TO MRS. DUNLOP.
[This seems to be a letter acknowledging the payment of Mrs. Dunlop’s subscription for his poems.]
Edinburgh, 15 April, 1787.
Madam,
There is an affectation of gratitude which I dislike. The periods of Johnson and the pause of Sterne, may hide a selfish heart. For my part, Madam, I trust I have too much pride for servility, and too little prudence for selfishness. I have this moment broken open your letter, but
“Rude am I in speech,
And therefore little can I grace my cause
In speaking for myself—“[169]
so I shall not trouble you with any fine speeches and hunted figures. I shall just lay my hand on my heart and say, I hope I shall ever have the truest, the warmest sense of your goodness.
I come abroad in print, for certain on Wednesday. Your orders I shall punctually attend to; only, by the way, I must tell you that I was paid before for Dr. Moore’s and Miss Williams’s copies, through the medium of Commissioner Cochrane in this place, but that we can settle when I have the honour of waiting on you.
Dr. Smith[170] was just gone to London the morning before I received your letter to him.
R. B.