| Administrative History | Robert Arbuthnot [1728-1803] was a member of a distinguished Jacobite/ Episcopalian family. He was brought up and later owned Haddo-Rattray House, north of Peterhead. He was a merchant and then a banker in the firm of Arbuthnot and Guthrie, which failed in 1772. He then moved to Edinburgh where he bacame secretary of the Board for the Encouragement of Manufacturies and Fisheries in Scotland. He befriended Beattie after Beattie moved to Aberdeen in 1758, and became for some years his principal poetic adviser and promoter. He negotiated on Beattie's behalf and often in conjuction with Sir William Forbes, with the booksellers over several of the publications |
| Description | Sorry to hear from Beattie's letter of 10th that he received little benefit from his journey. Dun has no power to hurt Beattie's reputation in the eyes of those whose good opinion is worth having. William Urquhart told Arbuthnot that Dun intended to make his will, leaving life rent of what little he possesses to his son and daughter, and after their death the whole to Montagu. Suicide of Andrew Erskine, On Wednesday after Beattie left Edinburgh, the body was found on the beach. No letter found to give any light on what caused him to commit such an action. Pockets filled with stones, which violent winds prevented from having the effect intended. Mind must have been very disordered. He possessed genius and talent but they were rendered ineffectual by indolence and consittutional infirmities. Hopes Beattie will visit Baron Gordon. Arbuthnot has seen proof sheet of the manuscript [of James Hay Beattie's book] which he thinks well executed |