| Collection | GB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections |
| Level | Item |
| Ref No | MS 2206/8/15/41 |
| Alt Ref No | 46/D/16 (48/D/16) |
| Title | Gregory family: papers of James Gregory (1753 - 1821): Part of a letter written by James Gregory (1753 - 1821) to an unknown recipient |
| Date | Early 19th century |
| Extent | 1 item |
| Creator Name | Gregory, James (1753 - 1821), professor of the practice and theory of physic at the University of Edinburgh |
| Description | Letter written by James Gregory to an unknown recipient. The letter begins on page 2 and discusses casts made of an unknown object; James Gregory has paid for casts to be made, one for the recipient of the letter and one for Mrs James Keith Forbes; Ccast will cost the recipient nothing but the carriage of it from Brompton to his or her house in London and a pedestal, shelf or bracket for it; recipient will also get sight of a cast of the skull of King Robert Bruce; a cast of the skull is to be sent to the King in a box or case; asks if the recipient will ask Mr Scoular whether the cast of Bruce's skull had already been sent to the King's librarian as he wants to send copies of two inscriptions he had written regarding Bruce, one was destined for the church at Dunfermline and the other for a monument at Bannockburn; if the cast has already been sent, he will beg a favour of Sir William Knighton and ask him to give them to the King's librarian; Mr Scoular has permission to keep the mould of Bruce's skull in order to sell casts of it to "all good Scots", Gregory has one; likes Caesar and Roma very much, recipient can have 2 good charades in return; likes his simple, perspicacious style which is easily understood and not easily understood; his forebodings regarding the state of public affairs (King and Queen especially) are as gloomy as the recipient's, remarks that Lord Liverpool's and the Chancellor's (Lord Eldon) are no better; tells the recipient that he can write to him as freely and as confidentially as he pleases regarding these matters but warns him to be very careful with other people - "plenty of ultra-Tories here and more in London will understand (or pretend to) that your fears are your wishes and will proclaim you an ultra-Whig and ultra-Radical and an Arch Traitor" and remarks that "this kettle of fish has no good handle whereby a peaceable man can grasp it". The letter is undated. |
| Access Status | Open |
| Access Conditions | The records are available subject to the signed acceptance of the Department's access conditions. |