As yet, we have been to see no fairlies, except going in a coach from one
part of the toun to another; but the Doctor and me was at the he-kirk of
Saint Paul's for a purpose that I need not tell you, as it was adoing
with the right hand what the left should not know. I couldna say that I
had there great pleasure, for the preacher was very cauldrife, and read
every word, and then there was such a beggary of popish prelacy, that it
was compassionate to a Christian to see.
We are to dine at Mr. Argent's, the cornal's hadgint, on Sunday, and me
and Rachel have been getting something for the okasion. Our landlady,
Mrs. Sharkly, has recommended us to ane of the most fashionable
millinders in London, who keeps a grand shop in Cranburn Alla, and she
has brought us arteecles to look at; but I was surprised they were not
finer, for I thought them of a very inferior quality, which she said was
because they were not made for no costomer, but for the public.
The Argents seem as if they would be discreet people, which, to us who
are here in the jaws of jeopardy, would be a great confort--for I am no
overly satisfeet with many things. What would ye think of buying coals
by the stimpert, for anything that I know, and then setting up the poker
afore the ribs, instead of blowing with the bellies to make the fire
burn? I was of a pinion that the Englishers were naturally masterful;
but I can ashure you this is no the case at all--and I am beginning to
think that the way of leeving from hand to mouth is great frugality, when
ye consider that all is left in the logive hands of uncercumseezed
servans.
But what gives me the most concern at this time is one Captain Sabre of
the Dragoon Hozars, who come up in the smak with us from Leith, and is
looking more after our Rachel than I could wish, now that she might set
her cap to another sort of object. But he's of a respectit family, and
the young lad himself is no to be despisid; howsomever, I never likit
officir-men of any description, and yet the thing that makes me look down
on the captain is all owing to the cornal, who was an officer of the
native poors of India, where the pay must indeed have been extraordinar,
for who ever heard either of a cornal, or any officer whomsoever, making
a hundred thousand pounds in our regiments? no that I say the cornal has
left so meikle to us.