Alexander Dick of Busby, Scotland - 1800s: William Moodie – Letter 24

Wm Moodie Letter 23 - Apr 15, 1860 – 8 pages

This is the first letter from Wm Moodie to his friend Alex Dick in Australia. It’s quite a long letter, with some difficult-to-read parts, but it’s also interesting and quite entertaining, so I have attempted to transcribe it here.

Scans of the original letter are below the transcription.

Busby April 15/60

Dear Alexr,

I have two letters from you to now acknowledge and six newspapers for which with the news they contain very best thanks. The “newsletter” of Novr arrived here about the middle of Jany and I was prevented answering it at once by the fear that you would have left your (then) present employment and perhaps an article or two of my beliefs be revealed in quarters where they could not be certainly, palatable, or perhaps profitable. I was exceedingly relieved on the receipt of your next, to hear that some alleviation of your harassment had been efected. Altho you did not say so, I judged that such been the case from the fact that you still held on, and I hope by the time I am writing this you have been able either to find a better place or get this one still more to your mind.

I hope Jack and Willm have been able to find regular and good employment at their trade since they have once more taken to it. Of course I don't quite mean by this wish, that somebody may be devoting their talents to the cultivation of incendiarism (?), but that prospects sufficiently encouraging may be opening up to the “building
p.2) mind” of speculative tendencies, to allow of a constant demand for craftsmen of their particular order. I am heartily sorry for poor Stevens. I would have thought his “Perth” caution would have better enabled him to reach the solution of that seemingly intricate problem, “how (excuse the descension ye, deities!!) many beans make pie”. By the bye, whether this question arose in ancient or modern times, whether in that rather brown track of History lying between those conventional extremes, or whether indeed it may be at all edifying to pursue the enquiry, I think we must leave to others to say, confining ourselves in the course of a letter to what promises more tangible and fruitful results.

I am glad to hear that C. Gray is “mortifying the flesh with its(?) +c (?)
I found it, and I think you will find it, with Cunn’s early history before you, rather an amusing exercise of imaginative power, to fancy his outward and inward state on meeting some rather attractive female magnet. I doubt Cun would have the hard p…(?) if conscience well boiled before he put them with the shoes of his experience. --
I am very proud of and thankful for your new year wishes. I feel that they convey more than would appear to foreign eyes, and think you feel that they are, every one reciprocated to the fullest measure. .—

p.3) Just after I received your “newsletter”, the festival (that should have had a capital F) of the Glasgow Choral Union came off with, as a musical effort, immense success. The voices numbered, as I said before, rather over four hundred, + the band sixty first rate performers. On Tuesday night “Elijah” was well done, some particular passages were pointed out as unsurpassable; Lambeth conducted. Wed night a miscellaneous concert of choral, solo and instrumental pieces, of which the choicest selection had been made, made a great impression. Clara Novello + Sinio?Sims (?) Nunco/Runes(?), shone in regal magnificence. I hope that is a proper expression to apply to the first artists in the musical world.
Thursday night “Gideon” went off with a success which surprised everyone, + none more so than the ingenious composer, Horsley, who conducted. Friday night, “Messiah” concluded the first Scottish Festival of Classic Music, + crowned it and the society (the composer has long since received his “even an Heavenly”) with the highest honours. The English papers reported of it and us most favorably and flatteringly.

The Busby contingent were immeasurably more than rewarded for our labors. I do not hesitate to say that what I heard and learnt there, will color in some degree my whole life temporal. I am sorry to say that in a pecuniary way it failed, owing to the limited accommodation in, even, the City Hall. We are thrown behind about £300
p.4) which must be made up by Subscription, or by Summer concerts in, to save expense, the Cathedral.

In the week following I was installed into Carmunnock church by a majority of votes. Bribery, intimidation + all the minor sins incidental to a British election, religious or political, being freely laid to my charge, Jock Russel saying that I was a yelping Cur (?) of to --- (?)
It will not be necessary to mention that I may feel called upon to get a pair of shoes soled by Jock, should the barometer of his wrath not give signs of fairer weather.

That same week we had a soiree (Wakefield in the chair) the penny bank being the object of (I should have said, the principal object of) interest. The Rev. Mr Arnott from Glasgow, Mr Hector from Pollok (?) Shaws, - who was afflicted with a cold of a most painful and complicated character - + Mr Drummond - who, it seems, is an oracle imported, (+, I am happy to say, exported) every year - contributed to the discomfort of the meeting in general, + the undisguised distress of fifteen infants in particular, one of whom, Mr Arnott, in the course of his speech, pointedly complimented on its strength of lungs and great determination of purpose, and to whom, as a whole, the chairman allowed an interval of 10 minutes for the purpose of going home to bed, which “arrangement” led only to increased confusion arising from the fact that two “services” were still due at the hands of the “stewards”, without which they determined not to stir, for their mothers’ sakes, far less to be quelled by the inaudible advices and irresponsible gestures of a chairman at 212º Fah. --

p.5) On the evening of Friday Mar 30th, the Busby Mus. Assocn held their first soiree and ball, A (?) McSetchie (?) in the chair. There was a miscellaneous program of Anthems, Glees, songs, speeches, +c, all together it was a happy meeting. After the soiree we “danced all night” to the strains of Busby Quadrille band. The partnership was arranged by lots, the lasses drawing. This prevented partiality and pleased all parties. I got Archie McCallum’s youngest daughter Maggie + I believe she and I had managed to please each other very well. We still intend keeping up our weekly meetings, as it will be necessary to have something new learnt for our Autumn jaunt to Calderwood Glen should God spare us to see it.

