N: B: When Captain Roy Mac-
Donald honoured me with his first
Visit (JanryJanuary 9th, 1748) he was pleased
to inform me, that, in his melancho-
ly Hours, he had scribbled a latinLatin
Poem, the wounded Foot being
the Subject of it. I begged to be
favoured with a Sight of it, and
that he would leave it with me
for some few Days; which he
granted. When he returned to
me (JanryJanuary 12th) I told him, I was
exceedingly well pleased with the
Performance, &and that I would take
it as a very great Favour, if he
would give me a fair Transcript
of it in his own Hand-writing.
He then told me, that he had writ
another Poem in Latin, as his La-
ment after the Battle of Culloden,
&and that he would make me a Present of 778 (778)
of Copies of both the Poems in his
own Hand-writing; but he insisted,
that the Poems should first be exami-
ned &and corrected. To this I replied,
that, for my own Part, I had far []
rather have them ^just as they had come
from his own Hands. When he re-
turned to me (JanryJanuary 15th) he present-
ed me with the Copies ^as he had promis-
ed, which are to be found among
my Papers, &and of which follow ex-
act Transcripts. Mean time, the Cap-
tain still insisted, that they should
be examined &and have their Blemish-
es pointed out &and corrected. I told
him, I had much rather have ymthem
in that very Dress, in which he had
scribbled them, when skulking &and
wandering among the Mountains,
the Rocks &and Caves of Sky, than to
have them put into the Hands of
the most judicious Critic in Europe
for his Animadversions &and Correcti-
ons. I asked the Captain, at which
of the Universities he had studied?
He told me, he had never been
at any University, but had read
only under the Direction of one Mr
John MacPherson, a noted Schoolmaster in 779 (779)
in the Isle of Sky, who died about
fifteen Years ago. The Captain
brought to EdrEdinburgh that Latin Poem,
which is printed in the Scots Magaz-
ine for December, 1747, from the
Hands of the Author, Mr John
MacPherson, presbyterian Preacher
at Sleat in Sky, &and Nephew to the
aforesaid Schoolmaster.

Let the Performances of Donald
Roy MacDonald, in his cripple &and
skulking Condition, speak for them-
selves.