" I
have no room to inflict more ballads or legends on you; and remain,
most faithfully yours,
R. SURTEES.
LETTER: From Jonathan Oldbuck, Esq., of Monkbarns, to Robert
Surtees, Esq., Mainsforth.
Monkbarns, June 1.
My Dear Sir,--How kind hath Fortune been to you, and, in a
secondary degree, to myself. Your letter must dispel the
unreasoning and I fear envious scepticism of MacCribb, who has put
forth a plaunflet (I love that old spelling) in which he derides
the history of Aldobrand Oldenbuck as a fable. The Ballad shall,
indeed, have an honoured place in my poor Collection whenever the
public taste calls for a new edition. But the original, what would
I not give to have it in my hands, to touch the very parchment
which came from the press of my revered ancestor, and, gloating on
the crabbed letters, confute MacCribb to his face ipso visu et
tactu of so inestimable a rarity. Exchanges--or "swaps," as the
vulgar call them--are not unknown among our fraternity. Ask what
you will for this treasure, to the half of my kingdom: my gold
Aurelius (found at Bermuckety, on the very limits of Roman
Caledonia), my "Complaynte of Scotland" (the only perfect copy
known),
My copperplate, with almanacks
Engrav'd upon't, and other knacks;
My moon-dial, with Napier's bones
And several constellation stones.
Make your choice, in fact, of all my Gabions, as honest old George
Ruthven called them.
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