The first letter is the autobiographical letter to Dr Moore of London, which, as is well known, is adopted as the opening chapter of the first edition by Chambers and the Chambers-Wallace four-volume edition (1896). The volume includes all the Poet's letters to his brother William, which are interesting in a special degree, as they show the Poet in a light which does him the utmost credit. Robert Burns not only acted the part of an affectionate elder brother, but, as the letters show, he gave his brother sound advice, which could not have been bettered by the elder William Burns. They should be included in every edition of the Works of Burns. Mr Pollock has included the letter from the Rev. Dr Blacklock (the blind poet) to Rev. Mr Laurie, which, as all Burnsians know, prevented Burns from emigrating to Jamaica. The blind poet's interest in the Bard has been a strong incentive in Burns Clubs in providing the Works of Burns in Braille as an acknowledgment of the appreciation of Dr Blacklock. This appreciation would have been made years ago had it been brought to the notice of the Burns Clubs that their brothers who are afflicted with blindness had not Burns's Works at their command. The other letters include letters to Robert Aitken, Mrs Dunlop, Robert Graham of Fintry, Robert Muir, Kilmarnock; James Smith, Linlithgow; Miss Peggy Chalmers, Dr Blacklock, Captain Riddel (in which the famous Glenriddel volumes are first mentioned), Lady Elizabeth Cunningham, and Peter Hill, the bookseller, formerly the assistant of Creech, the publisher, when Burns first met him. The letters are accompanied by brief explanatory notes by Mr Pollock, which will enable the blind readers to extend their interest and knowledge by conversation with sighted readers who have all the letters at their command. The "Clarinda" correspondence is not referred to. It would take a similar volume to itself. If it should appear desirable after the volumes now issued have been read and appreciated, we have no doubt the Burns Clubs will add further volumes of the letters of the Poet. Meanwhile we heartily congratulate the blind all over the world who can speak the Anglo-Saxon tongue on the noble addition which Burns Clubs have given to the literature for the blind. The joint committee make a cordial acknowledgment of the interest taken in the work by the staff of the Royal Asylum for the Blind, Edinburgh. To Mr W. M. Stone, the headmaster, they tender their most hearty congratulations and thanks in the completion of the work in which he has spared neither time nor pains. All through the progress of the work Mr Stone has shown unremitting interest and pleasure in his task, which, but for his eagerness to help, must have been an irksome addition to his manifold duties. To give an idea of the size of the work it may be stated that each volume measures 14′′ x 11′′ x 22′′, and that the total weight of the seven volumes is 283 lbs.--a truly monumental work! The joint committee who have carried through the work are Messrs J. A. Biggs (Chairman), A. G. Andrew, George Armour, Robert Corbet, Hugh M'Coll, Alexander Pollock, Rosebery Burns Club; and Messrs James Ballantyne, D. M. Duff, Wm. Moffat, James Robertson, Robert M'Kenzie, and W. J. Straiton (joint Secretary), Carlton Burns Club. Mr Robert Corbet, Actuary of the Glasgow Savings Bank, is Honorary Treasurer of the committee. The donations have enabled the committee to supply, gratis, complete sets to all the Institutions for the Blind in Scotland, as well as to the "Teaching Societies for the Blind" which cover the whole of Scotland frae Maidenkirk to John o' Groats." The edition in "Mirn" characters, which is largely read by the blind who lose their sight late in life, will now be proceeded with by the committee. A. P. THE LAPRAIK FAMILY IN MUIRKIRK. TH 66 HE surname Lekprevick, Lekprevik, or Lapraiklike that of Bruce or de Brus-seems to be of NormanFrench origin. This name was never common, yet Lekprevicks have dwelt in Scotland since the times of Robert the Bruce. In the Castle of Lekprevick (now in ruins) near East Kilbride, the chiefs of that name long maintained a power in the land. From a book published in 1887 by Blackwood and Sons, History of the Bassandyne Bible, we obtain a pretty full account of a certain Robert Lekprevik who in February, 1565, obtained a letter under the Privy Seal of Scotland, authorising him to print "The Actis and Constitutions of Parliament, maid be the rycht excelent princes Marie, quene of Scottis." In 1574 Robert offended the Regent Morton and was imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle for publishing, without licence, "Ane dialogue or mutuall talking betwixt a clerk and a courteour, concerning four parische kirks till ane minister," &c., &c. Although