, provided I breathe at all,
I shall ever be,
dear Phillips, yours,
                                                                      J. MELFORD
    July 18.
 

                                  To Dr. Lewis

Dear Lewis,
    That part of Scotland contiguous to Berwick, nature seems to have intended
as a barrier between two hostile nations. It is a brown desert of considerable
extent, that produces nothing but heath and fern; and what rendered it the more
dreary when we passed, there was a thick fog that hindered us from seeing above
twenty yards from the carriage - My sister began to make wry faces, and use her
smelling-bottle; Liddy looked blank, and Mrs. Jenkins dejected; but in a few
hours these clouds were dissipated; the sea appeared upon our right, and on the
left the mountains retired a little, leaving an agreeable plain betwixt them and
the beach; but, what surprised us all, this plain, to the extent of several
miles, was covered with as fine wheat as ever I saw in the most fertile parts of
South Britain - This plentiful crop is raised in the open field, without any
inclosure, or other manure than the alga marina, or sea-weed, which abounds on
this coast; a circumstance which shews that the soil and climate are favourable;
but that agriculture in this country is not yet brought to that perfection which
it has attained in England. Inclosures would not only keep the grounds warm, and
the several fields distinct, but would also protect the crop from the high
winds, which are so frequent in this part of the island.
    Dunbar is well situated for trade, and has a curious bason, where ships of
small burthen may be perfectly secure; but there is little appearance of
business in the place - From thence, all the way to Edinburgh, there is a
continual succession of fine seats, belonging to noblemen and gentlemen; and as
each is surrounded by its own parks and plantation, they produce a very pleasing
effect in a country which lies otherwise open and exposed. At Dunbar there is a
noble park, with a lodge, belonging to the Duke of Roxburgh, where Oliver
Cromwell had his headquarters, when Lesley, at the head of a Scotch army, took
possession of the mountains in the neighbourhood, and hampered him in such a
manner, that he would have been obliged to embark and get away by sea, had not
the fanaticism of the enemy forfeited the advantage which they had obtained by
their general's conduct - Their ministers, by exhortation, prayer, assurance,
and prophecy, instigated them to go down and slay the Philistines in Gilgal, and
they quitted their
