- excerpts (using ‘Google’
transcription). Scans of the original letter pages are below.
Dumbarton, 8th of February 1859
p.1) Dear Alex,
I have your letter of the 9th of November at my side…..
…………...
I hope Jack and William are keeping good health and successful
in their digging operations….
about Jack’s lass. I wrote to D. McPherson. Davie did not hear
anything particular but said he supposed she ‘might be married soon’, so I
think that is about the whole story in a word.
p.2) The trials of Cun. Gray would form a striking picture of
Australian life. He is not the first who has been broken on the wheel of
misfortune, however I hope he may wait at the baking till he makes something
worthwhile. There are no words of any other Grays so I suppose supposition went
for a good deal in that case too, and I am all the more sorry that I in any way
helped to spread the malicious report. Maggie Gray is married to her ‘Thornie
one’. I think McKay is his name, so that is ‘another of ours’ away…..
…….
Jack can give me very little Busby news. They had a penny banks
(?) soiree the other week in the church. It came off very successfully.
p.3.) They are getting lectures on ‘irrigation’ music etc. just
now, it is a kind of mechanics institution resuscitated…..
that Burns festival was the event of the new year however and
Busby seems not to have been behind in doing honour to the Bard…. G Thomson,
Jas Thomson and Jack were the singers, he said there was more of it very good.
He said there were about 460 couples at the soiree and 200 ditto at the ball,
tell Cun Gray that and hear what he says, 200 girls to pick and choose from!!
….. all over the country there were meetings to sing his songs
and to deepen our love for our brothers and sisters at home and abroad by
quoting his wonderful poetry, as powerful almost from what it leaves unsaid as
from the words it breathes into life. You will see a summary of the most
important meetings in the papers I send (Glasgow P..t, Commonwealth Sentinel
and Dum (?) Herald). The Choral Union
had a meeting last night being our own anniversary at the same time. We
began with tea and after a good round of songs and speeches (one of which was
particularly good, G, A, W?
Thomson, Grocer), the older and maybe wiser heads went away and we kept it
up till 4:30 with dancing and games. I had no partner there…..
p.4)……….. Now for the Vale. I left word at home that they were
to make enquiries whether your father had yet started work. They omitted to do
this some way so here I am not able to say yes or no but at any rate if he has
not already started he has got the offer of a table in Dalmonach. I believe
they are very busy printing there just now and lately opened a shop for 60
Block Bratens (?). all your friends
are very well and glad to hear from you. They have all been getting full
accounts from your father. ….
They are all well at home just but if Father is fairly too, but
he is most fearfully roasted in his lodgings, he can not get a shirt washed, in
fact he had to do the ‘feminine’ himself on more than one occasion in regards
to his bedroom arrangements. He is getting little time to try his engine just
now. He thinks he has found out a plan of making the piano sustain its tones
indefinitely, swelling and diminishing at pleasure…..
p.5)……………
I have not got any more words directly from J Rattray in Syria
yet but I believe he is getting on pretty well, making some advances into the
native language, which is said to be a very difficult one to a Western
European. You will see all the Indian news in the papers so there is no need to
run into a long list of names of places ‘pacified’ by the British…... The
coming or at least the threatened storm on the continent is in every mouth. All
calculating the chances for or against a ‘revival of trade’ over it, ….
p.6) …...Dumbarton affairs. About John Twaddell not a word have
I to say. he is always glad looking to hear from you, but whenever I ask for news
or any kind of word at all, he gets... unacccountably close. …..
Trade is very dull here yet and little signs of improvement. The
only thing in our yard is a small paddle steamer for the ‘Lochgirl’ Co. as they
are called.
Yesterday (7th) the last of the large ones was launched from W
Denny Brothers yard - ‘the Bohemian’ 2500 ton. she ran down and across the
water till she stuck on the Shore at Arch Denny’s at the churchyard. Very
little damage was done and they expect to get her off at once.
I have started my lessons again since I had fever but to keep
myself very easily engaged I only have them twice a week. I am in the English
Chapel yet, but I heard Mr Loudon the precentor in the parish church is for
leaving.
p.7) I may try to get in there. My greed tempts me to it,
although I know I am but an indifferent singer, however some of the musicians
of the place think I would get it if I applied. We shall see by and bye. I am
busy just now with an Anthem. the words are from the 95th Psalm if I mistake
not…. I think I told you about the one I was writing when I took the fever. I
have finished it since and given it for criticism to Mr Newlands. He seems to
think it pretty good. ………………
The Choral Union is likely to get on better now as we have
managed to get a class of females to attend very regularly first in prospect of
the soiree, and next I suppose to follow up that night’s operations. Music has
charms but among some its charms are only sought after for the ‘chance’ of something
else.
The town is visited once a week or so by companies of musicians
who follow the art through its blacker scenes.
p.8) Either they are satisfied with very little encouragement in
a financial way, or they are more sought after than the higher orders of
artists. About Glasgow Christy's minstrels have been monopolizing the year of
the public. I was up at the new year but did not get to hear them as I went to
the oratoria. Once since I was up then I went and saw Noel Paton's painting
‘the Pursuit of Pleasure’. It is a magnificent work…….
Cun. will mind the tours we used to take round the academy
paintings at New Years days partly if any of the Doherty’s were there and
partly to encourage the others and partly to fix at the beginning what
particular branch of the art we intended to bring to perfection when we began.
I have not heard a word of Hugh Patterson, or that ‘Paton” of
High street fame who stood ‘Sam’ that new years morning we first joined the
commercial circles of the city, for some years. They must be shining somewhere.
Such men can not readily die out. Bella Scobie I never hear a word of either.
She will either be better or worse by this time.
Scans of the original letter (note
format of pages – p.4&1, then 2&3 etc.); click on thumbnails for larger
images:
Page 4,1
Page 2,3
Page 8,5
Page 6,7
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