118 LETTERS TO THE AUTHOR. 



February, 1716. Mr Armstrong's verses awaken 

 feelings of emotion in the Couutess who could wish 

 the following could be written in gold on tho royal door 

 at Windsor Castlo, to remind Kiugs and Queens that 

 mercy a"-d justice is their mission hero on earth. 



Is it a King the woful widow hears ? 



Is iu a King drys up the orphan's tc-ars ? 



Is it a King regards the clyonts cry. 



Gives life to him by law condomn'd to die ? 

 I send an abridged pedigree, \7hich is better than 

 the one you have from the newspaper slip. I beg of 

 you to rcadtho If on. "William Radcliffe's last will the 

 original covers nine sheets of parch to ent written in a fine 

 style of Christian language, jlc was one of the trustees 

 for my grandfather. The sheet which covered the Earl 

 is a sad relic to look upon, which I am in possession of. 



A. C. of D . 



Temperance Hotel, Innerl3ithen, 



Dec. 13th, 1877. 



T.MS^B^NG, I am sometimes wondering if 

 your Border harp is now unstrung, as I have seen 

 nothing from your truly poetic pen since the publication 

 of " Wanny Blossoms." I have enjoyed the reading of 

 these " j)iossor/js" over and over again. Therefore, I 

 hope that you ara still on the Mount of Parnassus, and 

 that you will continue to sing of your na.tive Border- 

 land. Does your muse never think of >vmging across 

 the Bonier line into the laud of the Armstrongs, the 

 land of your sires, or has your branch of the clan been 

 so long on the southern side as to induce you to forego 



