No. 37.

TO MR. WALKER, BLAIR OF ATHOLE.

MY DEAR SIR,

Inverness, 5th Dec. 1787.

I HAVE just time to write the fort going, and to tell you that it was (at least most part of it) the effusion of an half-hour I spent at Bruar. I do not mean it was extempore, for I have endeavoured to brush it up as well as Mr. N-'s chat, and the jogging of the chaise would allow. It eases my heart a good deal, as rhyme is the coin with which a poet pays his debts of honour or gratitude. What I owe to the noble family of Athole, of the first kind, I shall ever proudly boast; what I owe of the last, so help me God in my hour of need! I shall never forget.

The little angel-band! I declare I prayed for them very sincerely to-day at the Fall of Fyers. I shall never forget the fine family piece I saw at Blair: the amiable, the truly noble duchess, with her smiling little seraph in her lap, at the head of the table: the lovely olive plants,' as the Hebrew bard finely says, round the happy mother: the beautiful Mrs. G-; the lovely sweet Miss. C. &c. I wish I had the powers of Guido to do them justice! My Lord Duke's kind hospitalitymarkedly kind indeed. Mr. G- of F-'s charms

The Humble Petition of Bruar-Water to the duke of Athole. See Poems, p. 217.

In

of conversation-Sir W. M-'s friendship. short, the recollection of all that polite, agreeable company raises an honest glow in my bosom.

No. 38.

TO MR. GILBERT BURNS.

Edinburgh, 17th Sept. 1787.

MY DEAR BROTHER,

I ARRIVED here safe yesterday evening, after a tour of twenty-two days, and travelling near six hundred miles, windings included. My farthest stretch was about ten miles beyond Inverness. I went thro' the heart of the Highlands by Crieff, Taymouth, the famous seat of lord Breadalbane, down the Tay, among cascades and druidical circles of stones, to Dunkeld, a seat of the duke of Athole; thence cross Tay and up one of his tributary streams to Blair of Athole, another of the duke's seats, where I had the honour of spending nearly two days with his grace and family thence many miles through a wild country, among cliffs grey with eternal snows, and gloomy savage glens, till I crossed Spey and went down the stream through Strathspey, so famous in Scottish music; Badenoch, &c. till I reached Grant Castle, where I spent half a day with Sir James Grant and family; and then crossed the country for Fort George, but called by the way at Cawdor, the ancient seat of Macbeth; there I

saw the identical bed, in which tradition says king Duncan was murdered: lastly from Fort George to Inverness.

I returned by the coast, through Nairn, Forres, and so on, to Aberdeen; thence to Stonehive, where James Burness, from Montrose, met me by appointment. I spent two days among our relations, and found our aunts Jean and Isabel still alive, and hale old women. John Caird, though born the same year with our father, walks as vigorously as I can: they have had several letters from his son in New York. William Brand is likewise a stout old fellow; but further particulars I delay till I see you, which will be in two or three weeks. The rest of my stages are not worth rehearsing: warm as I was from Ossian's country, where I had seen his very grave, what cared I for fishing-towns or fertile carses? I slept at the famous Brodie of Brodie's one night, and dined at Gordon Castle next day with the duke, duchess, and family. I am thinking to cause my old mare to meet me, by means of John Ronald, at Glasgow, but you shall hear farther from me before 1 leave Edinburgh. My duty and many compliments from the north to my mother; and my brotherly compliments to the rest. I have been trying for a birth for William, but am not likely to be successful. Farewell.