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GB 3452 SF-01-37 · Item · 1755
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Sheriff Depute of Forfarshire
At Forfar

Free
M McMillan

My Dearest Moitié
As this Epistle is begun before I know if the post has brought me a letter from you. I shall proceed without the ordinary introduction of having heard from you etc; and in the first place My Dearest I cant be longer without telling you my uneasiness on account of several dreams I have had concerning you, most of which represented you always as greatly the worse of drink, which I can’t help interpreting literally as Im afraid the way of Life you are in just now will expose you sadly to that pernicious inconvenience; I know that in Perthshire a Stranger cannot escape it; and I’m afraid tis much the same where you are now, so beg my Dear Life you’ll write me if tis so or not for as for my advising you to [?] it that I need not do, as I know yr aversion to it – We have very pleasant weather just now, yesterday was like a day in June, so temptingly fine that it invited me to a walk in the Garden, where I never now think of going without some body comes & forces me into it, Mr Johnstone & I had a sober chat in it for an hour together last Sunday evening, how much lost my Dr would you reckon yr time if past in the same manner, however ’tis been other wise, & if miricles [sic] was not ceased might be again; I was on saturday paying several visits in Town, among others I calld upon Lady Leviston & the young Ladies because twas a place you wanted me to go to, however I had not the good fortune to find any of them at Home; nor indeed any one I calld for, tho’ I made seven visits, so that I should have gone back without coming once out of my Chair if I had not been a little suppersticious [sic] on so uncommon a circumstance & to break the omen went & paid a visit to Mr James Menzies & his Spouse, who I found sitting lovingly together, like the first happy pair; I thought to have congratulated Mrs Campbell augline [sic] that day too, but her being abroad prevented my doing my self that pleasure, he makes her a very fond Husband if it lasts as the saying is, I have over & over again askd Miss Mackeller to come here, but have never seen her yet. Betty Kintire was here to day & I charged her to come & bring her here to dine to morrow which she half promised; Worthly Stewart I’m told is still in Town, & that she has refused the Baron of Buclivie who it seems languish’d so much for her that he is gone to the country quite in low spirits upon her refusal; all the little people are I thank God very well, I call archie Papa’s little picture which is a Name he gives himself very often, & tother day hid himself behind the curtain and askd me where Papa’s little picture was now, he & I are great friends, Peggies being some days away made him take a particular liking to me. I happened to ask him tother day what he would do if I was to die, & he not chusing to answer in ye positive, said – me no laugh if you die Mamma, which I thought showd a very manly spirit in ye youth. Many are the notable sayings I could tell you of him if I had time to recount them all; Dr little Jack too gets the tongue very fast, But Sandy laughs at every Body & keeps his mind to himself. He is doing very well since he lost the breast. I had the favour of a visit last sunday from three of yr acquaintance Mr Johnston, Maxwell, & Dalrymple & Mr Andrew Stewart has been so good as to give the Duchess of Hamilton & Lady Coventry in property, which I think is a great present. I had 15£ offered me for the calf tother day but ev’ry body tells me tis so fine a one, & of so good a kind tis a sin to sell her, so I’m bringing it up, theres a young cow here in Mr Sinclairs park that was calfd at Martinmas & yet is doing vastly well; if I live to go to the country next year she’ll be very useful to me. & yet I’m not sure whether I had not better sell her for all that. this far was wrote before I received yrs Mr Dearest by this days post as you say nothing of yr motions after the 20th I am still doubtful tho I hope you’ll go North as it would not be worth coming over the water for so short a time & I should think my self more solitary afterwards than I do now I am used to it; I had a letter to day from Miss Betty she says they promise themselves a great deal of pleasure on yr arrival, She has some little commissions to go by you but I cant have them ready to send till next weeks Carriers so let me know if they’ll come soon enough to find you at Forfar, for I should not chuse to send them if I was not sure of you carrying them north: I had Miss Mackellar, Betty Kintire & the Eldest Glendaruel dining here to day. Lilly & the young Squire who is now in Town could neither of them come, but the last drank with me, Mr and Mrs Smollet [document damaged] were so good as to see me this afternoon, he is come to conduct her safe to Bonil [Bonhill] whether they go on thursday, the Sherif [sic] is to have the trying of Dick he tells me; all at Levenside were well when he came away & yr Father returnd home I have been amusing my self some times with Madame de Maintenons letters & have transcribed a piece from one of them for your perusal, let me know how you like it, I saw doctor Macfarling [sic] to day his youngest Boy is just gasping his last with [?] the doctor has been here in this neighbourhood twice to day seeing him & gives him quite over for lost. [Damage to document] came a letter to me from one Mr Stewart who wrote [document damage] that you had been applying to get him into the [document damage] you was away beg’d I would use my endeavour [document damage] a vacancy offer’d, to which I answered that I could do nothing as I did not know him, but that I would mention him to you when I wrote upon which he said he would write himself & I bid him send his letter to me which is here enclosed, by is I see you know nothing of his affair tho he pretended he had yr promise of using all your endeavours for him. I have no more to add but the old and true assurance that I am my dearest amiable Moitié yrs unalterably Grace Campbell
Tuesday

