Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

220 THE FRASERS OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN.
" My Lord, — I had the honor of your Lordship's letter, and beg that you
accept my best thanks for the communication you were so good as to make
me.
" Your Lordship will see that I lost no time in presenting your valuable
thoughts on the Corn Bill, which I observe has excited very serious alarm in
every part of Scotland. I am so much disposed to give my feeble aid to
every measure intended for the good of that country, that no apology is
necessary for the length of any letter, and you may be assured that every
thing which I have the honour to receive from your Lordship shall be held
in the most sacred confidence.
" I have the honor to be, with respect,
" My Lord, your Lordship's most obliged and obed' servant,
" Ja. Peeey.
" Great Shire Street, 12th Feby."
Endorsed in Lord Saltoun's hand :
"Mr. Perry, Editor Morng. Chronicle, 12th Feby. 1791."
During this and the following year, Lord Saltoun had some correspon-
dence with David, sixth Earl of Buchan, the friend of Burns, and a great
patron of literature, whose Countess, Margaret Fraser, was his cousin, being
the daughter of William Fraser of Fraserfield. Three letters from the Earl
are so characteristic that they seem worthy of a place here : —
"Dry burgh Abbey, Sept r 16 th , 1791.
" My deae Loed, — The strange situation of Europe, and the wretched
state of Britain with respect to political sentiment, has made me avoid
writing to my old friends, who think as I do, till my indignation should
subside.
" That miserable madman Burke will I hope do good as Filmer did, but I
am sorry to think no very essential good can be done in consequence of the
people having their eyes opened, without operations of a very different
nature from those in France, where fortunately having no house to inhabit,
they had the choice of their plan and situation.
" I am busy promoting the introduction of an improved breed of sheep to
our hill-land here, instead of the coarse- woolled black snouts, and with a