'J'ai été à plusieurs balles masquées, où on 's'amuse beaucoup; mais aussi je m'applique aux choses utiles cinq ou six heures par 'jour, parceque je suis persuadé que notre 'cher père sera plus content de voir nous 'autres tous roides mort que bêtes.

Adieu, cher Jamie,

'JOHN MOORE.'

Dr. Moore to Mrs. Moore :

'Geneva, July 11th, 1776.

My dear Jane,-We crossed Mount Cenis ' without any accident, and I did not find it 'near so formidable an affair as it had been represented. What the Psalmist asserts, a little rashly, of all men, I often repeat,-I ' have said in my heart that all travellers are 'liars.

We had a letter from the Duchess (of Argyll), desiring us to stop wherever that ' letter found us till we should hear again 'from her. We received the letter at Turin. 'I wished exceedingly to remain there till should hear, but all to no purpose; the

6 we

Duke (of Hamilton) was impatient to be at

'Geneva; and when he wishes to be at any place, he wishes at the same time that all 'the space between were annihilated; and his 'wish would be the same though Paradise ' instead of Piedmont had occupied the in'terval. Jack was as fond as the Duke of

returning to Geneva, and he is much too 'strong for me when the Duke is his second. 'We were received by our friends with in'finite kindness, and have been wonderfully 'feasted. Jack quitted Geneva a boy, and 'has returned a man: though he has been caressed by all the high and mighty of the Republic, and is always invited with the 'Duke and me, yet if, at the same time, he ' has an invitation from any of his old ac

quaintances, of a much humbler class, he

always prefers the latter. I pressed him

one day to go with us, because the people had insisted particularly on his coming; it was to a fine villa, and a most brilliant party; I could not prevail; he silenced me. 'with this sentence,-" They who have in'vited me are poor; they were kind to me when the others did not think me worth

'their notice." Never was a creature less 'spoiled than your son by all the great 'people who have caressed him, nor by all 'the uncommon, fine situations he has been

in; though his manner is manly and noble, yet it is simple, and he assumes no airs; he ' is a charming youth, I wish you had him in your arms.

'I am sometimes tortured with horrid ima'ginations: two nights since I dreamt that I received letters sealed with black wax;

I thought they brought an account of your

death; I was agonized with grief; I wa'kened calling, "Oh Jack! oh, my dear boy! 'your mother is dead,-you will never see

her; you will never see the tenderest and 'best of mothers!" I was all trembling, and 'covered with sweat when I awakened, and never had so pleasant a sensation in my ' life, as when I found all was a dream!

'God Almighty bless and preserve you, my dearest friend. Take care of your own ' health; I need not recommend that of

your

mother, nor of the children.. My best love

and John Millar.

'I am ever yours most tenderly,

'JOHN MOOre.'

John Moore, on returning from the Continent, to his Father, who was still in France:

'London, Sept. 16th, 1776.

I received your letter, dear Papa, just

' when I was leaving the inn at Calais, and 'at the same time putting my own in the

post. Nobody can be more sensible of the

'truth of what you mention than myself, and accordingly I shall try to observe it as 'closely as possible.

'I arrived here on the evening of the 14th 'current, along with the Duke. We went at first to the Adelphi Buildings, in the Strand. But yesterday the Duke went to stay with 'Lady Derby, in Grosvenor Square, and I 'went to my uncle, who lives in the city,

and who had offered me a room in his house. 'As soon as I arrived in town, I went to Mr.

'John Murray's, who was in the country

' with his spouse, who it seems is dying, but

' he had left word for me where my uncle

lived, and likewise to make use of a room in his house.

'I have delivered all my packets, which 'I got safe out of Dover, and likewise de

livered my letter to Mr. Drummond, who 'told me that General Harvey would be in 'town in a day or two, and that Mr. Harvey ' was expected every day. He told me to call upon him to-morrow, and that he could tell 'me more about when and how I could see 'them. I have ordered my hat and buttons, ' &c. My uncle Simson has been trying to 'find out two companions for me to go down

6

in a post-chaise to Edinburgh. He thinks

he'll succeed; but I can't determine upon

any time for my departure till I know the 'day that I am to see the General. The 'Duke intended to remain in London only 'two or three days, but I find that Lady 'Derby has made him change his resolution, for he has ordered some suits of dress