Lady Grace Campbell
GB 3452 SF-01-38 · Item · 1755
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Sheriff of Forfar - shire
At Forfar

Free
Mr McMillan

Friday night

My Dearest & most amiable Moitié
I was so pinced in time when I wrote the two last short epistles that I have begun this one to night that I may have time to converse a little longer with you my Dearest Life, tho’ perhaps you maynt thank me for intruding so much upon yr leisure; however I must let you know my beloved moitié that I am already counting the days you have been absent & so long the time appears that I can scarce persuade my self you only left me last monday; I am vastly glad my dr Life that you got yr journey made out so easy, if you had not met so soon with the Sheriff I should have grudged very much yr leaving this so suddenly after the Session set you at Liberty to have pass’d some time with me, who I reckon have not has the least enjoyment of yr Company since we left Levenside. Miss Betty cross’d the water on wednesday & by a letter I have had from her I find Lady Dirlton is not yet arrived nor her coming very soon expected, I was very sorry to let Miss Betty go without we had been quite positive that the Chaise was waiting her at Ld [Lord] Balgrays however she was so sure about that I could not prevail on [document damaged] stay & now she is so good as to write me that she requires her [document damaged] stay as she left me alone. Betty Kintire [sic] has leave for a month [document damaged] continuing here after her Cousins leave this, which wont be till [document damaged] & Mrs Young says without her Mama had given her these orders she cant let her stir suppose they were gone, therefore Bess has to write to her Mama for a particular order to come here, before she can have [?], which will take [?] so much time that I hope my Dearest Jewel you will be returnd before all that can happen so that I have no chance of any abiding Person to keep me Company till yr Dr self arrives, and I hope my dearest you contrive it so as to make a month at this time finish all you have to do & then please god we are all well I’ll make the next northern expedition [document damaged] this way of living; we are all very well, Sandy is wean’d & doing very well hitherto; I have been but one day visiting since you left this which was to see Mrs Smollet & on missing her drank tea with Mrs Donaldson. They say here the Duchess of Gordon is surely married to the Laird of Woodney & Lord Justice Clerk to his favourite widdow [sic] but I have not faith enough for either. I leave the following paper in hopes to have a letter to answer by tomorows post but I would first enquire where Miss Mackeller is to be found – I am disappointed of the pleasure I flatterd myself with last night & besides what was in such despair about you my best loved moitié that I hardly slept a wink while in Bed. Ld & Ly Balgony are both angry at you for neither calling on them or sending in as you pass’d. Yr Sister sends you [?] thence her affectionate compts & I remain My Dearest Life yours jusqu’a La Mort. Grace Campbell
I send some franks that I may have my letters free.

Lady Grace Campbell
GB 3452 SF-01-19 · Item · 1754 August 15
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell of Stonefield Esq
At Inverary [sic]
Argyleshire [sic]

My Dearest Life
My impatience to hear about you made me send to [?] to enquire where he left you, & all he know of you which he was so good as to write me, so I suppose by what he says youd be at Levenside last friday night, & I hope would leave a letter there for me; which I shall expect by tomorrows post; & tho I don’t think that my Epistles are now of that consequence to you, as to make it necessary for me to write thus often, yet from a piece of selfishness as tis a pleasure to me I do it. Good Dear Lord Strichen drank tea with me this afternoon, and askd kindly for you, I had likewise the pleasure of Mrs Menzie’s Company; not to speak of a young Squire that dined with us, so you see my dear Im not quite diserted [sic] in your absence tho’ I own I’m still so much of the romantick opinion as to like no Company so well as yrs, who I hope to have for Life. as I [document damaged] to miss the post I shall only add my best wishes [document damaged] for you My Dearest most beloved Moitié who has in me an unalterable & affectionate wife GC
Aug: 15th.

