Letter from James Glencairn Burns to Jean Burns, 6 July 1811

H. C. Ship Ld. Castlereagh
at Sea 6th July 1811

My Dear Mother

I seize the opportunity of the frigate
which is our convoy leaving us to return to England to
write to you. I must fancy I hear Ned Knight crying
out for Mary to hear take the letter in and she is quite
glad thinking it comes from William but upon your
opening it and finding it from me she says that I
thought it was frae Willy and I think I hear
you saying this letter had need to be a little better than the last
or I will not think much of it but I shall be a little
better. We left the Island of Madeira about a Week
before this and have had fine Weather and fair Winds
ever since but it is uncommonly warm. The Island of
Maderia is a most beautiful place and abounds with
a great variety of fruits there is but one regular town
and that can scarcely be called regular being a dirty uneven
place and not a good street in it although it is a large
town. I have been at their Theatre and Opera and of
the last I think a great deal more than the first the
Music and Dancing being very good; but their plays

are very insipid being in the Portuguese language.
An Officer on the Madras Establishment has undertaken
to take Letters for me to William and see them safe delivered
I forgot to tell you I was at an Assembly here and
although Noblemen do live here the rooms are not one
half so large and beautiful as those in Dumfries.
I have no more to say at present but you must write me
every opportunity and direct to J G Burns College of
Cadets Barrasat Bengal. Give my best respects to
Mr McLure and I wish him all the good than can
befall him and wish him reinstated in his former health
which will give h me as much pleasure as any one.
And also present my best respects to Mr and Mrs
Perochon as also about to Missrs Lookup, Borland, Mitchell,
&c and Madams Lookup Borland and c and Misses
Mr Lachan, Welch, Mitchell &c and in short
all Friends and I had almost forgot the Sewalls
and Mrs Hamilton and her daft Brumble Beak
Baldy. I say no more at the present but am

Your truly affectionate
Son


J G Burns