Volume the Second: Diplomatic Display London British Library, Add. MS. 59874
our Grandfather had left me & which they
had un::justly deprived me of, but finding
that I men::tioned nothing of the Matter, they desired meto step into the
Basket as we might there con::verse with greater ease. Accordingly I
entered& whilst the rest of the party were devouring Green tea & buttered toast, we
feasted ourselvesin a more refined & sentimental Manner by aconfidential Conversation. I informed them ofevery
thing which had befallen me them duringthe course of my Life, & at my request they relatedto me every
incident of theirs.
"We are the sons as you already know, of thetwo youngest Daughters which Lord St Clair had byLaurina an italian Opera-girl. Our mothers couldneither of them exactly ascertain who were our Fathers; though it is generally beleived that Phi::lander, is the son of one Philip Jones a Bricklayerand that my Father was Gregory Staves a Staymaker ofEdinburgh. This is however of little consequence, for asour Mothers were certainly never married to either of them,it reflects no Dishonour on our Blood, which is of a