GB 3452 SF-01-10 · Item · 1754 July 8
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

July 8th [1754]
Monday 12 at night

My Dearest Life I am quite disgruntled with your last, because when I have been feeding up my self all this time with the certainty (barring sickness) of seeing you the week after next, at [?] behold you talk of staying till sometime in August, which must be very uncertain too, for as my Br[other] Mac will No Doubt be very backward to leave Lady Betty, its a great chance how long he may continue at Wentworth Castle; but the very last you wrote me, you said he was expected at Edin[burgh] the twentieth of this month, & what has come in the way Now to make you look for him later; indeed I cant but say My Dearest it vexes me greatly, I thought it was no little resolution in me at our first parting (in a Manner) to have patience so long, but I shall lose all the merit that has gained me, if you prolong yr Stay in this disagreeable unlook’d for way; Indeed my dearest Jewel I must own to you my heart does not go along with that expedition of yours to Lord Ruthvens at all, in the first place Sir Robert and Lady Mary will think you might (if in Perthshire) stay a day or two longer in order to see them, & then what adds to its inexpediency, in my eyes, is the sea you have to cross, which ever way you go, And ’tis most probable you’ll chuse the longest, which to me ’tis a most painful disagreeable thought, & the more so, that I received just now a letter from My dr Lady Jane from Carnarvon, telling me they went by Sea from Chester to that Town for the convenience of it & ease to the Children, but that they had all very near have perish’d which she says has given her a thorough disgust to the sea, as Im sure I have, for ’tis like Death is in the thought of going, or having you My Darling Moitié upon it, so really My Dearest I should be vastly glad if you would put off yr going to Perthshire till we make out that [?] together; tomorrow we go to Rosedue [sic], I shall be longer of going to Halkhead than I thought of since you have alter’d yr time of coming west; I had a most disagreeable dream of poor Ld Strichan to’ther night I wish all may be well with him; not a word yet of Lady Banff which surprises us , Miss Betty is gone to day to Tamouth [sic], & the Old Captain set out for Edin[burgh]; our dr Little folks are well as can be wish’d; archie will quite forget Papa if you stay so long away; Miss Semple is of my opinion that a man & wife can not be very fond of one another if not uneasy in absence, & thinks one can never have enough of a Persons Company that they love, which is precisely my way of thinking too; God almighty bless you My dear sweet Life & grant us a speedy and happy meeting adieu My Dearest
GC
PS When Mr Kerr is at Leisure
I expect more franks

If you go to Perthshire my Dr the Queens ferry road will detain you less time than ’tother, but if you go by Kingorn [sic] I beg you’ll remember to have the boat well man’d, for they say their hands have been much complain’d of, of late; another thing Ive to beg is that youll remember I had twice like to been lost with taking Goales for expedition, tis too broad a passage to venture with such small boats on such an uncertain Element; but I wish of all things you would delay going tis an immense way to go, 50 or 60 miles for one day.

GB 3452 SF-01-25 · Item · 1754 September 7
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

[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

GB 3452 SF-01-14 · Item · 1754 July 23
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To Mr John Campbell Advocate
at his House in the Cowgate
Edin[burgh].

