"Dated, Tower, 17th of August, 1746.
"Dear Boyd,
"I must take this way to bid you farewell, and I pray God may ever
bless you and guide you in this world, and bring you to a happy
immortality in the world to come. I must, likewise, give you my last
advice. Seek God in your youth, and when you are old He will not
depart from you. Be at pains to acquire good habits now, that they
may grow up, and become strong in you. Love mankind, and do justice
to all men. Do good to as many as you can, and neither shut your
ears nor your purse to those in distress, whom it is in your power
to relieve. Believe me, you will find more joy in one beneficent
action; and in your cool moments you will be more happy with the
reflection of having made any person so, who without your assistance
would have been miserable, than in the enjoyment of all the
pleasures of sense (which pall in the using), and of all the pomps
and gaudy show of the world. Live within your circumstances, by
which means you will have it in your power to do good to others.
Above all things, continue in your loyalty to his present Majesty,
and the succession to the crown as by law established. Look on that
as the basis of the civil and religious liberty and property of
every individual in the nation. Prefer the public interests to your
own, wherever they interfere. Love your family and your children,
when you have any; but never let your regard to them drive you on
the rock I split upon; when, on that account, I departed from my
principles, and brought the guilt of rebellion, and civil and
particular desolation on my head, for which I am now under the
sentence justly due to my Prince. Use all your interest to get your
brother pardoned and brought home as soon as possible, that his
circumstances, and bad influence of those he is among, may not
induce him to accept of foreign service, and lose him both to his
country and his family. If money can be found to support him, I wish
you would advise him to go to Geneva, where his principles of
religion and liberty will be confirmed, and where he may stay till
you see if a pardon can be procured him. As soon as Commodore Burnet
comes home, inquire for your brother Billie, and take care of him on
my account. I must again recommend your unhappy mother to you.
Comfort her, and take all the care you can of your brothers: and may
God of His infinite mercy, preserve, guide, and comfort you and them
through all the vicissitudes of this life, and after it bring you to
the habitations of the just, and make you happy in the enjoyment of
Himself to all eternity!"