| Administrative History | James Hay Beattie [1768-1790]. Eldest son of Beattie. Named, with permission, after Beattie's patron James Hay, Earl of Erroll. His childhood is lovingly recorded in many letters, which show that Beattie was always a deeply involved parent, and in the memoir Beattie wrote shortly after James Hay's death. His childhood and adolescence were marred by his mother's mental illness, and her total disasppearance from his life when he was aged about eleven. He attended Aberdeen Grammar School, and then Marischal College from 1781 to 1786. He considered entering the church, but Beattie secured his appointment on 28 Spetember 1787 as his own assistant and successor. James Hay sometimes taught the Arts class, but was already ill with tubercolosis, of which he died on 19 November 1790. His father assembled a substantial volume of his prose and verse, printed in an edition of 200 copies for circulation among his friends in 1794, and subsequently published with Beattie's own poems in 1799 |
| Description | Letter from James Hay Beattie, London, Wednesday, to James Dun, Aberdeen, talking about his arrival with James Beattie in London; their staying at Arnwell with Mr Scott and their activities in London. Letter describes their lodgings and meals at Mr Scott's house, near Whitehall. James Hay writes about the streets of London and mentions his father's 'business': "Papa says he will write to you as soon as he has set his business fairly agoing; which however cannot be till some of his freinds [sic] here shall have read over his papers". Letter sends compliments to Dr Livingston and mentions James Hay's intention to write to him.
Annotated reverse: 'Compliments to Dr Livingston. I will write to him the first spare moment I have. J B'. |