July 23d

I received yours my dearest last night and with infinite pleasure read your order for the Horses, which I have been long wishing for with impatience; My expedition to the Halkhead Ive so often talk’d of & Miss Semple has delay’d her going there so long on that accounting that I cant now my Dearest easily put it off, But all the care imaginable shall be taken to prevent the least accident; Finlay drives very well and I shant forget yr caution as to not fording the water; I am only sorry my Dear Jewel to think you are under any apprehensions about my moving, & if I had been free of this appointment with Miss Semple I should not have gone, not withstanding I promise my self a great deal of pleasure in the jaunt , & don’t know when I shall have another opportunity to be at Halkhead; I think my dear the best way for us is to leave this so soon as to be there by Dinner time, Miss Jenny goes along, and we shall take your Horse too, so that Finlay may go strait from Halkhead to Edin[burgh], & the other horses Matthew will carry back to Levenside, he is grown of late a traveling Governor, having made an expedition to Tay mouth with Miss Betty, & since then has been jaunting about with Miss Semple this week past, so when he has conducted us to Halkhead he’ll have made the round of the Family; Miss Jenny Carrick if she can procure a Horse goes with us; I did not tell yr Mother what you said about training Miss Jenny’s Horse for the Chaise, because yr Sister would not like to have it put to that use, & values the exchange she has made with the Captain particularly as she thinks will secure it to her self, its not being proper for any other business. I hope my Dear Life you have remembered to fill the cellar with coals; if there be a cat in Lady Charles’s I wish she would allow it to hunt in our House, for we shall be quite overrun with Mice especially in the Pantry, which is a vast inconvenience; I’m extremely glad to hear Lady Banf [sic] recovers so well, and hope they propose being here this autumn; My best compts [compliments] to her, and all Lady Dirltons Family. Pray my dr [dear] is Mrs John Carmick in the way of being a mother or not, for they say here she is; the little folks are both very well, Dr [dear] little Archie has not been bath’d yet, but the tub Doctor Gordon bespoke for that use is arrived & so soon [document damaged] you come he shall be put into it, for as [document damaged] you before My Dearest I had not courage in your absence to [?] it; he is certainly as understanding a little fellow as ever was of his age, & really a Child to a wish: the leaders are not for him, but Jenny, who you cant offend more than to take her by her leading strings, but in the fields , theres a necessity for it, for when she trips, to catch [?] hold of her arm would be apt to pull it out of joint, the Captains Horse is apt to scar [sic] going first, so I beg my Dearest youll take care of him; may God send us a happy meeting, which is all from my most amiable moitié yours for ever
GC
[Postscript] I stay here tomorrow in hopes of another letter; I cant think how mine does not reach you regularly for they are always in the post office long before the post gets met.

GB 3452 SF-01-08 · Item · 1754 July 4
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To Mr John Campbell Advocate
At his House in the Cowgate, Edinburgh
Thursday July 4th [1754]

Last night I took my usual post day walk to the foot of the avenue, & was so fortunate there My Dear Sweet Life as to receive yrs of tuesday, which gave me the higher pleasure as I had entertain’d some secret apprehensions about your expedition to Cranston from what reason I don’t know, unless it was from the fear of your engaging with a rash driver or a viscious [sic] Horse, which two things were neither of them impossible, and to a timorous mind very probable; tho’ I know my Dearest Jewel you won’t thank me for taking such a Burden upon me; Im heartily glad to hear of Mrs Campbell Finab’s happy Dilivery [sic]; poor Black Betty has ended her days; while Whitestone was at London, she miscarried 3 or four months gone with Child, & in that condition catch’d cold, which immediately fell upon her Lungs, & has hurried her out of the world in a Gallopping [sic] consumption; the poor man is in great concern; her being with Child gave him vast pleasure, so blindly do short sighted mortals often wish for things that prove in the end their greatest misfortunes; from the experience of which, we should all of us learn to submit our own wills intirely [sic] to that of our unerring Maker, because we May generally observe (as Mr Young says) our very Wishes, give us not our Wish; so much my beloved Moitié for serious considerations; none I am sure has fewer wishes left them, than my self, such infinite reason have I with the utmost thankfulness to acknowledge the peculiar kindness of indulgent Heaven, in the favourable disposition of my Lot - Sir James & Lady Ellan were here last night after having replaced Master at School, Miss Semple, yr Sister Jenny, & I go to Rosedu the beginning of next week, & the week after (if it please God) to Halkhead where I hope My Dearest Life to meet you, the very first of the last week in Jully [sic]; you promised me at parting to return the third week of this month, which I have most impatiently long’d for, and kept an exact account of ev’ry day; if you please My Dearest to enclose to me one or two more of those bits of paper you gave me at parting, in case any unlook’d for expences [sic] may cast up when I’m upon My expeditions from Home. I had a long letter yesterday from my Sister Ruthven, who in the kindest manner bids me remember her to you; Rossie was often with my Br Mackenzie while at London & was to see my Br Bute, who he thinks not at all well, & his Spirits sadly Sunk; youll order Nanny Macgrigor here My Dr the minute you leave Town, for the Nurse wants of all things to be Home, indeed I cant blame her, as the Queen should not keep me so long from My Husband, & she seems to have a great tenderness for hers than is at all common among the country people; we all of us long to hear good [? Document damaged] of Lady Banff; Lady Balgony I fancy is near her reckoning [? Document damaged]. My compts & good wishes attend them both; our little folks are both in quite good health, Archie says papa very often & always looks in the mean time to me with a conscious little laugh, expecting approbation; when he is angry he thrashes all about him, & scolds like anything; The Bailie of Kintires Wife and Daughter are here just now, we have had a good deal of rain here, the Hay in the Avenue is mostly cut down but none in yet; in the clover Park hs been all in above a week, except a little that the rain keeps out yet; Miss Betty begs youll send her Stockings directly by the Carrier to Glasgow. She sets out next week for [?] I forwarded yr letter to the Sheriff the same day I receiv’d it; he leaves Inverary [sic] for Kilhamack tomorrow. Remember me my dr to Ld [?], Ld Banff and good Lady Charles’s Family. & believe My dearest most beloved Moitié you have in me a sincerely fond and faithful little Wify. GC.
Do my dear get me some franks from Mr Kerr.

