doing a brother's duty to me. I am glad you like Mrs McLean and that you say my dear Catherine is a comfort to you. She seems bitterly to deplore having left me alone but I hope ultimately she will have profitable reason to think otherwise. Little Douglas is a source of much happiness to them both. Cath is so uplifted about his cleverness. They say he is so manly & affectionate. I was sorry to hear of the indisposition of John's