Upon the 13th instant, after dispatch-
ing a packet for you under Cover of Bob
Keith’s Frank,1 there came to hand a
Frank, well stuff’dstuffed with two News-
Papers, but without any Letter. How-
ever, methinks, I can well guess the
friendly Hand that transmitted them;
for which entertaining Favor ten thou-
sand Thanks. What will all this un-
common, unparallel’dunparallelled Boldness end in?
Such Things, bordering upon Treason,
used, even in my Time, to be tried judi-
cially, if not criminally. But now, Tame-
ness &and Forbearance do take place. They
are attended with one Effect, To let yethe
World know, that such a Family do
still exist. I have not been idle with
these rare Curiosities of interspers-
ed Paragraphs, having exhibited ymthem
to the Hearing of several persons,
whose risible Faculties were fully
exercised; &and I have not yet done wtwith
my Circle of Information. —— The
other Day one of the Name of Bruce
was with me, with kind ComplimtsCompliments
from you, &and telling me your De-
sire to have any more Songs that
may happen to be among the next
noble ORDER of the ROYAL OAK.
A new One has been lately com-
posed, but is not yet in Print. How 2063 (2063)
soon it is so, you shall have it.

Lately, a Scots Gentleman, Son
of a noble Family, &and Captain of a
Ship of War in Britain, happening
to be at R---[ome], chanced to see
the fairest FAIR, whom he ad-
mired greatly. “But, said he, I had
“rather see the Husband.” “O! said
one in the Company, “you may see
“him, if you’ll go with me at Night to
“the Opera.” Done accordingly. No sooner
was the Scots Gentleman seated, than
the Husband, happening to turn his Eye
to that Corner, said to one in his
Company, “I will lay any Wager, that
“the Gentleman in such a Box, is a
“Scotsman.”—— “How is it possible for
“you to know that?”—— “From his Face,
“tho’though I am sure, I never saw him
“before.”—— To make sure Work
on’ton it, he made up to the Gentleman,
&and begged Leave to ask him a civil
Question.—— “You are extremely wel-
“come, Sir.”—— “Are not you a Scots
“Gentleman?”—— “Yes, Sir, I am.”—
Then, pointing to One at some
Distance, “Is that your Servant?”
—— “Yes, Sir, he is.”—— “How long
“has he been with you?”——— “For
“several Years. He was in our Fa-
“mily, before I could have any Use for 2064 (2064) “him.”—— “I think, I know him. I can re-
“collect his Face.”— “It is impossible.
“How can that be? as he was never out
“of Britain, till he came abroad wtwith me.”
—— Then, turning to the Servant, “Pray,
“Friend, did not you deliver a Letter to
“ne at Falkirk upon such a Day?”——
“Yes, Sir, I had the Honour so to do.”——
This made the Captain all Attention &and
astonishment!— After this, address-
ing the CapnCaptain once more, he asked, if
he knew such &and such Families, &and
made particular Inquiry about their
Welfare.—— The Captain said, he knew
them all very well, &and that they were
all in good Health, when he left Scot-
land.— This singular Interview
struck so deep into the Mind of the
CapnCaptain, that he wrote the whole of
it to his Mother, much in the same
Terms with the Above, telling Her,
that, as he knew their Family had
an Attachment to ———, he thought,
such an Intelligence &and Narrative
would not prove disagreeable.

All this makes good what John
Rattray, Surgeon, used to say of the
Husband, “that he was One of the great-
“est Discernment he ^had ever conversed wtwith,
“for that he never saw a Face, but what
“he could know &and recollect, afterwards, at 2065 (2065) “first Sight.”

After writing as above, yours of 17th in-
stant comes to hand. Alas! alas! for your
poor prospect at Spring grove. God help; for
vain is the Help of Man. A good Journey,
&and a happy Return. Commending You, your
dearest Friend, &and all your Concerns, to God,
&and his gracious Care &and Keeping,