Campbell, Grace (1722-1783) née Stewart, Lady, wife of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, daughter of James, 2nd Earl of Bute
GB 3452 SF-01-09 · Item · 1754 July 7
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To Mr John Campbell Advocate
at His House in the Cowgate
Edinburgh

Sunday July 7th [1754]

As a burnt child dreads the fire, you may depend upon it my Dearest I shall be very cautious in any expedition I make in your absence, especially as I have the pleasure to know tis a matter of some concern to you My Darling Life; but as I have made those two appointments with Miss Semple to go to Rosedue [sic], & Halkhead, I should not care without you had [?] it, to break them; but we are both timerous [sic] enough so shant take any step that is rash; Finlay drives a great deal better than any of our Drivers, so if the blind Horse be left at Home there is no Danger; it was not indeed any bodys fault but our own its being imploy [sic] to ride by the chaise that day we got the fright, but Miss Betties, & Captains Horse being both so little, we did not chuse to have them; I believe the Captain had not exchanged his Horse for Miss Jennys when you left us, that Bargain was only concluded the night before he went to Inverary [sic]; from whence to our vast astonishment he returned on thursday; what the matter has been, we cant find out, but conclude he has quarred [sic] with the Sheriff, tho’ he pretends he came away about some Law affair of his Brothers, & is to leave this for Edin[burgh] tomorrow; he has a packet to you from yr Father; poor Mrs Deniston Cowgrane was taken ill of a fever lately, and died yesterday; I hope Lady Banff has recovered her cold, for they are bad things to last; your Mama begs My Dearest that you’ll bring her out a silver Snuff-mill, about a guinea value; if you buy it from Kerr, I think he should send a good many franks along with it; that’s a strong kind of accident My Br[other] Mac: has met with, I wish there may be nothing dangerous in it, we still continue to have a good deal of rain so the Hay is still out; a’s [alas?] My Dear My poor Bird is no more, in remembrance of you My Dr sweet Jewel I had a pleasure in letting it out of its cage, which I did always after Breakfast, & it enjoy’d its Liberty till Dinner came, when I used to put it up again, this had made it so tame it eat [sic] out of all our hands, & sat constantly upon my head or Sholder [sic] singing like a little Nightingale; but unfortunately ’tother day I went in a hurry to Dinner, left both Molly & Peggie in the room to put it in its Cage, who instead of that, stupidly trod with a heavy foot upon it, & sent its little soul (according to Pathagoras [sic]) to animate some other Body, tho’ to lessen their fault they told me ’twas Missie trod up on it, be that as it will, my poor Bird survived it but a few hours, & then breath’d its last.
Our Dear little folks are both very well, as every Body here is; who do you think my Dearest was here for a [?] yesterday but yr Clerk Mr Stewart I declare I could scarce keep from bursting out a laughing when I saw him, remembering the conversation we had about him, & the large appointments he has by this title of yr Clerk; Miss Semple returns her compts [compliments] and enquires always very kindly about you, she is really a sensible good Girl; I have no more to add but the subject of my daily prayer, that God may bless you with his almighty favour both here and hereafter, & continue you in the world till it shall please him to remove me out of it; adieu my most beloved & Dearest Moitié GC

GB 3452 SF-01-27 · Item · No date
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Sheriff Depute of Angus Shire
at Perth
Free
M. McMillan