Lekprevik continued to print for some years after this, the right to print by letters royal was denied him. The first Bible printed in Scotland was the work of Thomas Bassandyne, notwithstanding that in April, 1568, Lekprevik had been "licencand" to print "Ane buik callit ye Inglis Bybill." But as no connection, except in name, can be traced betwixt former Lekprevicks and the Lapraiks of Muirkirk, we must adhere to the mythology of the parish, and like Scott's Minstrel, plead "I cannot tell how the truth may be ; I say the tale as 'twas said to me." In August, 1561, Mary Queen of Scots landed at Leith after her long sojourn in France, and with her came a goodly train of French retainers and servants, for whom she had a preference, doubtless quite natural, but displeasing to some of her Scottish subjects. Tradition has informed us that a certain person named La Privick belonged to Mary's French retinue. Doubtless he flourished about the Court whilst fortune smiled on Mary, and it is also likely that when evil days came to the Queen her friends would suffer many unhappy changes in place and position. After the battle of Langside, in 1568, Mary became an exile in England, and La Privick found himself Laird of Dalfram-about three miles West of Muirkirk. From Muirkirk in Bygone Days (page 14), we learn that in 1643 the population of the parish was certified to be 145, between the ages of sixteen and sixty. As La Privick came to Dalfram fully seventy years before this date, the population must have been very small, so that it is every way likely that the lively Frenchman came to this locality impelled by religious or political changes. Be that as it may, he was the only "incomin'" body of his family, and he and his direct descendants dwelt in Dalfram for the space of more than 200 years. In 1661, exactly 100 years after La Privick came to our shores, we notice from Mr Baird's book, already referred to, that "John Leckpryke presentit a bill of complaint against William Broun, his wyfe, and his doughter for the sclandering of him with thift, and consigned fortie shillingis in the handis of the treasurer (for details see page 32). This John Leckpryke would be the grandson, or more likely the great-grandson, of the Frenchman. We also see from the book (page 24) that another John Leprivick (a son of the "sclandered" man) aspired to an eldership in the parish, but was not chosen by the session for fear of giving offence to the congregation. He had at some former period of his life taken the “ test," a Scottish Act of 1567-an Act, as Mr Baird explains, hated extremely by the Presbyterians of the sixteenth century. This John Leckpryke was (judging by date) the grandfather of the poet, who was born in Dalfram in the year 1727. He was thus over thirty years of age when Burns was born,, so that the great Poet was well entitled to term John Lapraik "a facetious (i.e., good-natured) old fellow," and yet the Muirkirk poet spent about a dozen years in this world after Burns was taken away. In 1754, Lapraik married Margaret Rankine, eldest daughter of William Rankine of Lochhead, and sister to John Rankine, the life-long friend of Robert Burns. At this time Mr Lapraik's position in life was good and comfortable, for not only was he laird of Upper and Nether Dalfram, but he also held in lease the mill and property at Muirsmill, about half-a-mile away. This latter place has now almost disappeared; only a few vestiges remain, but yet sufficient to locate the spot. Burns could scarcely have known the first Mrs Lapraik, because at the time of her death he must have been a very little boy. This sad event took place soon after the birth of her fifth child. Burns, however, from his boyhood, knew the Rankine family well, and through it he probably knew about Lapraik long before Lapraik knew anything about him. James Lapraik, a son of the poet, lived in Muirkirk in his declining years, and a few citizens still alive remember about him perfectly well. Mr Thomas Whyte, in Main Street at present, distinctly remembers James Lapraik telling his (Mr Whyte's) father that Burns, through the Rankine family, knew about most of the farmers in Muirkirk parish whilst he was still a lad about Ayr. It was, therefore, the most natural thing in the world that when Burns went to Mauchline he should renew his acquaintance with "Rough, rude, ready-witted Rankine," who lived then at Adamhill, near Tarbolton, only a few miles from Mossgiel. From this place Burns informs his friend that he had lost a "yellow George" for bringing down "A paitrick to the grun, a bonnie hen." In 1793 Burns again addresses Rankine, terming him "at least ae honest man"; and he again wrote to his old companion the pathetic lines :— "He who of Rankine sang, lies stiff and dead, |