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ou　here；　you　might　learn　something　from　one　or　other；　or　from　both；　that；　might　throw　light　on　your　birth　and　parentage。　　You　will　not；　surely；　prefer　an　idle　whim　to　the　prospect　which　is　thus　held　out　to　you？

I　would；　agreeably　to　the　hint　I　have　received　in　the　young　lady's　letter　（for　I　am　confident　that　such　is　her　condition）；　have　ere　now　been　with　you　to　urge　these　things；　instead　of　pouring　them　out　upon　paper。　　But　you　know　that　the　day　for　my　trials　is　appointed；　I　have　already　gone　through　the　form　of　being　introduced　to　the　examinators；　and　have　gotten　my　titles　assigned　me。　　All　this　should　not　keep　me　at　home；　but　my　father　would　view　any　irregularity　upon　this　occasion　as　a　mortal　blow　to　the　hopes　which　he　has　cherished　most　fondly　during　his　life；　viz。　my　being　called　to　the　bar　with　some　credit。　　For　my　own　part；　I　know　there　is　no　great　difficulty　in　passing　these　formal　examinations；　else　how　have　some　of　our　acquaintance　got　through　them？　　But；　to　my　father；　these　formalities　compose　an　august　and　serious　solemnity；　to　which　he　has　long　looked　forward；　and　my　absenting　myself　at　this　moment　would　wellnigh　drive　him　distracted。　　Yet　I　shall　go　altogether　distracted　myself；　if　I　have　not　an　instant　assurance　from　you　that　you　are　hastening　hither。　　Meanwhile　I　have　desired　Hannah　to　get　your　little　crib　into　the　best　order　possible。　　I　cannot　learn　that　my　father　has　yet　written　to　you；　nor　has　he　spoken　more　of　his　communication　with　Birrenswork；　but　when　I　let　him　have　some　inkling　of　the　dangers　you　are　at　present　incurring；　I　know　my　request　that　you　will　return　immediately　will　have　his　cordial　support。

Another　reason　yetI　must　give　a　dinner；　as　usual；　upon　my　admission；　to　our　friends；　and　my　father；　laying　aside　all　his　usual　considerations　of　economy；　has　desired　it　may　be　in　the　best　style　possible。　　Come　hither　then；　dear　Darsie！　　or；　I　protest　to　you；　I　shall　send　examination；　admission…dinner；　and　guests　to　the　devil；　and　come；　in　person；　to　fetch　you　with　a　vengeance。　　Thine；　in　much　anxiety；　　　　A。　F。




LETTER　IX

ALEXANDER　FAIRFORD；　W。S。；　TO　MR。　DARSIE　LATIMER

DEAR　MR。　DARSIE；　Having　been　your　FACTOR　LOCO　TUTORIS　or　rather；　I　ought　to　say；　in　correctness　（since　I　acted　without　warrant　from　the　court）；　your　NEGOTIORUM　GESTOR；　that　connexion　occasions　my　present　writing。　　And　although　having　rendered　an　account　of　my　intromissions；　which　have　been　regularly　approved　of；　not　only　by　yourself　（whom　I　could　not　prevail　upon　to　look　at　more　than　the　docket　and　sum　total）；　but　also　by　the　worthy　Mr。　Samuel　Griffiths　of　London；　being　the　hand　through　whom　the　remittances　were　made；　I　may；　in　some　sense；　be　considered　as　to　you　FUNCTUS　OFFICIO；　yet　to　speak　facetiously；　I　trust　you　will　not　hold　me　accountable　as　a　vicious　intromitter；　should　I　still　consider　myself　as　occasionally　interested　in　your　welfare。　　My　motives　for　writing；　at　this　time；　are　twofold。

