Letter from Robert Burns to John MacLeod, 18 June 1794

Dumfries 18th June 1794

Sir,
the fate of Carse is determined. - A majority
of the trustees have fixed its sale. - Our friend,
John Clarke, whom you remember to have met
with here, opposed the measure will all his might,
but he was over ruled. - He, wishing to serve
Walter Riddell, the surviving brother, wanted the
widow to take a given annuity, & make over to
him the survivancy of the paternal estate;
but luckily, the widow most cordially hates
her brother in law, &, to my knowledge, would
rather you had the estate, though five hundred
cheaper, than that Wattie should. - In the
mean time, Wattie has sold his Woodley park
to Colon. Goldie, the last Proprietor. Wattie
gave 6000£ for it; laid out better than 2000£
more

more on it; & has sold it for 15000£ - So
much for Master Wattie's sense & management,
which, entre nous, are about the same pitch as
his worth. -
The Trustees have appointed a gentleman to make
out an estimate of the value of the terra firma in
the estate; which you know is by far the principal
article in the purchase: the house & woods will
be valued by some professional man. - The
gentleman they have pitched on ^is a Mr W.m Stewart.
factor & manager for Mr Menteath of Closeburn. -
Stewart is my most intimate friend; & has promised
me a copy of his estimate - but please let this be
a dead secret. - Stewart was the intimate & confidential
friend of poor Riddell that is gone, &
will be trusted & consulted in all the business;
& from him I am to know every view &
transaction. - I assure you it has cost me some
manoeuvring to bring this to bear; but as this
kind

kind of underhand intelligence may & will be of
very considerable service to you, if you are
still thinking of the purchase, I have in a manner
beset & waylaid my friend Stewart, until I
have prevailed on him. - By this day se'en night
Stewart will have made out his estimate, & again
that day, you shall hear from me. - As soon
as the advertisement appears in the papers,
which will be, Stewart tells me, in a fortnight
or so, I will go over the woods with an acquaintance
of mine, who is ^a twenty years experienced
judge in the way of buying woods; & you shall
have the exact value of every stick on the property.
- I could not go over the estate in that
way, you know, until the sale be formally
announced. - The idea of the Trustees is, to
bring on the sale in October; so that the Purchaser
may enter at Martinmass. -
Now,

now, my lately-acquired, but much-valued & highly-honoured
Friend, let me urge you to be in earnest with this
business. - Here is positively the most beautiful spot
in the lowlands of Scotland; absolutely the master-
-piece of Nature in that part of the kingdom; &
would you not wish to call it yours? - This
country is charmingly romantic ^& picturesque,
in the whole; 'tis besides highly improving &
improve able, & a cheap Country to live in --
you will be within six miles of the third town
for importance & elegance in Scotland - your
neighbourhood will abound in "Honest men & bonie
"lasses" - do, come & be happy, & make me in particular,
& the whole country happy by adding Mr
McLeod's worth & M.rs McLeod's amiableness - not to
speak of their splendid fortune & distinguished
rank - to this already deserving & enchanting
part of the kingdom. -
You see with what selfishness I have the honour to be,
Dear Sir, your obliged & devoted humble serv.t