Dear Father, will ye let the Laird ken that we have had friends strangely raised up to us, and that the talent whilk he lent me will be thankfully repaid.

I hae some of it to the fore; and the rest of it is not knotted up in ane purse or napkin, but in ane wee bit paper, as is the fashion heir, whilk I am assured is gude for the siller.

And, dear father, through Mr.Butler's means I hae gude friendship with the Duke, for there had been kindness between their forbears in the auld troublesome time byepast.

And Mrs.Glass has been kind like my very mother.

She has a braw house here, and lives bien and warm, wi' twa servant lasses, and a man and a callant in the shop.