“R.Right R.Reverend &and D.Dear S.Sir A thousand Thanks for your
most obliging &and quick Return with the Co-
py of the Short Account of Dr Hickes’s
Life, which ^is indeed a very valuable Ac-
quisition, &and will equally gratifiegratify our
worthy Friend Mr Bowdler as well as
myself. The Copy of the Proof of the
Validity of King Charles the First’s
Baptism is likewise a very valua-
ble &and welcome Curiosity, &and you have
my best Thanks for it. I wish I were
able to make a Suitable Acknowledgment.

As to the Author of the Commentary &and Pa-
raphrase, I am apt to suspect you are upon
a wrong Scent; for, if I am not greatly mistaken,
the party imagined has neither that Cor-
rectness &and Elegance of Style, nor the
Qualification of Languages to be equal
to such a performance. There may be,

perhaps, a little Smattering of Hebrew,
&and of Greek surely less; but as I con-
fess myself perfectly in the dark,
shall say no more. Wonders may a-
rise, &and I may be found really mis-
taken, &and the Misnah &and Gemarah
may have been studied where I little
suspected; tho’though Genius ^there certainly is.

Poor OS”Ean, I am sorry for him!
He has been sometimes in my Thoughts,
&and I confess I have had an Inclination
to allow the poor ￡5: per Annum
myself, but it cannot be done now.

‘TisIt is not long since I heard of Peggie.
She &and her Companion were both well,
&and lived in Splendor.

Your Anecdotes concerning Dr Bluff
are curious enough; but he is incorri-
gibly nasty; so we shall throw him
aside for the present.

War is now lighted up in America,
God only knows where it will end.
R—l &and agtagainst R—l, tho’though it be
melancholy to think.

I was concerned to hear you say you
were wearied with scribbling, &and to think
so free &and kind a Scribe had so much
upon his Hands. But ‘tisit is time to think
of my wearying with my Scribble, so
with our best Respects &and every kind Wish
to you &and good Mrs Forbes, shall conclude
Yours ever faithfully &and affectionately
RRobert
GGordon.”