morning was ushered in with the song of many little birds.'

'Aberdeen, July 19th.

'I hope, my dear, that you are going out of doors regularly and
taking much exercise. I would have you to MAKE THE MARKETS DAILY--
and by all means to take a seat in the coach once or twice in the
week and see what is going on in town. [The family were at the
sea-side.] It will be good not to be too great a stranger to the
house. It will be rather painful at first, but as it is to be
done, I would have you not to be too strange to the house in town.

'Tell the boys that I fell in with a soldier--his name is
Henderson--who was twelve years with Lord Wellington and other
commanders. He returned very lately with only eightpence-halfpenny
in his pocket, and found his father and mother both in life, though
they had never heard from him, nor he from them. He carried my
great-coat and umbrella a few miles.'

'Fraserburgh, July 20th.

'Fraserburgh is the same dull place which [Auntie] Mary and Jeannie
found it. As I am travelling along the coast which they are
acquainted with, you had better cause Robert bring down the map
from Edinburgh; and it will be a good exercise in geography for the
young folks to trace my course. I hope they have entered upon the
writing. The library will afford abundance of excellent books,
which I wish you would employ a little. I hope you are doing me
the favour to go much out with the boys, which will do you much
good and prevent them from getting so very much overheated.'