Dear Darwin,

Your kind letter has made a round by Milton and back here.¹ I am only in Town for a very few days on business, and have left the wife² at home. She writes me she has put up Horsman’s documents safely and you shall have them again if wanted.³ After I sent them to you I found the one from Hale at the time Horsman was in prison, saying the Chaplain doubted his sanity.⁴

I have not heard lately from Powell.⁵ He had an idea, some time back, of exchanging with one M^r. Ffinden, which required my consent.⁶ I gave it, rather unwillingly, first because the transaction between M^r. Ffinden and M^r Gilman,⁷ the patron of the living he was to get, did not quite approve itself to me; and because, though I heard all good of M^r. Ffinden’s moral character, his clerical ability was not stated as very high; he had however capital testimonials to his wife’s⁸ qualifications, and I consented, but it fell through, and as I do not choose to have Downe hawked about, I do not consent again and I suppose M^r Powell will stay till he gets something better.—

I should have liked to get a day to see you but fear I shall not manage it, as I have more places to go to than days to go in. I leave this I think this afternoon for Berks. Knight Bruce⁹ is down north of me at a fishing at Durness and says he is to look me up on his way South

I expect Johnny from Cam^br today¹⁰ and suppose we shall go North together soon

With kind regards to you all Believe me | Faithfully yours | J Brodie Innes