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Dr Mutter is just now going to take
a ride to Edinburgh, both for the benefit of exercise,
and to see you, though he is far from indulging
sanguine hopes of recovery. --- In some respects
he has made a good deal of progress, particu¬
larly in walking; - now & then he can speak
a short sentence well enough; and often reads
freely. His health and spirits are good. - It is
unnecessary for me to enter farther into par¬
ticulars, as Mrs Mutter can speak fully upon
them, and as well as I can write.

I was duly favoured with your last respect¬
ing Mr Mackenzie as to whom I shall mention
{illeg} that, after the great hæmor¬
rhage, which I writ you of, there was a con¬
siderable abatement of the symptoms for some
time. -- The spitting of blood however has recurred

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several times since in small quantity, as well
as the Cough with its usual violence; and tho'
he is at present pretty easy, & his looks better
than they have frequently been, yet a scheme
of his going abroad is in agitation. -- Your pro¬
posal of his sailing in the Troagh of Clyde, he
was once determined to go into, but was frighted
from it by the accounts of the Privateers on
that Coast. - Afterwards he was included to go to
Madeira, to which place we were told, it was very
possible to go safely in a neutral ship. -- At
present he is thinking of going to the South
of France; either to make some stay there, as to
sail in the Mediterranean; or perhaps come home
by sea. - This scheme has been urged upon him as
↑a↑ proper & practicable one, by some of his friends
who have particular connections abroad, & who
have engaged to make it easy to him. - I must

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own I have been all along disposed to prefer
the design of going Madeira, where there is an
English family from to whom he would be very
particularly recommended; and I am sure would
be taken as much care of as is possible; -
& this strikes me as a great advantage when
compared with the melancholy Situation he
might be in, if taken very ill in some remote
place in France. --- But after all, it would
not surprise me if he went no where, for he
is irresolute on the head. -- T'other day he forbid
me to write you again till he desired it, - as he
said he {illeg} would not allow me to write again
without sending you another fee. - I have thought
it best however to let you know how matters
stand, in order that if any thing occurs to you
as clearly proper to be laid before him, you may
give me a hint of it. - If you can say nothing
you need not take the trouble to write, and I
shall not mention my having writ to you.

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I have troubled you with much more than I intended,
& shall therefore only add that I am always