Lairds of Glenlyon

290 THE LAIRDS OF GLENLYON.
1772, the captain saw at once that there was no hope of
his ever marrying. He therefore wrote to Dr. David
urging him, as the next brother, to choose a wife. Philo-
sopher David, who was fifty years old, pooh-poohed the
proposal of matrimony in his own person, but advised the
captain himself, who was a good deal younger, to look out
for a wife. The captain, apparently after a family consul-
tation at home, sent word to Jamaica that he was deter-
mined to marry as soon as ever he met " a lassie he liked,
and whom he could get to like him in return." But
although he was rather an eligible parti, and was ac-
quainted with all the landed families of the Highlands of
Perthshire, and most of Argyleshire, time passed on with-
out seeing him married. Still he had the idea in his mind
to the end of his life. Here is one of his later letters " To
Doctor David Campbell, at Watermount, St. John's, near
Spanish Town, Jamaica:
" Ardmady, iZth May, 1778.
"My Dear Brother,
I wrote you last harvest by London, and soon after
by the Clyde, and this spring I wrote you two letters in the same way.
My letters to London were sent there under cover to Mrs. Campbell
Carwhin, who wrote me both times that she forwarded them by the
Jamaica Pacquet. Last night I was informed that Captain Neil
Campbell was soon to go out in a Letter of Marque of 20 guns, which
induces me to write by him, as I hope he will get through safe from
American Privateers. I must fear, from the number of ships taken to
and from your island, that but few of my letters get your length, which
makes me take all opportunities to write you. I wrote you in most of
my letters concerning the money you remitted home ; that the bill
came safe and was duly paid ; that I had paid our nephew, Harry
Balneavis, the £100 on his account, and sent to John, Ann, and Eliza-
beth Campbell of Stirling-. John came, but brought no power from