| Administrative History | Sylvester Douglas, Lord Glenbervie [1743-1823] He became Lord Glenbervie in 1800. He was student at King's College where he graduated with an MA in 1765. He took another degree in Leyden in 1766 before he moved to London where he had a distinguished career in law, politics and goverment. He married Lord North's daughter in 1789 and became a Lord of the Treasury. He was close friend to Beattie in the 1760s, and the two remained occasional correspondents after Douglas moved to London |
| Description | Thanks for letter [MS 30/2/237] Concerned that he had no further news of Mercer and his family. Sorry Beattie is not able to advise him in the affair he mentions. Though he has been several times in the press, he has never had much dealing with booksellers. His small experience has taught him that few of them wish to seek that an author grow rich under their influence. The person Beattie most wishes to treat with is Mr Strachan of is judge and encourager of merit. Beattie would be happy to write to him about Douglas's manuscript, but might be better if his friend Mr Skinner were to talk to him. Advises Douglas against making a conditional bargain, but if he does so, Beattie suggests let it be only partially so, that is Douglas to receive a sum immediately and afterwards divide the profits with the bookseller. But best to sell the manuscript for a sum of money. Of dealing with Mr Robinson and Dilly. |