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6 Documents concerning Fohn Law in the Records of Edinburgh. (Feb. 
Yo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
AVING occafion fome time ago to 
make a fearel in the Records of the 
Town-Council of Edinburgh, I met with 
the annexed Letter from that body to 
John Law, the celebrated financier, and 
his Anfwer, which, as being curiofities of 
their kind, I copied out. The ftrained 
adulation of Baillie Wightman, and the 
cold complimentary anfwer of Mr. Law, 
in the French language and a Frenchified 
ftyle, would fufficieatly prove, though 
the dates had been wanting, that the 
tranfactions took place when that bold 
fpeculator was near the zenith of his 
power and credit. If you think them 
deferving of a place in the Monthly Ma- 
gazine, you may be afiured that they are 
tranfcribed with literal accuracy. 
Iam, &c., ACoNnsTANT READER. 
Glafgow, Dec. 16, 1805. 
Council-Regifter, ‘9th O€fober, 1719. 
Baillie RoperT WiGHTMAN produced, and 
the Council approved of, the following 
Draft of a Letter to Joun Law, &c., &c. 
¢¢ Sir, 
¢¢ The late Lord-Provoft, Magiftrates, and 
Council, of this City, judging it right, and 
that it was their duty, to enter you into the 
Corporation, whereof you are by birth-right a 
member, in the handfomeft manner they 
could think of, fend you a burgefs ticket by 
the hands of Mr. Neilfon, accompanied by a 
Jetter figned by the late Lord-Provoft in the 
name of the community. 
The Council, having re-confidered this 
mnatter, takes this opportunity to acquaint 
you with the reafons which induced the Ma- 
giftrates and Council of this your native City 
to make you a denizen of it in the manner be. 
fore-mentioned. ‘They are, 
<< Your being a native 5; your being de- 
fcended from refpeéted burgeffes ; and your 
making fuch a figure in the world as refieéts 
an honour not only upon this City but ae 
upon the Scots’ Nation, 
‘6 Ancient ftory tells us that feven cities 
contended about the birth of a blind poet 5 
and the hiiteries of almottall the great men 
ameng the Grecians, and of great numbers 
among the Romans, mention the place of 
their birth as a proper circumftance to intro- 
duce the hiftory of their lives; why then 
thould not this ancient City value itfelf upon 
the eminency and renown of its natives ? 
s*« Honourable Sir, we are noc at liberty to 
enter into the detail of /your late aétions. 
We know how mwch a man of a generous 
mind abhors to have truth told to his face, 
when itis muchto his advantage. It looks 
fo much like flattery, that indeed we think it 
deferves the name ; and therefore we make 
no naufeous compliments, but choofe rather 
to fay, we with fome of thofe abilities which 
have been fo ufeful to France, may fome 
time or other be employed to the advantage 
of your native City and Country. Unhappy 
Scotland! that knew~not how to profit by 
the genius it produced ! The Northern cli- 
mate afforded the gem, but the more fouth- 
era has polifhed it, and thereby difcovered its 
beayties, and fixed its value, 
‘* Before we conclude we muft beg leave 
to fay, without applying it to you, Sir, that 
to recover the difperfed coin of a nation, to 
retrieve its finking trade, to introduce new 
manufactures, and to relieve the indigent in 
the moit generous manner, are aétions fo 
much more worthy of being recorded to pof- 
terity than the conquefts of the: moft famous 
warriors, as doing good to mankind is better 
than deftroying them. 
“© We mnit not enlarge, and therefore we 
haften to tell you, . 
¢¢ That we are, with great efteem, and 
the affection which becomes fellow- 
burgeffes, Sir, 
€¢ Your moft humble Servants, 
{Tn name and by appointment of the Ma- 
giftrates and Council of Edinburgh ] 
‘¢ Joun CAMPBELL, 
** Edinburgh, O€fober 9, 1739. 
‘¢ To the Honourable Jubn Law, Efquire, 
Direétor of the Bank and Eaft- India 
Company of France, at Paris.” é 
Council-Regiffer, 27th May, 1720- 
MR. LAW'S ANSWER. © 
‘6 A Paris, le 15 May, 1720. 
©* MESSIEURS, 
‘¢ Le grand nombre d’occupations que j’ay 
eu, m'’a empeché de refpondre plus tofte a la 
lettre que vous m’avez fait l"honneur de 
m’efcrire, et de vous remercier du prefent 
qui m’a efte fait de la part de votre Ville. Je 
regois avec d’autant plus de plaifir que les fen-_ 
timents que vous me temoignez m’aflurent de 
votre amitié. 
«© Je vous prie auffi Yeftre bien perfuade de 
ma reconnoiflance. A! que je feray ravy 
qu'il fe prefentat des occafions de vous l’eprou- 
ver, et de vous marquer que je fuis tres veri- 
tablement, 
** Meffieurs, 
*¢ Votre tres humble et tres obeiffant. 
Serviteur, 
(Sic fub{cribitur) 
EE 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
DESCRIFTION of BONAPARTE and bis 
WIFE. 
HE fellowing letter was lately ad- 
drefled from Paris toa friend of the 
writer’s at Bofton, in New-England, and 
it appeared in the eleventh, Number of 3 
new mifcellany publifhed in that city un- 
der the title of the Monthly areas 
; t 
¢ Law.” 
