| Description | He has received the letter of 28 September, and his last enclosed a letter to Mr. J. Cochran, which has not been answered. He gives an account of his leisure activities, including attending dances. Local young men are in the field shooting partridges, something he has no taste for. He has just completed a sermon on Matthew 6:33. His uncle is an excellent judge and critic, but he has not seen Alexander's latest performances composed for the pulpit. He describes these, and the advice he has been given to choose some evangelical subject which would be agreeable to the people, but he will have nothing to do with filling ears with sounds that have no meaning. [18 October] He gives an account of Mr. Braid, who formed 'an imprudent connexion with a woman in St. Andrew's', and a marriage which has led him to drinking. He discusses the vacancy at Tibbermuir, and steps taken to give him references. [21 October] He has heard by letter from Mr. Small, that Lord Kinnoul has favoured another man for the vacancy, so Alexzander has no chance of success.
The signature and address have been removed. |