50 MEMOIR OF DR WRIGHT. 



The summer of 1779 was again devoted to his 

 friends in Perthshire, so that another blank has been 

 created in the correspondence with his brother, from 

 whence the greater part of the materials lias been de- 

 rived for the earlier portion of these imperfect sketches. 

 His brother seems to have been urging him thus ear- 

 ly to assist in the choice of a profession for his ne- 

 phew. In a letter dated from Edinburgh, he says, 

 " I shall be glad to hear from Jemmy. His profes- 

 sion in life must be left to himself. I wish it may be 

 one that will not oblige him to wander, as I have 

 done, amidst a thousand difficulties, anxieties and dan- 

 gers." It was in this year that Dr Wright had to 

 lament the loss of his father, at the age of 84, a cir- 

 cumstance which only tended to strengthen the bonds 

 of affection between him and the other members of his 

 family. 



On the 18th of September 1779, he writes to his 

 brother, that a squadron of French men of war had 

 been cruising in the estuary of the Forth for several 

 days. He mentions that they had made a number of 

 captures, and appeared to threaten a descent in the 

 neighbourhood of Leith. On the 23d of September, 

 he again writes, " I have received all the things you 

 mention — the sword in good condition. He that 

 would not draw one in defence of his country, is un- 

 worthy to live in it.'' 



At the instance of his friend Mr Banks, who had 

 now been called by the unanimous voice of the fel- 

 lows to the chair of the Royal Society, Dr Wright 

 was induced to direct his views once more to the island 



