Dear Sir

The unfortunate Lady was only daughter to the ninth Earl of Caithness, her name Lady Dorothea Sinclair,in the first period of life most promising but now by barbarous treatment of the dirty Lord rendered a pity-able object , being under constant apprehension of resuffering similar insults, she once bore from his hands or artifice; neglected tho' alimented by her base husband she is unhappy & may be often pinched with the extravagant profusion of a thoughtful mother, that pryes upon her.

M^r. John Clerk is a fifth Son of Sir John Clark Baro^t. of Penycuik one of the Late Barons of Exchequer, & Brother to Sir James now of that Stile, he is alive with a numerous family by a Sister of John Adams the eminent adelphi schemer at London, his house in the vicinity of Lasswade, named Eldin, i.e. a vulgar word used in this Country for Fire or the materials kindled or Coal ^he having purchased the underground property, employs many diggers for that vendable commodity.

If you remember in our morning Jaunt passing ^South to Hawthorden we past thro' a small Kirk village which lyes low bordering on the North Esk river, went over ^along the bridge, ascended a steep curvated road, having gain'd this our Course was directly turn'd to the west up the river, we reached Hawthorden two ^miles or somewhat more miles of English measure west of this Village, it is a Scots mile directly west of Dalkeith on the same river which runs by its North side as the South Esk does ^on the South Side of this country Town & both Rivers join in his Grace of Buccleughs Parks or Inclosures East of the Palace. Lasswade is a thoro'fare village for all passengers to Gala, Melrose &^c. five miles South of this: turn up Taylor & Skinners Book of roads South of Edinburgh & you must easily find it out a deep valey between two risings — In this description I've been minutely tedious, as we went out from this by the Lasswade road & returned here again by the Roslin road, for the Chaise was ordered to go back by Lasswade & come up for us at Roslin & stopt on the way to examine the Oily well at S^t. Kathrine's.

I take the Liberty of informing you that Sir James Clerk, his Brother Geo. Clerk Maxwell Esq^r. one of our Comissioners of the Customs, John of Eldin &^c. and even all the daughters of the Family are very remarkable for fine Geniuses in painting, sketching, music &^c. &^c. it gives me great satisfaction that you relish the Etchings, many hundreds of sketches of Views in England, Scotland &^c. he has by him & amuses himself at leisure hours in etching; will endeavour to get what else he may publish to compleat your Collection for which reason he desired me to stitch up the Book in the form sent you & he pasted them on the paper himself ––––– I know many of the Family who are now no more, every on had a Taste peculiarly uncommon in the liberal Arts & mechanicks, M^r. John's children promise to inherit these dispositions; the Knight has no Children but a Patron to every Young Artist, have free access to copy from his fine Collection ^at Pennycuik, many good Originals.

Upon receipt of your Letter I wrote M^r. Donaldson to come Call at M^r. Hixon for a Set of M^r. Cordiners Prints, received no answer from him, but learn some Parcels for me are were put on board a Ship that ought to have been here last Convoy, but thro' the avidity of the Master to get a full Cargo evaded that opportunity, amongst these I hope the prints make one parcel, all are packt up in M^r Donaldson's Bale for his Shop here; these may approach us shortly hence. I am happy that the M.S is advancing apace to you, persuade myself the publication will be acceptable to the public, whenever you can get it superintended.

The late drubbing P. Jones got on the Northumbrian Coast &^c. as reports go (which to the discredit of the times are shamefully double) all fears of such uncourtly visits from such barbarous fellows as him, are now much vanished, yet the Money gatherers to dread the alarm, as our Shore will not every where admit so comfortable a Security as you do in: for my own part having nothing but the inclination & ability to labour for a sustaining pittance. I do the best to keep up my spirits as long as health permits, & expect no insult from the Pyrate, hoping such rough usage will not visit us in my days. ––––– A more shoaking [sic] Scene happened t'other day amongst our new raised Highland Regiment called West Fencibles, of Argyleshire &^c. men which has brought an indelable slur on our Country in general viz.^t. for sedition & rebellion against military discipline &^c. that must for the future put a perpetual & just refusal to the request of a Scots Militia: this is the third insurrection in this place, within so short a period: however real or imaginary the soldiers complaints may have been, I am not able to determine (for our tales handed about are so vague no faith can be given to them) yet must confess that these unhappy dissentions have taken rise from the insidious arts & practises of our low wretched principled commonality upon these unhappy men, with numbers of these evil designing people our place does abound & I wish for the good of the Nation in general no Highland Regiment should ever be quarter'd here again: nay from what I saw & suffered myself in 1745 I shall ever be delicate in ^the allowing Arms & military stores to be too wantonly bestowed on these my wild Countrymen to be used here; they will be under better subjection in foreign parts than at home. It's said this commotion took rise from too high a price demanded for some ^part of their dress as Bonnet, leather pouch or pocket with the hair &^c. or some such triffles [sic]. — Such small matters blow the flame of Insurrection too rapidly violent. — but hope it's now at an end after four of the mutineers got discipline in presence of a number of the Corpse.

I have scarce lookt into the new History of Edinburgh, Arnot the Author, tho' am acquainted with him, yet admired ^him not, his principles do not tally with mine, he is satyrical; profuse, of the reprobate &^c. cast; some praise & others condemn the work; it does not please generaly as he is bitter or sever where he wants an attack, the price is unreasonably dear 25 Shillings for a moderate 4^to. no plates but an indifferent view of the Register Office & a poor plan of the Town, either the self same one done by Armstrong the wretched impostor of a Surveyor, or it's copied from him: if you desire a Copy I beg acceptance of a copy, which shall send to you by the way of London recommended to any one's care you please: I shall some time hence purchase one for myself when the price lowers, he reads more pleasantly than the harsh stonern Maitland, but the later is to be respected for many of his ^old collections which ^are mostly faithfull, these are (am told) mostly overlookt by Arnot

M^{r. Bruce the Abbissinian Traveller} seems of late to be in a torpid state, some of his admirers say he is shut up in composition, others shrewdly tell ^he is an Imposture: I never had access to see any of his drawing, which some admire & others attest he cannot draw; I am at a loss to inform you of his motions, but probably in a month or so I may meet with one of his confidents, from which ^quarter shall gain some hints & will write you. ––––– Should you not have Taylor & Skinner's Scot's Roads by you I shall send you a Copy, but think D^r. Ramsay purposed this several years ago.

I am
D. Sir
Your most obed^t Serv^t.

GPaton

Custom h^o. Edinburgh
13 Oct^r. 1779.

P.S. A catalogue of D^r. Ramsay's Books will make part of a greater Collection for Sale, the prices annexed (which will not be of the moderate line) to each Book: this is preparing at present. it shall be sent in course when it goes to press.