A week or two since a few of us called a meeting in Wilsons Hall for the purpose of opening a drill class, preparatory to starting a rifle corps on independent principles. A Mr Armour from Castlehill, Braehead, was put in the chair and business proceeded. About 40 enrolled themselves + until we could get a sergeant of our own, we got the loan of the one from “Thornie” on the nights when they had no drill. We only needed him one night, and it was as well, as it was impossible to behave while he held forth. He began by stating in general terms, that when he said “face to the right” we pull back the right “futt” and to the left, “why av coorse, ye advance the right futt” + and what he meant by “advancin’ the right futt” was “bringin’ the right futt forward”. After acting on this
p.6) for a few minutes and being further enlightened by the laying down (in, by this time, an afflicting brogue) of a truth that seemed to lie at the root of all military duty and distinction (- “it stands to natur” (in an injured tone) “ that the left leg” (gaining,command of himself) “is always to be found on the same side as the left han’” (+ then in an encouraging way) “ whichever side that was” -) he apologiesd for some mistakes by saying that “ there are always some could pick up military tactics a great deal faster than others and some as couldn't, and that “was where the contrast lay”, and latterly he summed up his experience in the sentence “we was the most intelligible sett o’ young men as ever he seen”. --

Since that night a nephew of Crum’s, Allan Graham has got Armour to give up the chair to him, + he is doing all he can to get a corps up and himself as Captain, this has given umbrage at the field, so it is on the tapis to call a counter meeting in the field and, if the men agree to it, to carry out in connection with the works. This will likely be the upshot of it, altho their former disagreeance may render the men doubtful of its success.
At present, trade is average in the west of Scotland. The engraving however is slack, altho the copper (?) hands in Busby are all working.

We have taken one of the new houses. The one next to Black Castle, so if you call you will need no
p.7) further address. We had to take a double house 26/- per month, but heavy as this is, it is just what we at present pay for lodgings so we will still save the rent of our house at Leven, besides add much more to the comfort of all parties by being at home + its fireside. Father is coming home at the end of May, if all goes well. He is afraid to risk another summer there owing to the ague sickness which seizes on Englishmen in that climate. He has no views but will just “chance it” for a place after he comes.
All our folks are well and send their best wishes to you. James got a second class scholarship in the Normal Seminary. He could not manage a first, owing to his short term of preparation, 6 weeks, while the generality of candidates serve five years as pupil teachers, + are consequently “better up” in minutiae of their studies, altho few, even of them manage more than a second class ticket.

Robt is a pupil teacher now for this term, having passed very creditably. “Jack” is getting on well, on the whole altho now and again slack. He was not satisfied with the terms of his agreement in the church, as he could not leave but at the end of each year, and they were making him sing three times every Sunday, so he wrote to the managers and on being called before them rather came on the t… of some of the James Wilsons order by saying that he thought if the talents displayed were
p.8) of a higher standing the numbers in attendance would increase proportionately. He got them to agree to a 6 weeks warning on either side and to get free from the prayer meetings altogether.

For myself I am always busy. Sundays, after church hours, reading and letter writing. Mondays, drill. Tuesdays, letter from Mary + music at home. Wednesdays, drill. Thursdays, Bus. Mus. Assoc. Prac. Friday's, Carmunnoch Prac. Saturdays either in Glasgow, or reading and studying at home. I have finished an Anthem from the 47th Ps. “O! Clap your hands” ending at “for God is King of all the earth”. it may not be up to the mark yet, but, on the whole, I like it pretty well. I will try Dalgleish with it, maybe, but I must say I have not much faith in his taste yet.

I see Mary very seldom but keep up our letter conversation once or twice a week. Notwithstanding your push push from behind, and caution against the folly of looking for another “Griselda” (of whose personal virtues or trials, I must plead entire ignorance, or at least forgetfulness) I must still “labor and wait”, however I confess to you that I often think it is too bad to make such a long job of it, especially since I got her consent and promise two or three years since. She wishes to be kindly remembered to you in this. Her brother John sailed for Melbourne a month ago. He is a baker and I think intends going to Dickson’s at Bendigo.

I think I have now exhausted my stock, at least all that lies within reach, altho I seldom post a letter, but that minute I find something forgotten and that would have pleased or amused you. I have given up the “Sentinel” now + started the “Daily Herald”. I will send them now and again as subjects of interest come under notice.

Meantime dear Alex I remain yours faithfully

Wm Moodie

(best wishes from all to Jack and William)

P.S. J. Buchanan’s brother James is librarian to the Glas. Chor. Union. I got acquainted with him and gave him the news as I heard from you. WM

Scans of the original letter; click on thumbnails for larger images: