Family records of the Bruces and the Cumyns

SIR GEORGE BRUCE OF CARNOCK. 581
forming of his mind in principles of virtue and the steady love of his country ;
but as any notions of this kind he can have here must needs be very general,
we comfort ourselves with the prospect that when the boy is capable of follow-
ing such instruction, your Lop., out of your great goodness, will think fit to
call him somewhat nearer to yourself, where he may learn by example, which
is oftentimes more prevalent than precepts are ; and as we well know that
nothing on earth would have been more pleasing to his father, had he been alive,
than to have had his son's education under your Lops, eye and direction, so
we assure your Lop. that nothing could be more agreeable to us ; and we
hope, in a little time, to bring his affairs into such a situation as he may be able
to defray a more liberal education than he can have here. We earnestly
entreat that your Lop. would lay your commands upon us with respect to this,
or any other affairs which may concern your young kinsman, and we do assure
your Lop. that they shall be punctually obeyed, for we are, with the greatest
respect and sincerity, — My Lord, your Lordship's - most obedient and humble
servants,
To be signed by " Lady Kincardine,
" Mr Bruce of Kinnaird,
" Judge Graham of Airth,
" Mr Abercromby, and
" John Hamilton, W.S., Edinburgh,
by whom this scroll is written, and enclosed in a letter to ' David Bruce of
Kinnaird,'
" Dated 22d Jan. 1743."
It appears that after this Lord Ailesbury wrote to Lady Kincardine, inquir-
ing about her sons and their guardians ; to which Lady Kincardine replied in
the following terms : —
" Lady Kincardine to Lord Ailesbury, in answer to his last, returns her grate- 1743.
ful thanks.
"Thomas, aged 3 ; Charles, 10; James, 7 ; — at school with Mr Moir, lately
tutor at Broomhall, and who, under the auspices of the late Earl of Kincardine,
set up school in Alloa. He is firmly fixed in the same principles your Lordship
approved of, both in Church and State. Mr Bruce of Kinnaird is come of the
same Bruces as your Lordship and this family. He is a man of very good
sense, and was much regarded by my Lord. He is stanch in his principles,
which he showed by his actions, for he was prisoner at Preston.
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