My Dearest Life
I received yrs by this days post which is the third I have had; the other two I answerd by the same post they came to me. We are tollerably [sic] well here, Archie however since Tuesday the day I wrote last has had these heats & colds as before with a foulness in his tongue but he is very [?] & eats well enough, I thought indeed as he had been a week free of any complaints & lookd so well that all his disorder was removed, he is now paler again as he used to be; the Doctor saw him yesterday & is to give him the second doze of the Rhu: [rhubarb] & Mercury, & thinks that, with the [?] of the [?] & goats milk, will restore him quite; the sops is left off for a little; poor little Jackie has been drooping these two or three days, he has one tooth yet not quite out, if ’tis that, or a slow fever, or measles I don't know, but there is something hangs about him, the other two are quite well & we think it only teeth ails Jack; I beg my dr youll send the order on the bank, both for Cash to me and payment of yr Sisters acct [account] to Mrs Seton, I see they think it odd yr doing otherwise. I have been making great inquiry about a Maid for the Nursery, but [document damaged] none with tollerable [sic] character so I wish if any [document damaged] Ladies in Angus could recommend one from [document damaged] that they would do it their vices here are almost [document damaged] I want one that could keep Jack & was fit to wean [document damaged] young child who could sow [sic] their cloths [sic] well, & wash [document damaged] iron; & perfectly good natured. the one who Mrs [document damaged] engaged at Levenside she writes was engaged tho I don't know what she can mean for the same letter that mentiond peggies being to go to Levenside desired the one Mrs Campbell had got for the children to be hired for us. Do write immediately if you hear of any for I would send for one to some other Country Place without loss of time. My Br Mackenzie I saw for a [?] yesterday, he goes North I believe on Monday. I find Lady Banff is much in the same way that I was but not in so much danger. Many are dying just now of Fevers; if ‘twas as easy to be prepared for next world as to be weand from this one, I should not if twas Gods will care much to be among the number. I hope you are quite well & I am My Dearest yrs - G Campbell.

Campbell, Grace (1722-1783) née Stewart, Lady, wife of John Campbell, Lord Stonefield, daughter of James, 2nd Earl of Bute
GB 3452 SF-01-20 · Item · 1754
Part of Campbell of Stonefield Papers

To John Campbell Esq
Advocate at

My Dearest Life
I had the pleasure of yr most welcome Epistle by this days post but not a word yet of your moving which Im surprised at, as it draws so nigh the twentieth when you talkd of being here for some tryal, not that I can hear of any and I have been asking all the Lawyers I have seen about it. The Races or Diversions are going on evry day tho’ since Sunday I have not seen a Soul, for early on Monday morning Miss Mailly left this to go to Strathers [sic] the report of Miss Bettys coming made her write sooner than she proposed for her Horses, for She told me she intended to have waitted [sic] yr return, but that she thought yr Sister would have occasion to occupy her appartment [sic], & regretted much her going when she understood where Miss Betty was to put up, but the Horses were summoned, so there was no help for it. I saw yr Sister & Lady Dolly for a start & Sunday evening I forgot My Dearest to write you in my last that the poor old Captain is departed this Life; he died this day sevenight [sic], I heard say he recovered his senses, but I don’t know if it was so, only this I know that if he died as he lived, it fills me with the utmost horror to think of the lost [?] condition that his wretched Soul is now in for an endless eternity; tis really quite shocking to think of it, but the mercy of God thro Christ is infinite, & I hope poor Creature he has found Grace tho’ at the last, to ask it. I’m vastly pleased My Dr Life to hear you pass your time so agreeably, but dont forget among so many gay & agreeable Persons that you’r engaged elsewhere; I heard this day from yr Sister Jenny, all at Levenside are well, I design to enclose this to her, as she’ll know where you are. I proposed My scheme of Nursing to the Doctor he seems to have no objections but the risk one runs of catching cold which is an objection every Body tho’ ever so robust might have. I was interrupted here by the arrival of Appin & the young Bailly of Jura who has been drinking Tea with me. the last tells me the Commissioners promises are like to come to nothing, for he says now he cant serve him, the opposition he finds is so strong against him. I hope my Dr Life to see you this week notwithstanding you dont say any thing of it; in the mean time I remain my best Loved Moitié
Yr sincerest Friend as
well as Dutiful Wife
Grace Campbell.
Tuesday 18th