LETTER FROM MISS DUNBAR. G5 



The following letter from Miss Dunbar was written, 

 as I conclude, after she had received the preceding. The 

 expression, 'that clamorous fool, a Radical,' and the 

 words, ' I am a Tory, though I believe your Whiggism 

 and my Toryism are not very dissimilar/ though they 

 do not occur in the way of formal reply to Miller, have 

 the look of being suggested by his political remarks. 



' Forres, January 1, 1835. 



' " I sat between the meeting years, 



The coming and the past, 



And I asked of the future one, 



Wilt thou be like the last ? 



' The same in many a sleepless night, 



And many a painful day? 

 Thank Heaven, I have no prophet's eye, 

 To look upon thy way." 



'These lines are Miss Lan don's no very great favour- 

 ite of mine ; but as I lay sleepless and in pain last night 

 they came into my mind, and I found in them my own 

 thoughts and feelings sublimed into poetry. I suffer 

 much. I have many privations : it is not one of the least 

 of these that my right hand should have forgotten its 

 cunning ; but I trust I can value the comforts still left 

 to me. It is now two o'clock, and I am but just up and 

 dressed, and this is my first occupation. I heard of your 

 appointment from the .newspaper, and of your having 

 gone to Edinburgh from an acquaintance. Pardon me, 

 my dear friend : some sad thoughts I may even call 

 them bitter ones I will own I had amid all the pleasure 

 which both circumstances afforded me. I have always 

 borne much good-will to my acquaintance and friends 

 in general ; there are few whom I absolutely dislike, and 

 not a few whom I really like much ; but there was always 

 one who more particularly occupied my heart, and whom 



VOL. II, 



