EARLY LIFE. 23 



since the commencement of the vacation I was pre- 

 vented for some time by indisposition, and afterwards 

 it took me some leisure times to read your work with 

 that attention which I wished to bestow upon it. 



" I have now perused it with very great pleasure, and 

 compared a very great part of it, sentence by sentence, 

 with the original, and I am happy that I can, with 

 perfect sincerity, say, that high as my expectations 

 from you were, they have been greatly exceeded. 

 Instead of confining yourself everywhere to a literal 

 translation, you have often given a turn to the expres- 

 sion which shows that you entered fully into the ideas 

 of your author, and your translation discovers a know- 

 ledge both of the Latin and of the English far above 

 what could have been expected. I will not say how 

 much your translation has pleased me in another point 

 of view, as affording a proof of industry and applica- 

 tion, which, when joined with your abilities, cannot 

 fail to insure your success in any line of life which 

 you may follow. I think you should persevere in 

 translating : it is one of the best exercises, and im- 

 proves your knowledge both of Latin and English. 



"My father and mother, Mrs Eussell, Betsy and Elie, 

 are at Lennell. John and Mary are with us. Mrs 

 Hope and all our friends here are well. Mrs Eobertson 

 desires to join me in best compliments to your papa, 

 mamma, and grandmamma, and all the children. I 

 am, dear Henry, your affectionate cousin, 



"Wn. ROBERTSON. 



"No. 67 PRINCES STREET, April 21, 1792." 