I　have　met　with　a　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　a　gentleman　of　very　ancient　descent；　but　who　hath　in　time　past　been　in　difficulties；　nor　do　I　know　if　his　affairs　are　yet　well　redd。　　Birrenswork　says　that　he　believes　he　was　very　familiar　with　your　father；　whom　he　states　to　have　been　called　Ralph　Latimer　of　Langcote　Hall；　in　Westmoreland；　and　he　mentioned　family　affairs；　which　it　may　be　of　the　highest　importance　to　you　to　be　acquainted　with；　but　as　he　seemed　to　decline　communicating　them　to　me；　I　could　not　civilly　urge　him　thereanent。　　Thus　much　I　know；　that　Mr。　Herries　had　his　own　share　in　the　late　desperate　and　unhappy　matter　of　1745；　and　was　in　trouble　about　it；　although　that　is　probably　now　over。　Moreover；　although　he　did　not　profess　the　Popish　religion　openly；　he　had　an　eye　that　way。　　And　both　of　these　are　reasons　why　I　have　hesitated　to　recommend　him　to　a　youth　who　maybe　hath　not　altogether　so　well　founded　his　opinions　concerning　Kirk　and　State；　that　they　might　not　be　changed　by　some　sudden　wind　of　doctrine。　　For　I　have　observed　ye；　Master　Darsie；　to　be　rather　tinctured　with　the　old　leaven　of　prelacythis　under　your　leave；　and　although　God　forbid　that　you　should　be　in　any　manner　disaffected　to　the　Protestant　Hanoverian　line；　yet　ye　have　ever　loved　to　hear　the　blawing；　blazing　stories　which　the　Hieland　gentlemen　tell　of　those　troublous　times；　which；　if　it　were　their　will；　they　had　better　pretermit；　as　tending　rather　to　shame　than　to　honour。　　It　is　come　to　me　also　by　a　sidewind；　as　I　may　say；　that　you　have　been　neighbouring　more　than　was　needful　among　some　of　the　pestilent　sect　of　Quakersa　people　who　own　neither　priest　nor　king；　nor　civil　magistrate；　nor　the　fabric　of　our　law；　and　will　not　depone　either　IN　CIVILIBUS　or　CRIMINALIBUS；　be　the　loss　to　the　lieges　what　it　may。　　Anent　which　heresies；　it　were　good　ye　read　'The　Snake　in　the　Grass'　or　'The　Foot　out　of　the　Snare；'　being　both　well…approved　tracts；　touching　these　doctrines。

Now；　Mr。　Darsie；　ye　are　to　judge　for　yourself　whether　ye　can　safely　to　your　soul's　weal　remain　longer　among　these　Papists　and　Quakersthese　defections　on　the　right　hand；　and　failings　away　on　the　left；　and　truly　if　you　can　confidently　resist　these　evil　examples　of　doctrine；　I　think　ye　may　as　well　tarry　in　the　bounds　where　ye　are；　until　you　see　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　who　does　assuredly　know　more　of　your　matters　than　I　thought　had　been　communicated　to　any　man　in　Scotland。　　I　would　fain　have　precognosced　him　myself　on　these　affairs；　but　found　him　unwilling　to　speak　out；　as　I　have　partly　intimated　before。

To　call　a　new　causeI　have　the　pleasure　to　tell　you；　that　Alan　has　passed　his　private　Scots　Law　examinations　with　good　approbationa　great　relief　to　my　mind；　especially　as　worthy　Mr。　Pest　told　me　in　my　ear　there　was　no　fear　of　'the　callant'；　as　he　familiarly　called　him；　which　gives　me　great　heart。　　His　public　trials；　which　are　nothing　in　comparison　save　a　mere　form；　are　to　take　place；　by　order　of　the　Honourable　Dean　of　Faculty；　on　Wednesday　first；　and　on　Friday　he　puts　on　the　gown；　and　gives　a　bit　chack　of　dinner　to　his　friends　and　acquaintances；　as　is；　you　know；　the　custom。　　Your　company　will　be　wished　for　there；　Master　Darsie；　by　more　than　him；　which　I　regret　to　think　is　impossible　to　have；　as　well　by　your　engagements；　as　that　our　cousin；　Peter　Fairford；　comes　from　the　West　on　purpose；　and　we　have　no　place　to　offer　him　but　your　chamber　in　the　wall。　　And；　to　be　plain　with　you；　after　my　use　and　wont；　Master　Darsie；　it　may　be　as　well　that　Alan　and　you　do　not　meet　till　he　is　hefted　as　it　were　to　his　new　calling。　　You　are　a　pleasant　gentleman；　and　full　of　daffing；　which　may　well　become　you；　as　you　have　enough　（as　I　understand）　to　uphold　your　merry　humour。　　If　you　regard　the　matter　wisely；　you　would　perchance　consider　that　a　man　of　substance　should　have　a　douce　and　staid　demeanour；　yet　you　are　so　far　from　growing　grave　and　considerate　with　the　increase　of　your　annual　income；　that　the　richer　you　become；　the　merrier　I　think　you　grow。　　But　this　must　be　at　your　own　pleasure；　so　far　as　you　are　concerned。　Alan；　however　（overpassing　my　small　savings）；　has　the　world　to　win；　and　louping　and　laughing；　as　you　and　he　were　wont　to　do；　would　soon　make　the　powder　flee　out　of　his　wig；　and　the　pence　out　of　his　pocket。　　Nevertheless；　I　trust　you　will　meet　when　you　return　from　your　rambles；　for　there　is　a　time；　as　the　wise　man　sayeth；　for　gathering；　and　a　time　for　casting　away；　it　is　always　the　part　of　a　man　of　sense　to　take　the　gathering　time　first。　　I　remain；　dear　sir；　your　well…wishing　friend；　and　obedient　to　command；　ALEXANDER　FAIRFORD。

