[It is supposed that the warmth of the lover came in this letter to
the aid of the imagination of the poet, in his account of Charlotte
Hamilton.
the aid of the imagination of the poet, in his account of Charlotte
Hamilton.
Robert Forst
I left Auld Reekie yesterday
morning, and have passed, besides by-excursions, Linlithgow,
Borrowstouness, Falkirk, and here am I undoubtedly. This morning I
knelt at the tomb of Sir John the Graham, the gallant friend of the
immortal Wallace; and two hours ago I said a fervent prayer, for Old
Caledonia, over the hole in a blue whinstone, where Robert de Bruce
fixed his royal standard on the banks of Bannockburn; and just now,
from Stirling Castle, I have seen by the setting sun the glorious
prospect of the windings of Forth through the rich carse of Stirling,
and skirting the equally rich carse of Falkirk. The crops are very
strong, but so very late, that there is no harvest, except a ridge or
two perhaps in ten miles, all the way I have travelled from Edinburgh.
I left Andrew Bruce and family all well. I will be at least three
weeks in making my tour, as I shall return by the coast, and have many
people to call for.
My best compliments to Charles, our dear kinsman and fellow-saint; and
Messrs. W. and H. Parkers. I hope Hughoc is going on and prospering
with God and Miss M'Causlin.
If I could think on anything sprightly, I should let you hear every
other post; but a dull, matter-of-fact business, like this scrawl, the
less and seldomer one writes, the better.
Among other matters-of-fact I shall add this, that I am and ever shall
be,
My dear Sir,
Your obliged,
R. B.
* * * * *
LXXVII.
TO GAVIN HAMILTON, ESQ.
[It is supposed that the warmth of the lover came in this letter to
the aid of the imagination of the poet, in his account of Charlotte
Hamilton. ]
_Stirling, 28th August_, 1787.
MY DEAR SIR,
Here am I on my way to Inverness. I have rambled over the rich,
fertile carses of Falkirk and Sterling, and am delighted with their
appearance: richly waving crops of wheat, barley, &c. , but no harvest
at all yet, except, in one or two places, an old wife's ridge.
Yesterday morning I rode from this town up the meandering Devon's
banks, to pay my respects to some Ayrshire folks at Harvieston. After
breakfast, we made a party to go and see the famous Caudron-linn, a
remarkable cascade in the Devon, about five miles above Harvieston;
and after spending one of the most pleasant days I ever had in my
life, I returned to Stirling in the evening. They are a family, Sir,
though I had not any prior tie; though they had not been the brother
and sisters of a certain generous friend of mine, I would never forget
them. I am told you have not seen them these several years, so you can
have very little idea of what these young folks are now. Your brother
is as tall as you are, but slender rather than otherwise; and I have
the satisfaction to inform you that he is getting the better of those
consumptive symptoms which I suppose you know were threatening him.
His make, and particularly his manner, resemble you, but he will still
have a finer face. (I put in the word _still_ to please Mrs.
Hamilton. ) Good sense, modesty, and at the same time a just idea of
that respect that man owes to man, and has a right in his turn to
exact, are striking features in his character; and, what with me is
the Alpha and the Omega, he has a heart that might adorn the breast of
a poet! Grace has a good figure, and the look of health and
cheerfulness, but nothing else remarkable in her person. I scarcely
ever saw so striking a likeness as is between her and your little
Beenie; the mouth and chin particularly.
morning, and have passed, besides by-excursions, Linlithgow,
Borrowstouness, Falkirk, and here am I undoubtedly. This morning I
knelt at the tomb of Sir John the Graham, the gallant friend of the
immortal Wallace; and two hours ago I said a fervent prayer, for Old
Caledonia, over the hole in a blue whinstone, where Robert de Bruce
fixed his royal standard on the banks of Bannockburn; and just now,
from Stirling Castle, I have seen by the setting sun the glorious
prospect of the windings of Forth through the rich carse of Stirling,
and skirting the equally rich carse of Falkirk. The crops are very
strong, but so very late, that there is no harvest, except a ridge or
two perhaps in ten miles, all the way I have travelled from Edinburgh.
I left Andrew Bruce and family all well. I will be at least three
weeks in making my tour, as I shall return by the coast, and have many
people to call for.
My best compliments to Charles, our dear kinsman and fellow-saint; and
Messrs. W. and H. Parkers. I hope Hughoc is going on and prospering
with God and Miss M'Causlin.
If I could think on anything sprightly, I should let you hear every
other post; but a dull, matter-of-fact business, like this scrawl, the
less and seldomer one writes, the better.
Among other matters-of-fact I shall add this, that I am and ever shall
be,
My dear Sir,
Your obliged,
R. B.
* * * * *
LXXVII.
TO GAVIN HAMILTON, ESQ.
[It is supposed that the warmth of the lover came in this letter to
the aid of the imagination of the poet, in his account of Charlotte
Hamilton. ]
_Stirling, 28th August_, 1787.
MY DEAR SIR,
Here am I on my way to Inverness. I have rambled over the rich,
fertile carses of Falkirk and Sterling, and am delighted with their
appearance: richly waving crops of wheat, barley, &c. , but no harvest
at all yet, except, in one or two places, an old wife's ridge.
Yesterday morning I rode from this town up the meandering Devon's
banks, to pay my respects to some Ayrshire folks at Harvieston. After
breakfast, we made a party to go and see the famous Caudron-linn, a
remarkable cascade in the Devon, about five miles above Harvieston;
and after spending one of the most pleasant days I ever had in my
life, I returned to Stirling in the evening. They are a family, Sir,
though I had not any prior tie; though they had not been the brother
and sisters of a certain generous friend of mine, I would never forget
them. I am told you have not seen them these several years, so you can
have very little idea of what these young folks are now. Your brother
is as tall as you are, but slender rather than otherwise; and I have
the satisfaction to inform you that he is getting the better of those
consumptive symptoms which I suppose you know were threatening him.
His make, and particularly his manner, resemble you, but he will still
have a finer face. (I put in the word _still_ to please Mrs.
Hamilton. ) Good sense, modesty, and at the same time a just idea of
that respect that man owes to man, and has a right in his turn to
exact, are striking features in his character; and, what with me is
the Alpha and the Omega, he has a heart that might adorn the breast of
a poet! Grace has a good figure, and the look of health and
cheerfulness, but nothing else remarkable in her person. I scarcely
ever saw so striking a likeness as is between her and your little
Beenie; the mouth and chin particularly.
