The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

2 44 ^'^^^ Highland Monthly.
set up in a press by themselves in the south end of the
Library ; that the>' were all in good condition, and cheap
bought, as they judged, and that there was non wanting
save ' ' Camdene Epistole,' in 4to, and The Divil on Two
Sticks,' and the ' Vanity of Philosophizing,' and Captain
Parish's ' State of Russia,' in 8vo, of which Mr Robert
Baillie acquainted him by a letter of the I2th instant. And
they considered the Ballance due to Mr Fraser, and found
it to be sixteen pound six and eightpence sterling, including
his picture, which cost four pounds four shillings sterling ;
and they further report that Mr Fraser complimented the
Library with a new Donation of books, to the value of four
pound sterling, the said picture being bought and sent down
by order of Session formerly ;" which " report being consi-
dered, the Session did appoint Thomas Alves, Hospitall
Theasurer, to borrow the said ballance of sixteen pound six
and eightpence sterling, and remit a bill to London of the
and that in respect the interest
value with the first post ;
of the sumes of mone}- mortified b}- Mr Fraser is not at
present in the Theasurer's hand, and although it were does
not amount but to ten pound thirteen and nine pence
sterling."
The above mentioned picture is in good preservation
The Session Library still contains an old MS. volume
stamped on the back " Register Gifts of the Library of
Inverness ;" on the front page of which is written, " This
book is gifted to the Librarie of Inverness by Robert
Baillie, minister there." The binding, unfortunately, is in
bad condition. It is evident from this volume that a considerable
number of books had been collected before Mr
Fraser of Chelsea gave his donation, and that to Mr Baillie
belongs the main credit of founding the present Librar\and
bestowing much care upon it in its infanc}-. It
embraces several catalogues which it is worth while to
enumerate here. The first is " A catalogue of the books
sent by piously disposed persons in London to the town of
Iincrncss as the beginning of a Presbyterial Library in that