letter in latin you have describing Winesene house;74 you had it from Mr Anderson75 But I have almost quite forgot where it is only I remember you read it to me & I must see the place & have the description. pray send it to me. & if in any thing I can serve I am sure you know you have nothing to do but to command. Forget not my compliments to your Lady Nor to any of my Friends: I need not name em. I never was in better health; & I am very easy every way: yet this travelling life with all the pleasures that attend it has its allay. Mitchel76 is returned to Holland to study Law at the Corpus another winter But joins us in the beginning of summer some where or other. This is a place one would not soon weary of did not they spend so much time at cards & game so high: But on that account I believe it is impossible to get much into the grande monde here: And perhaps the loss is not great. There are fine things to be seen; & very good company of another taste to be found. I want much to hear from Mr Maclauran<.> I hope he will be so kind as to introduce me to some of his acquaintances.77 I think to see the Chevalier Ramsay78
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this afternoon; But what I’ll think of him I don’t know; his caracter is a meer proteus. But I want to be with all sorts of folks if I can. Prithee let me know if there are any changes among our friends since I heard from you last. None of my brothers ever write. I give my self here entirely to reading french authors. Sometimes however I steal a look of a Roman & sometimes of a Greek author I like to see the difference: speaking french with the volubility of a french man I’ll never attain; But I understand & am understood: and perhaps that is enough. I begun Italian last winter & that I am sure I’ll find an easier task to master even as to speaking. When I begin to write to you or any of my friends I find a pleasure I imagine my self with you & become tedious without saying any thing. it is time to take leave I am
Sir
Yours most sincerely
& affectionately
George Turnbull
10. To CHARLES MACKIE
Address: To Mr Charles Macky Professor of History at Edinburgh par Londre
MS: EUL, La. II. 91; unpubl.
Marseilles, 23 September 1731
My Dear Sir
It is now long since I had the pleasure of hearing from you: your colleges are now over & I may venture to trouble you. We are to go for Lions in a few days; & after some litle stay there to Geneve. We are four in company & have had hitherto a very pleasant journey. But to say the truth there is not much worth the while in this voyage: I did flatter my self with spending some time in Italy before seeing you But when friends press coming home & young Gentlemen have no very great taste for Antiquities the Governours would be in the wrong to press an Italian voyage & that is my case
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& that too of my brother Governour in company; one of the Best men & Best scholars I know Mr Markland of Cambridge who published the Epistola Critica to Dr Hare & after that Statius.79 Will you forgive me my Dearest friend if I open my mind a litle to you & tell you that as the time of coming home draws near my cares increase. I can’t bear the thoughts of being out of business: travelling again or the care of some body at home is all I can project: and I wish I could be sure of some such good opportunity. I will be at home in time enough to go abroad again the next season for setting out. And I sometimes am thinking with my self who there is in our country that is worth the while: sometimes the Marquis of Clidsdale80 comes in my head tho’ he be too young to travel: and the Marquis of Tweddale81 honoured me frequently while I was at Utrecht with very kind letters. Sometimes my Lord Eglinton82 comes into my head. Can you forgive all this foiblesse:83 Or is there any in giving sin<c>ere vent to a sincere friend? If there is any occasion casts up may not I be mentioned tho’ I am not home since I am to be so soon. And if any thing does may I not Expect better terms than I have at present for in truth there is nothing to be gained by a hundred pound abroad if one does as must be done to be acceptable to company in france. But enough of this you understand me; & I am sure have me at heart. I fancy we may be in England next spring early. There are troubles & cares innumerable in the charge of a young Gentleman abroad was he ever so good & wise and I am lucky enough: But there are cares & troubles in Every Station of Life; & if nothing else offers a good
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opportunity of travelling again would give me joy because it would give me something to do. My humble service to your lady, to Mr Maclauran & all friends. pray tell Mr Maclauran that his treatise upon motion is much longed for abroad; & much wanted.84 It is long since I said to several who are impatient to see it that it would be soon published: But I have forgot whether he designed it in English or in Latin: if in English I wish he would get it translated into french. I never write to any body a journal of my travels; all I have seen has been described again <and> again. The affair of the Jesuite & the Girl of which you have certainly heard is still in dependence before the Parliament of Aix; & is the only subject of conversation in these parts of the world. The Jesuites Exert all their force to get him innocented. But the populace are warm & zealous against them evrywhere.85 I don’t know if ever you was in the south of France: for antiquities there is nothing remaining tolerably entire Except at Nismes.86 The new part of this town is very beautifull. And Aix is the finest town I ever saw. But what is all this to the purpose Fareweel my Dear Sir and believe me with the sincerest respect & affection
your most humble servant
George Turnbull.
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11. To CHARLES MACKIE
Address: To Mr Charles Macky Professor of history at Edinburgh
MS: EUL, La. II. 91; unpubl.
London, 13 May 1732
Dear Sir
I had your’s of the 23 of March Last night. I arrived here thursday evening <and> thought indeed to have been here two months agoe; but it is not easy to leave Paris. Your Long Long silence made me not a litle uneasy; But I could never call the sincerity of your friendship in question. Your concern in looking about for me in my absence is a new proof of it I will never forget; and no doubt you must wonder I have not wrote to you sooner about that proposal. But this is first post after my receiving your’s & after giving you a great many thanks for your kindly concern about me allow me to ask the favour of you to make my most humble compliments to that young Gentleman’s curators & to thank them for the honour they do me in offering me that charge which I can’t accept off being engaged already.
That is all that it is necessary to say to them but I must trouble you with more of my story; nor do I believe you will think it any trouble to know any thing that concerns me. I have had the good Luck to be very agreable to several English I met with abroad. My Lord Cornbury87 whom I believe I have named in former letters to you is much my friend: has often assured me that there is no man he would sooner choose to oblidge than me (These are his own words) has begged me again and again to let him know if he could serve me. I have at last named something to him and I am sure of his readiness to do for me to the outmost He knows very weel my situation & that I don’t incline to travel with any charge if I could do better & diswades me from it. But if nothing casts up for me soon I design to accept
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of a very generous offer made me by one whom I like with all my heart to make
