family in perfect health, and I sincerely assure you and them of my kindest respects and humble service. I have sent in the bearer for my post letters, which I entreat you despatch as soon as possible, with any other news you have in town. I got so much cold by going out yesterday, with the easterly winds, and by dining in the High Dining-Room, that I had the ague all night, and I am just now going to take a vomit. I hope you have delivered my commission to Mr Grant. I shall long to hear from you. And I am, with a sincere esteem and regard, dear Cousin Duncan, Your most obedient and most faithful humble servant, Beaufort, 23rd June 1740. (Signed) LOVAT. Send 1s. 6d. more of farthings per bearer. The fifth letter is the scroll of one from Duncan Fraser, to Lord Lovat, within which the letters were found wrapped up. It is without date, but the reference to Mr Speaker Onslow's reelection for the third time, fixes it to have been written in December 1741; also the reference to the numbers prayed for in church, shows that it was written on a Sunday. It will be observed that though Mr Fraser gives gossip, which he knew would please his lordship, yet he knows, though so familiarly treated in the letters, his own position, and addresses Lord Lovat with every respect. I cannot throw light on the identity of the Doctor and Miss Stewart who are mentioned; and the reference to the Duke of Hamilton, through an undecipherable word, is obscure. No date (December 1741 ?) My Lord, I am honoured with your Lordship's. Am con cerned you passed last night so ill. But hope the doctor will re move all such, as well as recover your legs, and continue your good spirits, which with your perfect health and happiness I sincerely pray. The King's speech is here enclosed as in a Tuesday's Evening Couraut. The Speaker is a third time placed in his chair. I saw Miss Stewart last night at the Modists (Modistes ?) and told her my surprise at her departure from your Lordship's, upon the doctor's appearance, to which she made the same answer your Lordship wrote me of the other, which I would fain take to be ominous. Considering they will probably meet at your Lordship's ere the ensuing merry days are over, when I persuade myself your Lordship will not miss to egg the proper parties pro ceeding, so as to make him quit making one of the number of your country bachelors. I am concerned for the sad melancholy - * of D. Hamilton. We had 63 prayed for, this day. The sixth letter, dated 7th February 1742, is highly amusing, and shows the unhappy position of his Lordship, when the youth Maclean who shaved him, ran off. He complains that though he has 18 to 20 men servants, no one was qualified to shave him.— My Dear Cousin Duncan,—I hope this will find you and your honest father and mother, and all the family in perfect health, and I sincerely assure you and them of my affectionate humble service. That lazy, light-headed rascall, John Maclean, has behaved so insolently and impertinently for this long while past, that I was determined to keep him no longer than till Whitsunday next in my family. But some capricious whim having seized him, he left my service this day without the least provocation, and I am resolved that he shall never put a razor on my face again. I have wrote to Edinburgh myself, and my secretary has wrote to Aberdeen to get me a riding footman that can shave and dress, but as I have not among eighteen or twenty men servants any one that can shave me till I get a new servant, I entreat, my dear cousin Duncan, that you will find out some boy in Inverness that will come out with the bearer, or to-morrow evening, and if he pleases me I will keep him till I get another servant, and if he is inclined to stay with me, I will perhaps engage him to serve me as riding footman. I don't think you can miss to find some lad that will be fit for my purpose amongst your barbers in town, and I shall pay him thankfully for his pains. If you will be so kind as to do me the favour to come out here to see me on Tuesday, I will send in my own pad early on Tuesday morning for you, and you will bring my post letters along with you. But if the day be as bad as this day is, I must delay the pleasure of seeing till a better day. William, Culmiln's son, who came in to see me an hour ago, says that this is the worst day that came this winter. Jenny, and the Chamberlain and his wife, and Mr Baillie, and Gortuleg, who are all here, joins with me in making you our affectionate compliments. And I am, without reserve, my dear Duncan, Your most affectionate cousin and faithful slave, (Signed) Beaufort, 6th and 7th February 1742. * Word illegible. LOVAT. The seventh and last, dated 21st November 1743, is addressed to the Laird of Mackintosh, and the politeness