I leave this in March. If Aunt is not better Helen Mary M'Innes may come and take a share of the burden of being with poor Aunt who at times is a sore burdensome task and return to Stranraer and finish my English branches, especially the arithmetic which I am not quite accurate at and then my greatest earthly wish is to finish my other branches on the Continent either in Germany or Paris. It is by no means more expensive than Edin.indeed not so much so as many of the E. or London institutions and there one has the advantage of having the language accurately as well and more speedily than druding with them so long here and not know them properly when done. My principal object for wishing to be competent at the modern languages is that I may talk with and teach little Douglas should it be my happiness to have it in my power to be enabled to do so. Music I know you will not expect me to excel in being commenced so late but I will be a tolerable player if you admit me the means of getting lessons from a master which is very high in comparison to such teachers but their style of finishing pupils is infinitely inferior. Now do not be alarmed and think that it is too extravagant a notion to wish to go to the Continent.