Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

460 ADDITIONAL GRANT CORRESPONDENCE. [1778.
his rising beyond the sum offered. Mr. M'Gregor is to write to Captain John Grant to
inform him that he ought, without delay, to make his offer for Dunphail, as he is in ability
to assure Captain Grant that a higher offer has been made for the lands of Dunphail than
any hitherto made by any body. I was at Elchies and saw Carron before I went home after
leaving Edinburgh. He talked to me on a subject which I shall communicate to you at
meeting.
I ever am, my dear Sir, your most obedient and faithful servant,
James Grant.
538. James Grant, Younger of Sheuglie, to The Same — Giving an account of his travels on
the Continent. Sketches of Prince Ferdinand, Frederick the Great, and Joseph II.,
Emperor of Germany.
Vienna, January 15th, 1779.
Dear Sir, — As I measure the degree of interest which my friends take in my welfare
pretty much by my own feelings towards them, I judge you will not be displeased to hear
from me at this period of my journey. But, if I had no other inducement, the civilities
which I have received in consequence of the introductory letters you were so kind as to
furnish me with, would force me to write ; not, indeed, so much with a view of making
any acknowledgements myself, as of desireing some to be made by you to others in my
behalf; for, besides that my obligations to you, on this occasion, are lost among the
number and greatness of those which you have already conferred, I know that, at all
times, you have as much pleasure in bestowing a favour as others derive from the enjoy-
ment of it. Your recommendation to Doctor Maclaine would of itself have been sufficient
to render a place much less agreeable than the Hague perfectly so to me. Through his
means I found easy access to our ambassador, whose politeness, tho' great, I could, however,
distinguish from the more friendly marks of attention which I afterwards experienced on
delivering him a letter which Lord Findlater, at your request, was so obliging as to send
me. Having before visited Holland, and that there is scarce anything to attract the notice
of a passenger, except the country itself, which is one great artificial curiosity, my stay
in it was short. In passing through Brunswick, I went to see Prince Ferdinand. It
may perhaps be thought impertinent thus to make men's persons objects of curosity, but
while I confine myself to such whose likeness, in painting or sculpture, will probably be
admired in future ages, I think it no great or improper deviation from the plan of a
modern traveller. I found the warrior very devoutly assisting at a Sacrament ; but, by the
apparent vigour of his constitution, the fire and activity of his mind, indicated by a
glowing, quick, penetrating eye, such as I have marked great generals to be possessed of, I
apprehend his devotion, instead of inspiring him with pacific sentiments, would only make