquired from the melodious voice of one of the fair spirits of the hill of Kildrummie! These I must leave to your imagination to supply. It has powers sufficient to transport you to her side, to recall her accents, and to make them still vibrate in the ears

of

of memory. To her I am indebted for getting the inclosed notes. They are clothed with

66

thoughts that breathe, and words that burn." These, however, being in an unknown tongue to you, you must again have recourse to that same fertile imagination of yours to interpret them, and suppose a lover's description of the beauties of an adored mistress-Why did I say unknown? The language of love is an universal one, that seems to have escaped the confusion of Babel, and to be understood by all nations.

I rejoice to find that you were pleased with so many things, persons, and places, in your northern tour, because it leads me to hope you may be induced to revisit them again. That the old castle of Kilravock, and its inhabitants, were amongt these, adds to faction. I am even vain enough to admit

my

satis

your

very flattering application of the line of Addison's; at any rate, allow me to believe, that "friendship will maintain the ground she has occupied, in both our hearts," in spite of absence, and that when we do meet, it will be as acquaintance of a score of years standing; and on this footing consider me as interested in the future course of your fame so splendidly commenced. Any communications of the progress

of

of your muse will be received with great gratitude, and the fire of your genius will have power to warm, even us, frozen sisters of the north.

in

The fire-sides of Kilravock and Kildrummie unite in cordial regards to you. When you cline to figure either in your idea, suppose some of us reading your poems, and some of us singing your songs, and my little Hugh looking at your picture, and you'll seldom be wrong. We remember Mr. Nicol with as much good will as we can do any body who hurried Mr. Burns from us.

Farewell, Sir, I can only contribute the widow's mite to the esteem and admiration excited by your merits and genius; but this I give, as she did, with all my heart-being sincerely

yours,

EL. ROSE.

No,

No. XXXVIII.

To the EARL of GLENCAIRN.

MY LORD,

can,

I KNOW your lordship will disapprove of my ideas in a request I am going to make to you, but I have weighed, long and seriously weighed, my situation, my hopes and turn of mind, and am fully fixed to my scheme if I possibly effectuate it. I wish to get into the Excise: I am told that your lordship's interest will easily procure me the grant from the commissioners; and your lordship's patronage and goodness, which have already rescued me from obscurity, wretchedness, and exile, embolden me to ask that interest. You have likewise put it in my power to save the little tie of home that sheltered an aged mother, two brothers, and three sisters, from destruction. There, my lord, you have bound me over to the highest gratitude.

My

My brother's farm is but a wretched lease ; but I think he will probably weather out the remaining seven years of it; and, after the assistance which I have given and will give him, to keep the family together, I think, by my guess, I shall have rather better than two hundred pounds, and instead of seeking what is almost impossible at present to find, a farm that I can certainly live by, with so small a stock, I shall lodge this sum in a banking-house, a sacred deposit excepting only the calls of uncommon distress or necessitous old

age:

**

These, my lord, are my views: I have resolved from the maturest deliberation; and now I am fixed, I shall leave no stone unturned to carry my resolve into execution. Your lordship's patronage is the strength of my hopes; nor have I yet applied to any body else. Indeed my heart sinks within me at the idea of applying to any other of the Great who have honoured me with their countenance. I am ill qualified to dog the heels of greatness with the impertinence of solicitation, and tremble nearly as much at the thought of the cold promise as the cold denial: but to your lordship I have not only the honour, the comfort, but the pleasure of being

Your lordship's much obliged

and deeply indebted humble servant.

No.