Education for Life. George Turnbull
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to write let letters be directed to the care of John Gordon Factor in Roterdam34 Tell Mr Maclauran35 that it has been impossible for me to get out to the country to wait on Jeriswood.36
6. To CHARLES MACKIE
Address: To Mr Charles Macky Professor of History and Antiquities in the
University of Edinburgh North Britain
MS: EUL, La. II. 91; unpubl.
Groninghen, 20 October 1725
Dear Sir
Your friend Rossal37 is very kind & oblidging; and I hope in a litle time I shal be acquainted with him. Mr Udney38 & I wait upon his history colledge; which he has but jus<t> begun. Monsieur Cramant39 is still here &
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was Exceedingly weel pleased to hear of your weelfare & desired to have his compliments returned to you. I believe I shal pass this winter pretty pleasantly But by what I can see yet I should not care to be here another. I wrote to Mr Duncan lately my mind about my affair at Aberdeen I should be much oblidged to him if he could think of it; & I leave the terms Entirely to you. But what are our folks inclinations at Aberdeen I know not. I am afraid the folks I thought would be easiest may be most uneasy. For I have wrote twice or thrice both to Dr Mackail40 and Mr Varner41 & have had no answer If they will make me uneasy I cannot help it: But this winter I neither will nor can come home.42 Let them do what they please. And indeed I wish heartily I may be so lucky as to have no more to do with that place. But I know I need not put you in mind how much I want to be delivered from Aberdeen; & how much I wish something better would cast up. I should be glad to know if you have made any steps in the Glascow project43 & what you think of it But I must either finish this letter now without saying any more or lose this post for I am called to the other Room to attend Mr Barbeyrac44 who is come to honour us with a visit. I suppose Mr Duncan has given you an account of his colledges.45 I realy like his
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colledge on the Institutes46 but he has given it over because he had not above five to wait on it. I am Dearest Sir
Your most obliged
humble servant
George Turnbull.
7. To CHARLES MACKIE
Address: To Mr Charles Macky Professor of History in the university
of Edinburgh
MS: EUL MS La. II. 91; unpubl.
Aberdeen, 23 January 1727
Dearest Sir
Tis indeed a dismal and affecting story that gives occasion to my troubling you at this time. Poor James Hadden’s melancholy death.47 Now Dear Sir may I adventure to speak of my self to you for that profession & entreat your friendly asistance. I know by many proofs the sincerity of your kindness & friendship towards me. If it was possible to get me into that business I would be very happy: And I can’t think considering how litle there is to do in such a profession but I might turn my studies so as in time to be able to do tolerably in it. I never thought such a profession should be a sine cure; nor was I in such a one would I incline to make it so: But on the contrary apply my self to it with all vigour and application. Dear Sir I need not tell you more particularly what I would have you do for me<.> I write to Mr Maclauran at the same time: I cannot say but I am somewhat uneasy Mr Duff’s presentation is not yet come down.48 But I am very sure that if in that or any thing that casts up it be proper to medle for me neither Mr
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Maclauran nor you will forget me. I had once some thoughts of writing to the Sollicitor49 or my Lord Provost of Edinburgh.50 But considering how litle I have the honour to be of their acquaintance I thought it better to refer all to you and Mr Maclauran. I am Dearest Sir
with the sincerest respect
your most
humble servant
George Turnbull
8. To CHARLES MACKIE
MS: EUL, La. II. 91; unpubl.
[Utrecht], 10 January 1730
Dear Sir,
I heartily wish you many happy returns of years. I was indeed Longing most impatiently to hear from you; But your friendship I could never suspect; nor would I fear the indolence you complain off did any opportunity offer of doing me or any friend a real service. Your letters will ever be most agreable to me when they bring me good accounts of your self & your’s; But this last indeed brought me news which gave me a very sensible uneasiness. Poor Trotter51 is he indeed taken from us! And must Mr Scot52 also die! How vain and uncertain is human life sed ita visum Superis!53 I am glad however to hear my other friends are so weel; & that Mr Warrender54
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is to come abroad with that young Lord: sure I am his Lordship is very lucky: And how earnestly must I wish who know & like Warrender so weel that he would come to this place & that it might be our mutual happiness to travel together. And indeed this is an exceeding good place for study. Mr Wauchope55 who gives his kind service to you & with whom I am very happy gives great application & with Excellent success. But I need not trouble you with an account of the colleges he attends. Lord George Hay56 who is just come here within these few days, I would gladly hope, will follow his good Example. He is recommended to my care in the most obliging manner by the Marquis;57 & lodges in the same house with us. Allow me to give some account of my self<.> I attend the college of Mr Otto upon the Pandects & believe me it is an Excellent one.58 I have likewise a privatissimum upon Grotius in conjunction with Mitchel,59 who you may be sure remembers you most kindly, & My Lord Cornberry60 with whom I have the honour to be very weel acquainted & who is indeed the most virtous wise young gentleman I ever knew & at the same time has a vast deal of Life & wit. No doubt you know Mr Otto’s Thesaurus juris is now finished & the price mounts every day.61 It is certainly a curious collection. Mr Cunninghame62 to whom Otto has been vastly obliged in making that
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collection says it has much dimi<ni>shed the value of a Law library he had gathered from all parts of the world with great care. And By the bye Cunninghame has been here severall days; he is a worthy good man but the most entetaea about his readings of Horace & Phaedrus.63 I have been often with him & he with me; & I am sure I could divert you a litle if I durst; But all I dare say is that you will soon see another learned work of his in which he is to defend as warmly as ever he attacked a certain Learned Doctor at the Expence of a very Reverend prelate.64 Mr Duker65 whose Thucidides we will now have in three months gives Mr Wauchope a privatissimum upon Sueton.66 He is realy as Good as he is learned & the last he has given unquestioned proofs of. He is likewise busy just now in giving the finishing stroke to some notes upon Livy upon his collegue Mr Drakenburg’s67 account a book the world will likewise very soon see. You see then Dear Charles how I employ my time here. And tho I am Exceeding happy in Mr
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Wauchope & will never part with him upon any consideration while he has any use for me; yet you know sufficiently my inclinations do not give me to be a Wanderer: if therefore Will Scot happens to die (which I sincerly pray heaven may forbid) Could it possibly be brought about, the profession of the law of nature is much to my taste and I would willingly make a bargain with Mr Scot about it: The Greek Class is the most profitable & perhaps if other folks could be brought to consent to it he would not be averse to return to it upon certain terms.68 And I have now three hundred pounds good. No doubt you sufficiently understand me & I would have you to talk with my good friend Mr Maclauran about it. To no other but you