xxii ORMISTOUN^S LETTERS 



carefully transcribed in a modern hand. A thorough scrutiny 

 of the language shows that tlie transcript has been faithfully 

 made ; but where and by whom there is no evidence. Their 

 present appearance is due to the lucky accident of my having 

 found them carefully preserved by Mr. John Hamilton, who 

 had rescued the volume from a mass of unconsidered trifles 

 awaiting the fate of rubbish. He most generously placed the 

 volume at my disposal, after a cursory reading had shown me 

 its novel interest and importance. To him the Society is 

 deeply indebted. The reader will see that there are many 

 gaps in the correspondence, which Cockburn seems to have 

 worked at in season and out of season, both at home and on 

 a journey. To Bell he commends his example: 'If you'l 

 write as you see I do as I can get five minutes, you 1 be less 

 liable to forget,"* a frequent failing of the gardener's. His 

 industry as a correspondent is portentous. No. VIII. runs 

 to ten pages of print, four hundred words to the page. No 

 wonder these worthies were able to listen to long sermons. 

 Communication was easily kept up with Haddington, where 

 the postmaster handed over the Ormistoun letters when any 

 one went in on market-days. At Tottenham or Hampstead, 

 where the writer lived, a penny post and a foot post twice 

 daily to London — once called upon to wait till a letter was 

 ready — were established. All the letters but one are addressed 

 to Charles Bell, gardener. There are letters, one or more, 

 for every month of the year, July excepted, and for the years 

 1727, 1734-5, 1739-44. The correspondence must have been 

 continuous, except for the writer's occasional visits, so that the 

 leakage has been great. A few letters are undated, and these 

 have been dealt with in the notes. Cockburn also carried on at 

 the same time a much more extensive correspondence with his 

 trusted adviser, Alexander Wight, so often mentioned here. 

 Brown of Markle, near Haddington, first editor of the Farmer's 

 Magazine^ published (vol. v., 1804) the two articles on John 

 Cockburn, which up till now supplied all the information 



