'I had a present of a very elegant copy of the "Lay" lately from a gentleman in Edin. to whom I was ashamed to confess that I had it not. This is g[TEAR] you a hint that the present should have [TEAR] from some other hand. I am delighted beyond measure with many of the descriptions and with none more than that of William of Deloraine but I have picked some faults which I have not now time to explain but in Stanza 3d 1.1st were the knights squires and yeomen all knights? Should it not be rather [italics] The knights were all of mettle true? [end italics] - I have not yet discovered what the terrible parade of fetching Michael Scott's black book from the tomb served or what was done with it of consequence before returned and fear it will be construed as resorted to for sake of furnishing the sublime and awefull description'.