“I am very much obliged to Colonel Murray for the trouble he has taken on your behalf. I hope he has received the letter which I wrote to him a fortnight since under Mr Freeling’s cover. It enclosed a parcel of letters to you. I took the liberty of asking his advice what allowance you should have to assist you. You know pretty well my circumstances and your own, and that I wish you to be comfortable, but not in any respect extravagant; and this for your own sake, and not for that of money, which I never valued very much, perhaps not so much as I ought to have done. I think by speaking to Colonel Murray you may get at his opinion, and I have so much trust in your honour and affection as to confide in your naming your own allowance. Mean time, lest the horse should starve while the grass grows, I enclose a cheque upon Messrs Coutts for L.50, to accompt of your first year’s allowance. Your paymaster will give you the money for it I dare say. You have to indorse the bill, i. e. write your name on the back of it.
“All concerned are pleased with your kind tokens of remembrance from London. Mamma and I like the caricatures very much. I think, however, scarce any of them shows the fancy and talent of old Gilray: he became insane, I suppose by racking his brain in search of extravagant ideas, and was supported in his helpless condition by the woman who keeps the great print shop in St James’ Street, who had the generosity to remember that she had made thousands by his labour.
| 296 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. |
“Every thing here goes on in the old fashion, and we are all as well as possible, saving that Charles rode to Lawrence fair yesterday in a private excursion, and made himself sick with eating gingerbread, whereby he came to disgrace.
“Sophia has your letter of the 4th, which she received yesterday. The enclosed will help you to set up shop and to get and pay whatever is necessary. I wish we had a touch of your hand to make the parties rise in the morning, at which they show as little alertness as usual.
“I beg you will keep an account of money received and paid. Buy a little book ruled for the purpose, for pounds, shillings, and pence, and keep an account of cash received and expended. The balance ought to be cash in purse, if the book is regularly kept. But any very small expenses you can enter as “sundries, L.0: 3: 6.” which saves trouble.
“You will find this most satisfactory and useful. But, indeed, arithmetic is indispensable to a soldier who means to rise in his profession. All military movements depend upon calculation of time, numbers, and distance.
“Dogs all well—cat sick—supposed with eating birds in their feathers. Sisters, brother, and mamma join in love to the “poor wounded hussa-a-r”—I dare say you have heard the song, if not, we shall send it for the benefit of the mess. Yours affectionately,
