[No address]

My Dearest Life

I received yrs this morning & have enclosed the Sherifs [sic] letter in a frank & directed it for him; I would not indeed my Dearest have you break yr promise with Lord Banff since you could not stay here longer than the time you mention, so that I hope you’ll go there as you intended, and I dare say ’twill be a vast agreeable journey: the Children are all very well, the Nurse only went away yesterday, as Peggie was but then come home. Sandy has been very fretful these few days, one of the two teeth he has got lately is not thoroughly cut, which I fancy is the occasion of it; I saw Mr Dalrymple yesterday afternoon. & on Sunday Mr Hume Johnstone, & Mr Stewart were all so good as to call for me, but I happened to be gone to see Mrs Smollet who sets out next monday for Bonil [Bonhill]; the Sherif [sic] languishes so much for her that his time hangs heavy on him till her arrival. I believe I wrote you My Dearest in my last that Lady Dalkeith had given orders for a Buck [venison] for us, but I declined taking it till I heard from Levenside what was the best way of sending some there, as last yr Mrs Campbell I think said it might have got there fresh enough, when I was regreting [sic] she had not partook of some of it; however Miss Jenny writes me that it is not possible to transport it their length before it spoill [sic], so I had not send it; & as for the calf (which being a quay [heifer] one I thought would have been very acceptable there) she says it is not worth bringing up now so late in the year, so that my good intentions are all rejected with disdain, however, I shall certainly give the Calf to some Body who will value it for tis pity one of so good a kind should be sold; we have very windy weather here just now; I beg when you do cross, that you’ll be cautious in chusing yr time, a good road, & sober Hands, Lord Strichen tells me the Dundee ferry is very unsafe on account of the drunken boat Men. Lord Justice Clerk is one of the gayest & most pleased in his Choice that can be seen, My Lady they say would not consent to marry till he settled Miss Grisy in a fortune, he has settled 5000 £ on the Children of this marriage & a jounter of 140 £ to his widow; Mrs Macgill & Miss drank Tea here yesterday. I have now wrote you all my news. Archie is by & says Mama bid Papa from soon Home, He got a spoonful of Rhubarb for night night [sic] that I think has done him a great deal of good; his couler [sic] is better, and his spirits & appetite very good; Mr Makie takes greatly in this Parish; I have to send twice for the news papers every day before I can get them, I don’t know how they dispose of them, but I am often in danger of losing the post by it. May all thats good evermore attend you My Dearest Jewel. This is from yrs unalterably Grace Campbell
Sept:7th