of the courtier is here seen to its full. It is sad to think that so soon after its date, such trouble fell on his Lordship and the Earl of Cromarty. At this time, 1743, Simon states there was nothing but "mirth and affection," and that the Earl and Doctor Fraser "were enough to make a hundred rejoice if they were in company." My Dear Laird of Mackintosh,—It gave me vast joy to know by Invercauld and Dunie that you and the worthy Lady Mackintosh, and dear Miss Farquharson, are in perfect health. I pray God it may long continue. There is no man on earth wishes it better, and I humbly beg leave to assure you and the good Lady Mackintosh and Miss Farquharson of my most affectionate, humble duty, best respects, and good wishes, in which my son joins me. I owe my dear Lady Mackintosh ten million of thanks for doing me the honour to engage her lovely brother, the young Laird of Invercauld, to see me in this little hut. His visit has given me vast pleasure, and I have enjoined my son to live in great friendship with him all his life. He will make the prettiest gentleman that ever was called Farquharson, which I wish from the bottom of my heart. I was so lucky as to have here the Earl of Cromarty, and Lord Macleod, his son, and his governor, and Dr Fraser, when Invercauld came here. They are all still here, except Lord Macleod, who is gone to Edinburgh to his colleges. I never saw more delightful company than they have been and continue so. The Earl and Dr Fraser are enough to make a hundred rejoice if they were in company. There was nothing but mirth and affection among us. Dunie will do me justice that I drank your health and the good Lady Mackintoshes, as a family health, every day, and when the toast went round Lady Mackintosh and Miss Farquharson were not forgot. I am sorry that young Invercauld is so pressed with time, that he could not stay two or three weeks to make up a thorough acquaintance with my son, that they might contract such a friendship as would last all their days after I am dead and gone. But I hope after this their acqaintance won't be to make whatever they meet. I I beg my dear Laird of Mackintosh that you may do me the honour to let me hear from you once every week or ten days, that may know how you and the good Lady Mackintosh and Miss Farquharson do. You have only to send your letters to Duncan Fraser's by any person that comes to Inverness, and I will send my letter to him for you, so that we may correspond without your having the trouble of sending a servant to Beaufort, or my sending one to Moyhall, unless some extraordinary thing happen. We expect great news by this post. If I have anything extraordinary, I will acquaint you. I pray God preserve our friends, and restore the liberties of our country, and I am, with a most uncommon esteem, attachment, and respect, my dear Laird of Mackintosh, your most obedient and most faithful, humble servant, and most affectionate cousin, (Signed) LOVAT. Beaufort, 21st November 1743. Altogether, these letters show Simon to have been kindly, hospitable, and charitable; for it must be presumed that the lot of farthings he wished, were intended for wandering beggars—a class he used to converse with when he met them. I have the good fortune of possessing several other letters from Lord Lovat; also a volume, "Crawfurd's Officers of State," which was in his library, with his book-plate, wherein part of his designation is "Governour of Inverness." It has also on an early blank page, a long holograph note in Latin. Books with his plate are rare, as the Castle and whole contents were utterly destroyed by fire by the Hanoverian troops immediately after the Battle of Culloden. MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. HONORARY CHIEFTAINS. Sir Kenneth S. Mackenzie of Gairloch, Bart. Colin Chisholm, Namur Cottage, Inverness. Alex. Nicolson, M.A., LL.D., advocate, sheriff-substitute, Kirkcudbright. Rev. Thomas Maclauchlan, LL.D., Edinburgh. LIFE MEMBERS. Burgess, Peter, factor for Glenmoriston, Drumnadrochit. Ferguson, R. C. Munro, of Novar, M.P., Fletcher, J. Douglas, yr. of Rosehaugh. Fraser-Mackintosh, Charles, of Drummond, M.P. Macdonald, Lachlan, of Skaebost, Skye. Mackay, Donald, Gampola, Kandy, Ceylon. Mackay, George F., Roxburgh, Otago, New Zealand. Mackay, John, C.E., Hereford. Mackay, John, of Ben Reay, Herriesdale, Dalbeattie. Mackenzie, Sir Kenneth S., of Gairloch, Bart. Mackenzie, Allan R., yr. of Kintail. Scobie, Captain N., late of Fearn, Ross-shire. HONORARY MEMBERS. Anderson, James, solicitor, Inverness. Blackie, Emeritus Professor John Stuart, Edinburgh. Burgess, Alexander, Caledonian Bank, Gairloch. Cameron, Donald, Woodville, Nairn. Cameron, Ewen, manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Company, at Shanghai. |