Publications of the Scottish History Society, Vol. 36 | Page 3

hand to bring
forth the real work of Lord Fountainhall in a proper style.'
[11] In Constable's Magazine. See infra.
To SIR WALTER SCOTT OF ABBOTSFORD, BARONET.
'_Relugas, near Forres_, _22nd May 1822_.
'DEAR SIR,--From _Constable's Magazine_ for last month, which has
this moment fallen into my hands, I learn, for the first time, with some
surprise, but with much greater delight than mortification, that you
have condescended to become the Editor of a portion of my Ancestor
Lord Fountainhall's MSS. From this I am led to believe, that the
circumstance of my having been engaged in the work since 1814 must
have escaped your recollection, otherwise I think you would have
informed me of your intention or inquired into mine. In the winter
1813-14, I had the happiness of meeting you at the table of our mutual
friend, Mr. Pringle of Yair, where you expressed regret to me that
something had not been done towards publishing the curious matter
contained in Lord Fountainhall's MSS., urging me at the same time to
undertake the task. Having also soon afterwards been pressed to
perform this duty by Mr. Thomas Thomson, Mr. Napier, and several
other literary friends, I was led to begin it, and Lord Meadowbank
having presented my petition to the Dean and Faculty of Advocates,
they were so liberal as to permit me to have the use of the MSS. in
succession at Fountainhall, where I then was on a visit to my Father,
and where I transcribed everything fit for my purpose. Emboldened by
the remembrance of what passed in conversation with you at Mr.
Pringle's, I took the liberty of trespassing on you in a letter dated 18th
February 1815, to beg you would inform me whether you knew of the
existence of any of Lord Fountainhall's MSS. besides the eight Folio
volumes I had then examined. You did me the honor to write me an
immediate reply, in which you stated that you knew of no other MSS.
but those I had mentioned, and you conclude by saying, that you were
glad to hear that I was busying myself in a task which would throw

much light on the history of Scotland. In May 1816, whilst engaged
here in arranging and retranscribing the materials I had collected for the
work in the order of a Journal, I met with a little difficulty about the
word FORRES, which the sense of the passage led me to read
FORREST, meaning ETTRICK FORREST. Knowing that you were
the best source from which true information on such subjects was to be
drawn, and presuming upon your former kindness, I again addressed
you, 23rd May 1816, begging to know whether I was right in my
conjecture. To this I received a very polite answer in course of post, in
which you express great pleasure in complying with my request, and
are so obliging as to conclude with the assurance that at any time you
will be happy to elucidate my researches into my ancestors' curious and
most valuable Manuscripts with such hints as your local knowledge
may supply.
'Since the period to which I have just alluded, I have continued to
prosecute the work, but only at intervals, having met with frequent
interruptions, among which I may mention an excursion to Italy; and
after having finished about two-thirds of it in my own handwriting, it is
only now that I have been able to complete it, by the aid of an
amanuensis. I do not much wonder that, employed as you are in
administering fresh draughts of enjoyment from the exhaustless spring
of your genius to the ever-increasing thirst of a delighted public, you
should have forgotten my humble labours. But whilst I regret that they
should have been so forgotten, inasmuch as they might have
contributed to aid or lessen yours, I beg to assure you, that every other
feeling is absorbed in that of the satisfaction I am now impressed with
in learning that you have taken Lord Fountainhall under your fostering
care, as I am well aware that, independent of the honor done him and
his family by his name being coupled with that of Sir Walter Scott,
there does not now, and perhaps there never will, exist any individual
who could elucidate him so happily as your high talents and your deep
research in the historical anecdote of your country must enable you to
do. I am naturally very desirous to see your publication, of which I
cannot procure a copy from the booksellers here. I should not otherwise
have intruded on you until I had seen the book, as I am at present
ignorant how far it clashes or agrees with the plan of the work I have
prepared. As business calls me to Edinburgh, I can