University of Virginia Library

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190

Letter 22
8 April 1774
NLS: MS 25295, ff.161-162

I have the honour of your favour of the 2d instant. And with regard to the affair of Dr Beatie I spoke, as you desired, to Lord Mansfield; who after expressing his highest regard to you and his good opinion of your friend, Dr Beatie, gave me the satisfaction to declare his opinion that the Magistrates of Edinburgh were very well disposed to favour the Dr's Suit, and that they will be averse to favour Professor Fergusson's request, as very unreasonable. Ld Stanhope giving his Tutor four hundred pounds a year while in his Lordship's Service, and settling two hundred pounds a year for life upon him afterwards so that for the reason you give, the modesty of the Magistrates is to be commended in leaving their good dispositions to your friend, free. In the mean time Lord Mansfield promises to omit no opportunity of acquainting every one with the good opinion he had entertained of Dr Beatie.

We are here no strangers to the mad opinions of the fanatics, who go under the names of methodists & Moravians; and of their rage against the ministers of the Established Church. The name of Bereans[49] which they have given themselves, I suppose because they are commended in Scripture for searching for their salvation there, is not yet known amongst us. But all in good time. Such searchers, with such interpretations they are likely to supply us with, are likely to search for what they are never likely to find.

Your Lady's remark on the barbarians you speak of, is enough to shame the strange credulity of lying Travellers.

The progress your Lordship tells me you have made in your Ch[r]onological History gives me much pleasure. your Lordship says true, as appears by the truths you have already favoured us with, that the paradoxes, in which your National history abounds, are not of your seeking but of your exposing, with which your story abounds. I predict that it will be a noble work and will do great credit to the work, and honour to your selfe.