| Collection | GB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections |
| Level | Item |
| Ref No | MS 2206/8/15/42 |
| 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 | Part of a letter written by James Gregory to an unknown recipient. The first part of the letter is missing. The letter concerns two inscriptions drafted by the recipient. Gregory remarks that both inscriptions are good but expresses concern that Mr Brodie's inscription is in Latin while Mr Travers's inscription is in English as Mr Travers might take it as an innuendo that he was not a literate man and be offended; remarks that Mr Travers will easily get a friend to construe it for him and suggests that at worst 'Omne ignotum pro magnifico est' ('We have great notions of anything unknown' - Tacitus); Gregory provides a critique of the Latin and discusses criticism of his Latin in an inscription he wrote for the Wellington Monument at Gib[raltar]; during his comments on the Latin, he refers to T[homas] Reinesius' 'damned dull folio' (Syntagma Inscriptionum published in Leipzig, 1682). |
| Access Status | Open |
| Access Conditions | The records are available subject to the signed acceptance of the Department's access conditions. |