COPY OP AN AUTOGRAPH UNPUBLISHED LETTER FROM ALLAN RAMSAY, 

 AUTHOR OF THE " GENTLE SHEPHERD/' TO HIS FRIEND MR. 

 SMIBERT. 



" MY DEAR OLD FRIEND, 



" YOUR heal and happiness are ever ane addition to my satisfaction : 

 God make your life ever easy and pleasant. Half a century of years 

 have now row'd o'er my pow, that begins now to be lyart; yet, 

 thanks to my Author, I eat, drink, and sleep as sound as I did twenty 

 years syne. Yes, I laugh heartily too, and find as many subjects to 

 imploy that faculty upon as ever. Fools, fops, and knaves, grow as 

 rank as formerly, yet here and there are to be found good and worthy 

 men, who are ane honour to human life. We have small hopes of 

 seeing you again in our old world, then let us be virtuous, and hope 

 to meet in heaven. My good auld wife is still my bedfellow ; my son 

 Allan has been pursuing your science since he was a dozen years 

 auld was with Mr. Hyssing at London, for some time, about two 

 years ago; has been since at home, painting here like a Raphael. 

 Sets out for the seat of the beast beyond the Alps, within a month 

 hence, to be away about two years. I'm sweer to part with him, but 

 canna stem the currant which flows from the advice of his patron's 

 and his own inclination. I have three daughters, one of seventeen, 

 one of sixteen, one of twelve years old, and no ae waly dragle amang 

 them all fine girls. These six or seven years past I have (not) 

 wrote a line of poetry ; I e'en gave o'er in good time, before the cool- 

 ness of fancy that attends advanced years, should make me risk the 

 reputation I had acquired. 



" Frae twenty -five to five and forty 



My Muse was nowther sweer nor dorty, 



My Pegassus wad break his tether 



E'en at the wagging of a feather, 



And throw ideas scour like drift, 



Streaking his wings up to the lift ; 



Then then my saul was in a low 



That gart my numbers saftly row, 



But eild and judgment gin to say, 



Let be your sangs, and learn to pray. 



I am, Sir, 

 Your friend and servant, 



ALLAN RAMSAY. 

 Edinburgh, May 10th, 1736. 



