Various events have interrupted our correspondence but not my remembrance of you, for I enquired concerning your health on every occasion that offered, and rejoiced to hear of your vigour, and good spirits. The following words in the Advertisement of your Papers lately published give me much pleasure. “The Editor expects shortly to be able to subjoin a second to this first Part, and thereby to complete the Volume.” The first Part not only pleases me on account of its intrinsic value; but because it recals former times, for in many places, the expressions are the very same which I remember were used by you about twenty seven years ago, when I had the pleasure of accompanying you in a Tour to Dunkeld, Port, St. Andrews.

I send you by the Bearer, a Present of my Instituts of Physics, which may perhaps amuse you; and be use to some young Lecturer in Philadelphia: for, from the experience of thirty years, I am convinced that the plan is good, whatever may be the merit of its execution.

Along with my Institutes, I beg leave to make you a present of Sir John Dalrymple’s Memoirs, Volume Second; and I do so, because as the Book is wet from the Press, and the Ship is ready to sail, it will probably, be the first copy that will arrive in Philadelphia; and because it must both entertain and interest you; as a great part of it is taken up with observations concerning America. The Author is a very singular man, and every Chapter of the Book cries ‘Father.’ The character which he gives of Burnet Page 76, it is generally said, may be applied with more justice to himself, and with higher colouring.

In his plan for a Foedral Union with America, he proposes that England shall name the chief Magistrate of the American States. There is not only an absurdity in this proposal, but is glaring from him who had said in page 166 that the King of France had put all England in a flame by naming a King without consulting its subjects. Now if the recommendation of the Americans is to be taken, it will only be a piece of foolish pageantry. Free Nations are like Merchants. When they go into Company, it is from the sense of mutual advantage. If the power od dictating exists in any one, partialities will take place, and the Company will dissolve, even supposing there should be no pride and folly, with which Nations are infested as well as Individuals.

He takes to himself in a great measure the merit of the Law in favour of the English Roman Catholics, which was met about eights years ago, and he seems willing to ascribe to some of the Clergy the preventing the extension of that Law to Sco[tland] and all the Riots that ensued. The fact is, it was not the Sc[otch] Clergy which occasioned these events, but the People [Fier com   un Ecossois] who thought themselves trampled upon by the    of doing it, and particularly the insolent Folly of the Author in conjunction with Mr. Hay, one of the Roman Catholic Bishops, both of whom are blamed by the Catholics themselves for what happened. But, is it not curious—to see his boasted affection for the Catholics in page 170, and his scheme for pil[fering?] their Churches in page 23 of the Appendix; while Mr. Glenford, a good Presbyterian, declared that he would not touch what was dedicated to God, thougxh by a Religion that was not only contrary to his own, but subversive of it, and tho’ the Usage of War, and the declaration of less scrupulous persons, would, with the World, have justified the Robbery.

He introduces the Carronades again and again, not only as a late invention by a Gentleman in Edinburgh, but as one of the greatest in modern times. The fact is, that they were used long before any of them were made at Carron: for the little varieties in their construction does not alter their Nature, which consists in their Shortness and a Skeid, or Sliding Carriage; and many years ago, they were used in the Cabins of Ships with long Guns, while Short Guns, and Coehorns were used upon the Deck. I know something of their merit because I made many experiments with them before the Officers of the Army, and Navy, and I would rate it theirs. They are good for Merchant Ships against small Privateers, because they are much lighter than common Guns, take less room and are wrought by fewer hands. They are good in War Ships, upon the Poops and Forecastles, instead of Marines, but they ought not to make the chief defence. And, they may be used with advantage as Field Pieces in rough, or in soft ground; because they are light, and have a large bore, and therefore are inferior to the Carronade when grape shot is fired. This is all I think that can be fairly said in their praise; and for this reason, that though I made many fine experiments with them, yet the same success cannot be expected in Actual Service. It is well known that a Manufacturing Machine cannot be used with advantage, if it is much subject to go wrong; and what would happen if the workers of it were exposed to death, or wounds? Now, if Sailors, with Carronades, are more apt to commit errors than with common Guns, in pointing, and loading, and if Carronades are more apt to break their tackling, it seems to be over-rating, when more Merit is given to them than what I have done.

In the Appendix, page 7th, he gives the invention of the double and triple Ship, wrought with wheels, to the same Person who he says invented the Carronade; not withstanding all you say in your last Book page 109. Two of these Ships were lately made in Leith, but I have not heard that they were approved of either by Sailors, or Landmen. I suspect that tho’ they may be used with success in smooth water, they will be apt to fo   in rough seas; that the wheels can be seldom used: and that they would very seldom save the people, by running into    water than what will receive the ships, and boats, that are in common use. This, at least, we may say with certainty it ought not to have been held out by the Author as a   invention, and it ought not to be boasted of as an improv[ement] till it has been brought to the test of Experience.

His blunders as to Facts are almost incredible. For   in page 99, he says that the service of the Church of    consists of a Lecture with a Comment, a Sermon, Prayers, three Psalms, and a Blessing; and yet it is [perfect]ly notorious not only that there are three Psalms, and Prayers besides the Blessing; but that the Author is Wit[ness] to these three Prayers and Blessing every Sunday    during the sittings of his own Court, to wit, the Excheq[uer].

But I must have done with my remarks, which    would become too numerous both for you and for me. I [can] therefore only add that I am, with the greatest respect, Dear Sir, your most obedient servant