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memorials or 3otoi Geddts.
»*-
beautiful. She was extremely kind to me, and showed me everything : gave
me "Jack the Giant-killer" home with me. . . . She is very sprightly
and lively : she does not walk, but darts as quick as a trout in a sunny pool,
but of all her graces none takes such a hold of my feelings as her fine voice. I
never heard anything like it, so rich and sweet : she enunciates every word and
syllable to perfection. May she have a very happy life before her. . . .
%* Epistolary Specimen of the Year 1834 from his Brother-in-law,
Al. Maconachie (referred to on page 66).
Braehead, Banchory, 16th April 1834.
My Dear Sir,
I was duly favoured with your letter complaining of my negligence,
carele?sness, &c, &c, and although you have had the first word of flyting on
the subject, yet I consider myself justified in turning the tables and making a
similar expostulation with you, for you were certainly my debtor up to the date
of the 4th ulto., the day on which I received your epistle, which, on account
of its briefness and the length of time that has elapsed since the period of its
being due, cannot be esteemed as full payment, but must be ranked only as a
small dividend.
Indeed, you had so long delayed to renew the gratification which I always
experience by hearing from you, that I was purposing from time to time to
write you, in order to inquire whether you had really become a bankrupt in
epistolary correspondence, and whether it would be in vain for a creditor friend
to expect a few lines from you by way of instalment, but my suspicions en this
score were happily removed by the receipt of your epistle, which inclines me
to infer gladly, from its quakeristic style, that you would not so far symbolize
with men so famed for their scrupulous and stern morality, without considering
yourself to be under the indispensable obligation of fulfilling any literary
demand which can be legally preferred against you. Having now finished
these prefatory remarks, I would beg leave to congratulate you upon the
success which has at length crowned your desire of enlarging the boundary of
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