| Description | Letter from James Gregory to George Gregory regarding the unparalleled impudence of his younger brother in growing taller than him; his brother John was growing to be a stout, well built man of middle size with an open, daylight countenance; John's temper, disposition, character and conduct have been very good with plenty to excite praise and nothing to reprove; John shows a good talent for mathematical science; Long-legged brother William is to be employed by Colonel Nudge in the trigonometrical survey of England, 'that will be fine amusement for him and perhaps his long legs will be of use. I presume Col. Nudge will appoint him as a walking pair of compasses'; fears his son John will grow into another such walking pair of compasses or kitchen tongs; wife better than expected after recent severe shocks though still afflicted by the long illness and death of her sister, Mrs Pettley; he attributes her improvement to her being pregnant and warns that this is a profound secret. The letter breaks off here and resumes with the last page of the of the same letter. He discusses the state of circulation in Scotland; in £1200 taken from students, he had one yellow guinea and in the £2400 he had taken in 1812, he had only 33 real guineas; He has hoarded all 34 guineas but will pay them into Sir William Forbes & Co.; there is as little specie, in proportion, circulating in England as here, 26 December 1812.
The letter contains the only first two pages and last page. |