MR small's biographical SKETCH OF PROF. ADAM FERGUSON. 655 



The following letters, addressed to Sir John M'Pherson, were written from 

 Frankfort, Munich, and Venice, and are interesting from their allusions to pass- 

 ing events at this memorable period : — 



" Frankfort, 25th Sept. 1792. 



" My Dear Friend, — I wrote a line from Ostend, to give notice of my safe 

 arrival on the Continent. I have since made out so far of my journey to this 

 place, where I halt a day or two ; but do not find that I can venture to go in 

 search of the Marquis Lucchesini, and therefore enclose your letter to him, and 

 consign it to the post, with my regret for not being able to do more. Military 

 matters are well here, a division of French prisoners has just past, a second is 

 expected at night, and a third to-morrow, amounting in all to about three thou- 

 sand men taken in battle lately by the Duke of Brunswick, but I cannot learn 

 where. You pelted me with letters from the Continent, to which I was not en- 

 abled to make any answer. I should be sorry to return you the compliment 

 exactly. My pelting will be very moderate, and your answers, I hope, will come, 

 though I don't at present know where to direct them nearer than Rome, to the 

 care of Mr Jenkins, banker, and there, in the name of God, let them come as 

 many, and as soon as possible ; that is to say, much sooner than gleich and 

 gescliwind, which I have generally found to be as slow as possible. All I have to 

 say for the present is, that travelling even here is certainly a very healthy 

 business, for I thrive wonderfully upon it. I have some inducements to go by 

 Munich, and to take the inland route by Nurenburg, &c., as I know less of it than 

 I do of the other, and the road, I am told, is good. I sometimes torment myself 

 with thinking what is to become of the world ; but as 1 have no commission to 

 govern it, the wisest course is to mind my route, and so I shall do in the best 

 humour I can muster. — Believe me to be yours most affectionately, 



" Adam Ferguson."* 



" Munich, Uh Oct. 1793. 

 " My Dear Friend, — Here I am at Munich, in a most prosperous course of 

 travelling, waxing in strength and patience. I sent you a line from Frankfort, 

 intimating my intention of sending your letter to the Marquis Lucchesini, with 

 my regret for not being able to hunt for military quarters in person. I did so in 

 the best French I could muster. The elector of Bavaria said at his levee yester- 

 day that the king of Prussia has declared his intention to winter at Berlin, and 

 to leave his army under the Duke of Brunswick. There is, I find, a hankering in- 

 clination to censure his Majesty, on a supposition that more might have been 

 done in the campaign ; but I am of the opinion, which I guess is also yours, that 

 to hem in the French, and give them as few opportunities as possible to take 



* MSS. University, Edinburgh. 

 VOL. XXIII. PART III. 8 



