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Youl remember I wrote yow in February
1777 to which I hade your answer the 10th of that month
which I esteemed and paid grate regard to what yow wrote,
only I must begg leave to sate yow right as to one point
yow mention with respect to my Constiwation, which
yow think has not bine originally strong, but with truth
I do assure yow that never one was born with a better
Constiwation, which I thank God is still good and yet
I have complaints which I most lay lay beifor yow, and
in purpose to gate your advoice which I am very fond of
I must begg leave to give yow a short history of my
life. For this 12 years by past I have laid such a life of
Intemperance particulary as to venery that it would be
impossible for me to paint owt in proper colours, in so
glaring a manner as it deserves. When I was about 18 years
of age the first Simptoms I feilt was a Vertigo or
Giddiness in my head, and at same time I laboured under a
difficulty of breathing, which was very irrigularly in their
attacks, For after I went from this to London by sea in
1775 and changed my maners of living particularly
as to drinking in to a perfect sobriety, tho I confess I was
still much adicted to venery, which affected me in so mainy

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varies shapes, that it would be imposible for me to describe.
And unluckily at that time bieng obliged to take some mercurry,
tho my venerreal complaints were very simple, I went soon thereafter
down to Margate and used the warm salt water bath, which I was convinced
totaly eradicate the mercurry owt of my blood, but even after that I still
persisted in venery to a grate excess, which at that very time made every
thing insoportable to me, and if it hade not been for my using the
cold bath which I did frequently the consequence must have bine fatal.
From that I returned to London and from thence by sea to Aberdeen where
I staid for six months. I lived in General very regular except a few
excesses in the bottle, but still paid a constant Devoir ¹ to the Ladies.
In the month of November 1777 I went from this by sea to London,
that day I went aboard of ship I was sized in the Morning with such
dreadful simptoms from a confusion and Weight in my head, attended
with horror and Gloominess of mind, owing as I immigin to two much
venery the night beifor, that if the vessel hade not waited me a day
I could not have gone with her, altho altho that very morning
I forsed myself in to the cold bathe betwixt hope and despare
so that I expected never to come owt with life, but as I know that
if I did survive it it would promote perspiration and put my blood

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in proper circulation, and accordingly it hade that
good affect, and by taking a few hours thereafter
4 of Vandowers Nervous pills I acquired a favourable
change for the better, and then went aboard of ship, and
hade a pretty tedious and rough passage going up, and
upon my arrival at London, where I staid abowt
six weeks I feelt a return of the same simptoms and
destress both in body and mind, to such a Decree that
I immagined it would have ended in a Delerium.
However I returned to Aberdeen by the same ship, but
hade such a tempest durring the passage that all
the crew thought wie should have perished, and during
the whole time I was so sick that I was obliged to
force my self to thro up, which I apprended sate all the
humours a working, attended with a confusion and Noise
in my head, so that for mainy days after I arraived hear
I was in grate disorder tow difficult for me to express,
and since then upon any kind of Excess either in
the bottle or venery these horrors and destress of mind
attack me so viontly, that I can neither relish my
self nor be pleased with the company of the most
intimate acquantince, which I supose is owing ↑to↑ the
Nervous Sistom bieng so unhinged, and yeat their
peri↑o↑ds are so uncertain that at times I find my
self quite conversible and in good spirits but
even then I dare not apply my mind to any

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Thing that requires much though or exactness and if even I
should write or read too much I am immeadiatly sized with a kind
of S↑t↑upor so as a stranger seeing me would think I were intoxicate.
In the morning I have for the most part a calcarious saliva
attended with a deal of wind in the stomach tho no cough.
I find my self so confused that I can hardly return an answer
to any question, but upon my using the cold bath, that confusion
abates. For 2 or 3 years past I could not wear a cockt hatt otherwise
my Eyes and brain would be so affected with a Giddiness, and yeat
after all I have wrote (and indeed much more I could and will say
when I have the pleasure of seeing yow) perhapes yow never hade
a Patient who would find so little credit in telling all his complaints
so much does the health and vigour of as good a Constitwtion appear
both in my person and looks, but for all that I assure yow I have
not exagerate in the narrative of my distresses.

When I was last in London I applyed to an eminent Physician
who has Practised much and made a grate fortune by such
complaints as mine ² and I have taken the liberty to send yow
inclosed his oppion transmited me by Mr Corbert his doer ³ from
whom I recived a parcel of his medecines some of which I have
keept in purpose to show yow that if yow think proper yow may
analise them and as the are in grate Vogue and vast quantities
sent abroad

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Upon the whole I cane not help bieng of
oppinon as some Authors I have read on the subject, that
there can be nothing more dreadfull than the bad
consequences that are produced by too great a Discharge
of the semen. Young People, says he, have the Air and
appearance of old age they become pale Efeminate benum¬
ed lasy stupid and even imbecile The have an utter distast for
every thing. That too great an abuse of Amorous
pleasures occassions disorders of the brain and of the nerves
and destroys the Intellectual powers and that frequent
Emissions of the seed relax, Dry up, weaken enervate and
produce a Crowd of evils. The brain itself in this case
appears Consumed the person in fact grows stupid and
becomes so rigid that he is almost deprived of motion.
The eyes becom so dull that they hardly retain the power
of sight and is attended with the most c↑l↑owded Melancholy
indifference nay an aversion to all pleasures and an
impossibility of sharing in the conversation of the
most intimate Company wherein he is always absant
and happy is he who in such a disorder is preserved from
putting the finishing hand to his existance.

All things according to our Intillects change there
ranks and order thus nature and caprice not
merrit asertain the Value of

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things. A strange disorder in the brain of man. No wonder
for the strenth bieng gone Impoverishes the Nervous Sisteim, to
such a decree that the mind seems at times in a state of Delerium
by bieng over come with hypochondriacal complaints.

Thus I have fully given yow a Detail of my complaints I only
wish that may having wrote so much may not ↑be↑ tyresome to yow
to read and I shall add no more but that if it is agreable to
yow I would take a jaunt to Edinburgh as soon as yow
advise me it will be proper, and expecting to heare from
yow soon in order to determin my comming up I shall
at present conclude with assurring yow that with highest
Esteem I am ---