saint, the father, and the husband" is still in existence. When Murdoch was a guest of William Burnes he must have heard the catechising of the children in the somewhat unusual manner of the Manual of Religious Belief, which William Burnes compiled for his family circle. The Manual is in the handwriting of Murdoch; it was published in 1875.

2. One of Burns's co-boarders with Murdoch was John Tennant, second son of " guid auld Glen, The ace an' wale of honest men."

3. The work of research was greatly hampered by the fact that there were two John Murdochs in London at the time -one from Ayr, the other from Edinburgh. By a strange coincidence both were French scholars and both published books in French.

4. It is apparent from this letter that Murdoch was taking part in the work of Caledonians in London. The Caledonian Society referred to by the writer was the Society of Ancient Caledonians. Murdoch was a member also of The Club of True Highlanders, which met in the Masons' Hall Tavern in Coleman Street. According to the Minutes, "Mr. John Murdock" was on the membership roll on 9th March, 1824, a few weeks before his death.

5. No. 24 Hart Street, Bloomsbury, is not now in existence; the four houses numbered 24 to 27 were pulled down to make room for " Bloomsbury Mansions."

6. Dr. Charles Rogers is probably in error in saying that Murdoch "assisted Walker in preparing for the press, in 1802, the third edition of his dictionary; and it is understood that from his pen proceeded the Rules to be observed by the natives of Scotland for attaining a just pronunciation of English,' included in the dissertations." (Book of Robert Burns, vol. II., page 115.) These "Rules appeared in the first edition (1791) of the Dictionary, and almost certainly were compiled by Walker himself.

7. The Gentlemen's Magazine of February, 1824, announced that "Mr. J. Murdoch, the early preceptor and friend of Burns, who is well known as the editor and author of several useful School-books, and is now in his 77th year, being incapacitated by illness from pursuing his vocation as Teacher of Languages, is now, we regret to hear, so much reduced as to be obliged to resort to a public subscription for support. We hope the appeal to the publick of this respectable old man will be successful."

"Burial

8. Copy of the record of the burial in the Register of St. Andrew, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex" the number in the Register is 475, page 60—

1824; John Murdoch; Abode, St. George, Bloomsbury; When buried, 25th April, 1824; Age, 77; By whom the ceremony was performed, S. Martin."

St. Andrew's Parish Burial Ground was closed as a

burying ground in 1720. A new burial ground was consecrated in 1754 in the Gray's Inn Road by the Bishop of Chester; it was closed for interments in 1854. It was here that John Murdoch was buried. In 1885 the burial ground was rescued from a state of neglect: the ground was cleared, the gravestones were ranged round the sides, and as St. Andrew's Gardens the place was opened for the use of the public by Lady John Manners. These facts regarding the burial ground are taken from a leaflet of the Parish Church of St. Andrew's, Holborn.

JOHN MURDOCH'S HOUSE.

The illustration on the opposite page shows the house at Ayr in which Burns boarded with Murdoch in 1773, and is published here by the kind permission of Mr. Robert Bryden, R.E., who made the drawing, and of Mr. James A. Morris, A.R.S.A., who owns it. The house was demolished some years ago; but a plate affixed to the building erected on its site records that "Here stood the house of John Murdoch, schoolmaster, in which Robert Burns lodged in his fourteenth year and received lessons in English and French."

MURDOCH CORRESPONDENCE.

The following seven letters are printed here in supplement of the preceding article, and for convenience of reference. They were written by Burns to his former teacher, and by Murdoch to Burns; to Joseph Cooper Walker, the Irish antiquary; to Dr. James Currie, when preparing his edition of the Works of Burns (1800); and to Robert Hartley Cromek, when engaged upon his Reliques of Burns (1808).

The letters are taken from various sources: Nos. I., II., and V. are reprinted from Dr. Currie's edition of Burns's Works (1800); No. III. from Dr. William Wallace's revised edition of Robert Chambers's Life and works of Burns (1896); Nos. IV. and VII. from Cromek's Reliques of Burns (1808); No. VI. is now printed for the first time, from the original holograph in Burns Cottage Museum at Alloway. (See also facsimile reproduction.)

Attention may be drawn to the date of Burns's first letter to Murdoch, which Currie gives as "15th January, 1783." Murdoch, when replying on 28th October, 1787, says that the Poet's letter ought to have been acknowledged "about three years and nine months ago." The fact that a period of four years and nine months separates these dates suggests that Burns's letter is misdated: "1783" instead of " 1784 " -a mistake that is frequently made early in a new year.

I.

Dear Sir,

ROBERT BURNS TO JOHN MURDOCH.

Lochlee, 15th January, 1783.

As I have an opportunity of sending you a letter without putting you to that expense which any production of mine would but ill repay, I embrace it with pleasure, to tell you that I have not forgotten, nor ever will forget, the many obligations I lie under to your kindness and friendship.

I do not doubt, sir, but you will wish to know what has been the result of all the pains of an indulgent