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