Hands with me in Wedlock, ever to part from it. But I must explain how I ask, and how she refuses. I refolv'd never directly and downrightly to ask her, because I know the can refufe me nothing; and that would be bearing hard upon the Goodness of her Will But my way of perfuading her, confifts in endeavouring to make her in Love with the Place, by agreeable Descriptions of it, and likewife of the Human Temper of the People; fo that I fhortly fhall induce her to fignify to me, that it is her own Will to come with me; and then I fhall feem rather to consent to her Will, than to have moved it over to my own. Thefe Hopes I have of feeing my dear Father very fhortly; and I know fuch News would make this Letter (which I therefore fend) more acceptable to him, to whom I will be

A most Dutiful and

Affectionate Son till Death,

ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL.

P. S. If I cannot bring my Wife to change this Country for another, I have brought her to that Pitch of Devotion, that whenever Providence (which, notwithstanding her Predictions, I hope will be long yet) fhall call her to change this World for another, it will

be

be happy with her there. She joins with me, in begging your Blessing to me, her self, and our little Duncan; whom we Chriften'd fo, out of a Respect to the Name you bear.

I

The Third Letter.

My Dear FATHER,

Am loft in Grief. I had juft brought my Wife (Her that was my Wife, for I have none now; I have loft all Joy ;) in the Mind of coming over to be a Comfort to you: But now Grief will let me fay no more, than that I am coming to beg Comfort from you; and by this I prepare you to receive, when he comes, a Son in Tears and Mourning,

ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL.

P. S. I have a Babe not much above Two Years old, muft bear the Hardships of Tra velling over the Ice, and all thro' Muscovy ; for no Ships can ftir here for many Months, and I cannot bear to live in this inhofpitable Place, (where he died, that only could make it easy to me ;) one Moment beyond the first Opportunity I have of leaving it. She is in Heaven; that fhould make me eafy : But I cannot; I am not fo good a Chriftian as fhe was: I am loft and ruin'd.

CHAP.

CHA P. II.

After the Death of Mr. Duncan Campbell's Mother in Lapland, his Father Archibald returned with his Son to Scotland. His Second Marriage, and how his Son was taught to Write and Read.

MR

R. Archibald Campbell, having buried his Lapland Lady, returned to Scotland; and brought over with him his Son Mr. Duncan Campbell. By that time he had been a Year in his own Country he. Married a Second Wife, a Lady whom I ad known very well for fome Years, and then: I first saw the Boy; but as they went into the Western Islands, I faw them not again in three Years. She being (quite contrary to the cruel way much in Ufe among Step-Mothers,) very fond of the Boy, was accustomed to fay, fhe did, and would always think him her own Son. The Child came to be about Four Years of Age (as he has related to me the Story fince) and not able to fpeak one Word, nor to hear any Noife; the Father of him used to be mightily oppressed with Grief, and complain heavily to his new Wife, who was no lefs perplexed that a Boy fo pretty, the Son of fo particular a Woman, which he had made his Wife by ftrange Accidents and Adventures, and a Child coming

into the World with fo many amazing Circumstances attending his Birth, fhould lofe those precious Senfes, by which alone the Social Commerce of Mankind is upheld and maintained; and that he should be deprived of all Advantages of Education, which could raise him to the Character of being the great Man, that so many concurring Incidents at his Nativity promised and betokened he would be.

One Day a Learned Divine, who was of the University of Glafcow, but had vifited Oxford, and been acquainted with the chief Men of Science there, happening to be in Conversation with the Mother-in-Law of this Child, fhe related to him her Son's Misfortunes, with so many Marks of Sorrow, that fhe mov'd the good old Gentleman's Compaffion, and excited in him a Defire to give her what Relief and Confolation he could, in this unhappy Cafe. His particular Inclination to do her good Offices, made him recollect, that at the Time he was at Oxford, he had been in Company with one Dr. Wallis, a Man famous for Learning; who, had told him, that he had taught a born-Deaf and Dumb Man to Write and to Read, and even to atter fome Sounds articulately with his Mouth; and that he told him, he was then going to commit to Print, the Method he made ufe of, in fo Inftructing that Perfon, that others, in the like unfortunate Condition,

might receive the fame Benefits and Advantages from other Masters, which his Deaf and Dumb Pupil had received from him. A Dumb Man recovering his Speech, or a Blind Man gaining his Sight, or a Deaf one getting his Hearing, could not be more overjoyed, than Mrs. Campbell was at these unexpected Tidings; and fhe wept for Gladness, when he told it. The good Gentleman animated and encouraged her with the kindest Promises; and, to keep alive her Hopes, affured her he would fend to one of the Chief Booksellers in London, to enquire after the Book; (who would certainly procure it him, if it was to be got ;) and that afterwards he would peruse it diligently, make himself Mafter of Dr. Wallis's Method; and tho' he had many great Works upon his Hands at that Time, he would fteal from his other Studies Leifure enough to compleat fo Charitable an Office, as teaching the Dumb and Deaf to Read and to Write, and give her Son, (who was by Nature deprived of them) the Advantages of Speech, as far as Art would permit that Natural Defect to be fupplied by her powerful Interpofi

tion.

When the Mother came Home, the Child (who could hear no knocking, and therefore it must be by a strange and inexplicable Inftinct in Nature) was the firft that ran to the Door; and falling in a great Fit of Laugh

ter,