Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

222 THE FRASERS OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN.
which you overleap the ordinary bounds of nobility, and render yourself
interesting to society.
" I am glad the Scotch Lords' eldest sons have regained their Citizenship,
but I shall be better pleased to see this same Citizenship extended to every
man who possesses soil, whether as a free, copy, or lease holder, without
which we may talk of a Constitution as we please, but we shall be no better
than Goths.
" Your remarks on the Duan I have sent to Pinkerton, who is now busy
with his history of Scotland from the period where he left off, to the accession
of James VI. to the Crowns of England and Ireland.
"He prepares likewise, to be published this winter, the residue of primaeval
Scottish poems, ending, I think, with the Ballantyne Excerpts, which I
caused to be transcribed for him in the Advocates' Library. Next comes
Wintoun's Chronicle, hitherto inedited, and with this he closes his labours
as an Editor. He is a very extraordinary man, but a valetudinarian, and not
blessed with the best temper in the world, as I have sometimes experienced.
" You may depend upon my friendship to you and yours, if ever I can
get upon high enough ground to look at your interests and theirs with any
sort of advantage ; but at present I fear there must be rough work before
anything can be done to saddle the people with whom I am most imme-
diately connected in principle. Some people think it might have been as
well for Britain if Charles II. had lived and gained his point, so that we
might have had clear foundations to build upon ; and I am not much dis-
posed to deny the proposition, or at least to enter into the controversy ; by
and bye we shall see what is to be the upshot.
" I approve highly of your idea about the Scottish Latin writers, but I
fear 250 people would hardly be found to espouse the undertaking. Lady
Buchan joins in affectionate services to Lady Saltoun and your household, and
I allways am, with sincere regard,
" Yr. Lops, faithfull humble serv*,
" Buchan."
The third letter is more than a year later.
" My dear Lord, — I have mentioned Findlater to Anderson for Daviott.