| 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, Peterhead, Thursday evening, after supper, to James Beattie, Schoolhill, Aberdeen, relating to James Hay's toothache; talking about Dr Morgan's death; mentioning the Divine, Mrs Livingston and the false story of a petition from the town council. Letter mentions that the influenza is not prevalent in Aberdeen; Mr Forbes' health is better and letter mentions the health of Dr Laing, his family and little William. James Hay writes they are pleased to hear James Beattie's business might enable him to go to Peterhead, and suggests Dr Dun, who is staying in Deeside, should accompany him. Letter says Miss Valentine [presumably Margaret Valentine, James Beattie's great - niece] and Montagu are well.
MS 30/26/5 - 7 appear to have been written in the same week. Not all are dated, but references to the death of Dr Morgan place them in the year 1788. |