g from the country habitation of our
friend Ramsay, where I have been spending a week as pleasantly as
ever I spent one in my life. Imagine a commodious old house,
pleasantly situated amongst a knot of venerable elms, in a fine
sporting, open country, and only two miles from an excellent
water for trouts, inhabited by two of the best old ladies
(Ramsay's aunts), and three as pleasant young ones (his sisters)
as any person could wish to converse with--and you will have some
idea of Kippilaw. James and I wander about, fish, or look for
hares, the whole day, and at night laugh, chat, and play round
games at cards. Such is the fatherland in which I have been
living for some days past, and which I leave to-night or
to-morrow. This day is very bad; notwithstanding which, James has
sallied out to make some calls, as he soon leaves the country. I
have a great mind to trouble him with the care of this.

And now for your letter, the receipt of which I have not, I
think, yet acknowledged, though I am much obliged to you for it.
I dare say you would relish your jaunt to Pennycuik very much,
especially considering the solitary desert of Edinburgh, from
which it relieved you. By the bye, know, O thou devourer of
grapes, who contemnest the vulgar gooseberry, that thou art not
singular in thy devouring--_nec tam aversus equos sol jungit
{p.153} ab urbe (Kelsoniana scilicet)_--my uncle being the
lawful possessor of a vinery measuring no less than twenty-four
feet by twelve, the contents of which come often in my way; and,
according to the proverb, that enough is as good as a feast, are
equally acceptable as if they came out of the most extensive
vineyard in France. I cannot, however, equal your boast of
breakfasting, dining, and supping on them. As for the
civilians[80]--peace be with them, and may the dust lie light
upon their heads--they deserve this prayer in return for those
sweet slumbers which their benign influence infuses into their
readers. I fear I shall too soon be forced to disturb them, for
some of our family being now at Kelso, I am under the agonies
lest I be obliged to escort them into town. The only pleasure I
shall reap by this is that of asking you how you do, and,
perhaps, the solid advantage of completing our studies before the
Colle