TO WILLIAM CLERK, ESQ., ADVOCATE, PRINCE'S STREET,
EDINBURGH.

ROSEBANK, 10th September, 1792.

DEAR WILLIAM,--Taking the advantage of a very indifferent day,
which is likely to float away a good deal of corn, and of my
father's leaving this place, who will take charge of this scroll,
I sit down to answer your favor. I find you have been, like
myself, taking advantage of the good weather to look around you a
little, and congratulate you upon the pleasure you must have
received from your jaunt with Mr. Russell[96] I apprehend, though
you are silent on the subject, that your conversation was
enlivened by many curious disquisitions of the nature {p.171}
of _undulating exhalations_. I should have bowed before the
venerable grove of oaks at Hamilton with as much respect as if I
had been a Druid about to gather the sacred mistletoe. I should
hardly have suspected your host Sir William[97] of having been
the occasion of the scandal brought upon the library and Mr.
Gibb[98] by the introduction of the Cabinet des Fees, of which I
have a volume or two here. I am happy to think there is an
admirer of _snug things_ in the administration of the library.
Poor Linton's[99] misfortune, though I cannot say it surprises,
yet heartily grieves me. I have no doubt he will have many
advisers and animadverters upon the naughtiness of his ways,
whose admonitions will be forgot upon the next opportunity.

I am lounging about the country here, to speak sincerely, as idle
as the day is long. Two old companions of mine, brothers of Mr.
Walker of Wooden, having come to this country, we have renewed a
great intimacy. As they live directly upon the opposite bank of
the river, we have signals agreed upon by which we concert a plan
of operations for the day. They are both officers, and very
intelligent young fellows, and what is of some consequence, have
a brace of fine greyhounds. Yesterday forenoon we killed seven
hares, so you may see how plenty the game is with us. I have
turned a keen duck-shooter, though my success is not very great;
and when wading through the mosses upon this errand, accoutred
with the long gun, a jacket, mosquito trousers, and a rough cap,
I might well pass for one of my redoubted moss-trooper {p.172}