| 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 to James Beattie, London, and his mother, Mary Beattie, thanking them for the oranges, letter and good account of their health. Letter says that James Hay is well and looking forward to picking gooseberries for his mother & father if there are any when Mr and Mrs Beattie return home.
The top part of the letter containing the address and date has been torn and is missing.
"Deaar [sic] Papa and Mama.
I thank you for your Oranges, & my letter & for the good accounts of your health I am well & will be fond to pick Gooseberries for you If there be any when you come home.
I ever am D.r Papa & Mama
yours affectionately
[Signed] JHB" |