MEMOIR OV Dlt WRIGHT. 1 21 



his habits of method and arrangement, and the appli- 

 cation of these habits and dispositions to a useful and 

 interesting purpose, in a prominent point of view. — 

 " It Will be my study (he says) to make your situa- 

 tion as comfortable as lies in my power ; the rest will 

 depend on yourself. And as you are likely to continue 

 in a business which has not hitherto been productive, 

 I am sure that nothing on your part will be wanting. 

 Let your duty for your family, and your love for me, 

 stimulate you constantly to the strictest attention to 

 your affairs : spend some hours daily in your works : 

 see regular entries made in your books : keep your ac- 

 counts clear and correct : be not afraid to look nar- 

 rowly into your private affairs : set down on one side 

 every shilling you owe, and on the other the good or 

 bad debts which may be due to you. This will en- 

 able you to go on with pleasure and satisfaction. 

 Above all, adjust your affairs with reference to your 

 family ; and as you have heritable property and per- 

 sonal concerns, it is necessary you should have a will 

 made in due form by some friend in the law, to pre- 

 vent the possibility of future dispute among your chil- 

 dren. This is a piece of justice which is due to your 

 family ; and your compliance with my request, with- 

 out loss of time, will be a test of your affection to me. 

 Indeed, when we consider the transitory and uncer- 

 tain tenure by which life is held, there is no time to 

 lose." — He then discovers the clew which had led to 

 this train of thought, by enumerating a number of 

 deaths which had rccentlv occurred in Edinburgh, 



