Received his father's letter of 20 August [1782]. Will assist Mr Cooper if he requests it, would be wrong for him to show any "extraordinary reserve". Responds to Norwich news. His tour to Loch Lomond shorter than expected, owing to bad weather, but was "agreeable & successful"; account of the journey to and stay in Glasgow, and onward journey to Loch Lomond, met Mr Stewart, companion of [Thomas] Pennant in one of his tours, ascent of Ben Lomond, and their return journey to Edinburgh. Dr Broussonet sent him copy of his new work on fish.

Introduces Mr Cooper, who has left the Church of England to study physic. Asks if Dr [William] Cullen [(1710-1790), chemist and physician] proposes publishing another volume of his "First Lines [of the Practice of Physic" (1777-1784)]; asks after progress of Ferguson's ["History of the Progress and Termination of the Roman Republic" (1783)] and Dr [William] Robertson's [(1721-1793), historian and Church of Scotland minister] "History of America" [(1777)]. Comments on "savage" Bruno. Norwich news.