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had him on Monday last at Carnwath Fair, but had not any Chapmon for him – I receiv’d also with your Letter by Jack Robson, Blackmore’s Creation, for which, and your Lines of the French War, I give you many thanks, and desires you will continue the latter as largely as you can in your next, for as soon as I see what number of verses it contains, I shall collect it from your Letters, and write it in my Print Hand, it being very well worth my while – The Book I shall read, and let my Friend the School =Master read against Rob. Steele comes, and send it with him – If it should happen that you were well, and not very busy against ye time I think of coming of coming home, and were to come for me with your Horse it might save me the trouble of buying one (Horses being at present very dear here) and the Expence of keeping it in Winter --- what you think of this, you may let me know in your next – I’m very much Surpriz’d that I have not a line from Mr. Smith by J. Robson --- tell him if I don’t hear from him Shortly, I shall both think and give it out here, that he is certainly Dead. Pray give my Respects to my Father, Mother, and Brother --- wch is all at Present from Your affectionate Brother Ja: Mulcaster Wanlockhead June 28th 1744 P.S. In a Scots Magazine for 1741 wch I have lately read, I met with ye following Article amongst the Deaths --- At Dublin, Thomas Morecroft, Esq; the younger Brother of a Baronet of yt. Name, and the person mentioned very often in the Spectator under ye Character of Will. Honeycomb.
The cover of the manuscript notebook from which these letters are taken shows a drawing of ‘A Lady of Quality in her Indian silcks dress. Sold at the White Horse without Newgate’. The cover has been annotated ‘No. 1 of Letters to several persons on several occasions’. This is the first surviving page of the manuscript notebook into which all letters were copied, apparently by the writer James Mulcaster so at least one earlier page is now missing. Given that later letters were addressed to brother John it is assumed that he was also the recipient of this letter. The London Lead Company leased the lead mines and mill at Wanlockhead in southern Scotland, and also of Acton Mill near Blanchland in Northumberland, where the Mulcaster family lived. It appears from these letters that 23 year old James Mulcaster was employed by the LLC at Wanlockhead in 1744. Fifty years later he gave the lecture to the Lit & Phil in Newcastle on ore hearth lead smelting in the North Pennines which is included elsewhere in ‘Dukesfield Documents’.