PS。Alan's　Thesis　is　upon　the　title　DE　PERICULO　ET　COMMODO　REI　VENDITAE；　and　is　a　very　pretty　piece　of　Latinity。Ross　House；　in　our　neighbourhood；　is　nearly　finished；　and　is　thought　to　excel　Duff　House　in　ornature。




LETTER　X

DARSIE　LATIMER　TO　ALAN　FAIRFORD

The　plot　thickens；　Alan。　　I　have　your　letter；　and　also　one　from　your　father。　　The　last　makes　it　impossible　for　me　to　comply　with　the　kind　request　which　the　former　urges。　　NoI　cannot　be　with　you；　Alan；　and　that；　for　the　best　of　all　reasonsI　cannot　and　ought　not　to　counteract　your　father's　anxious　wishes。　　I　do　not　take　it　unkind　of　him　that　he　desires　my　absence。　　It　is　natural　that　he　should　wish　for　his　son　what　his　son　so　well　deserves　the　advantage　of　a　wiser　and　steadier　companion　than　I　seem　to　him。　　And　yet　I　am　sure　I　have　often　laboured　hard　enough　to　acquire　that　decency　of　demeanour　which　can　no　more　be　suspected　of　breaking　bounds；　than　an　owl　of　catching　a　butterfly。

But　it　was　in　vain　that　I　have　knitted　my　brows　till　I　had　the　headache；　in　order　to　acquire　the　reputation　of　a　grave；　solid；　and　well…judging　youth。　　Your　father　always　has　discovered；　or　thought　that　he　discovered；　a　hare…brained　eccentricity　lying　folded　among　the　wrinkles　of　my　forehead；　which　rendered　me　a　perilous　associate　for　the　future　counsellor　and　ultimate　judge。　Well；　Corporal　Nym's　philosophy　must　be　my　comfort'Things　must　be　as　they　may。'I　cannot　come　to　your　father's　house；　where　he　wishes　not　to　see　me；　and　as　to　your　coming　hither；by　all　that　is　dear　to　me；　I　vow　that　if　you　are　guilty　of　such　a　piece　of　reckless　follynot　to　say　undutiful　cruelty；　considering　your　father's　thoughts　and　wishesI　will　never　speak　to　you　again　as　long　as　I　live！　　I　am　perfectly　serious。　　And　besides；　your　father；　while　he　in　a　manner　prohibits　me　from　returning　to　Edinburgh；　gives　me　the　strongest　reasons　for　continuing　a　little　while　longer　in　this　country；　by　holding　out　the　hope　that　I　may　receive　from　your　old　friend；　Mr。　Herries　of　Birrenswork；　some　particulars　concerning　my　origin；　with　which　that　ancient　recusant　seems　to　be　acquainted。

That　gentleman　mentioned　the　name　of　a　family　in　Westmoreland；　with　which　he　supposes　me　connected。　　My　inquiries　here　after　such　a　family　have　been　ineffectual；　for　the　borderers；　on　either　side；　know　little　of　each　other。　　But　I　shall　doubtless　find　some　English　person　of　whom　to　make　inquiries；　since　the　confounded　fetterlock　clapped　on　my　movements　by　old　Griffiths；　prevents　me　repairing　to　England　in　person。　　At　least；　the　prospect　of　obtaining　some　information　is　greater　here　than　elsewhere；　it　will　be　an　apology　for　my　making　a　longer　stay　in　this　neighbourhood；　a　line　of　conduct　which　seems　to　have　your　father