Part of the correspondence belongs, in date and subject, to the previous volume. The greater part belongs to the years 1805-1819, and deals with R H Cromek's scheme for an edition of Burns illustrated by Thomas Stothard, (Member of the Royal Academy of Arts), and with the preparation of the 8th edition of James Currie, edited by Gilbert Burns. Among the illustrations are several original sketches by Stothard, of scenes and objects associated with Burns.

Born in New Zealand and educated in England, Sydney Goodsir Smith's first poems were in English, but he began writing in Scots in about 1940 and published several volumes of poetry. He also wrote for the stage, radio and television, as well as editing works of Robert Burns and Robert Fergusson. All these interests are reflected in his papers, but his work as an art critic survives in only a few fragmentary items.

The book contains on blank leaves bound in at the back a memorandum (folio 3) and sketches (folios 8 verso, 11 verso, 12 verso) in pencil apparently in Charles Macleod’s hand, and, in another hand in ink, written also on the flyleaves, biographical notes and extracts from printed sources referring to him.

There are notes, instructions and sketches throughout by Thomas Powrie and by the stage manager, J H Smith.

Loosely inserted (folio 53) is a printed article by Alexander Gibb, on 'The Ballad of Jack Monro', an off-print from the ‘Brechin Advertiser’, 9 February 1904.

Throughout the period, except for a short visit to Gibraltar in August 1855 to load ammunition, HMS ’Terrible’ was stationed in the Black Sea, where she took part in bombarding the forts at Sebastopol, pursuing Russian shipping, and carrying troops. Much of the journal concerns the movements of ships and officers, but it also refers to contemporary events, and includes some descriptions of the Crimea and the British army. Some small sketches and plans of engagements have been inserted.

The unidentified writer describes local industries such as the working of Gobelins tapestry and the manufacture of glass beads at Venice, and Alpine glaciers and waterfalls. The volume is illustrated throughout by engravings, coloured postcards, and pencil sketches.

The author was one of a party who made a tour of inspection of Gottland in connection with a scheme, promoted by Robert Chambers, the publisher, to settle British farmers there. Their report was entirely adverse. The volume includes a printed prospectus of the scheme, relevant newspaper articles, and correspondence with Chambers, 1850, and is illustrated with several water-colour sketches.

The papers are chiefly of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

For a genealogical tree of the Erskine family, see MS.5115.

Alexander J Adie travelled through Galloway to Belfast and Dublin, then through North Wales, returning to Edinburgh through Newcastle. His journal describes the countryside and people, but his interest was primarily in bridges, mines, railways and other engineering works. There are detailed descriptions, with small sketches, of a descent in a diving bell (folio 19) and visits to a salt mine (folio 37) and iron works (folio 50).

The Naval log is illustrated by sketches of ships, scenery, antiquities, etc., and accompanied by several poems and a dissertation on the putrid fever of St Lucia (folio 27). The scenes and incidents described include the West Indies, 1778-1779; Denmark and Zetland, 1780; the loss of the ‘Royal George’, 1782; and the battle of Cape St Vincent.

The journal describes John Dunlop's life as a medical student in Paris and his impressions of France and of his fellow students. In 1846 he joined the army as an Assistant Surgeon, and the last part of the manuscript describes his voyage to India. The journal is illustrated with sketches in pencil and water-colours.

The narrative breaks off at Paris on the return journey (folio 59 verso). The journal is illustrated with a few small sketches at folios 31 verso-32. The journal is written in pencil.

The journal contains entries for 1811, which are purely social, written at Sidmouth, and for 1813, which describe a journey from Brahan to Dalwhinnie.

The writer set out to follow the route taken by Dr Johnson and to write a similar narrative to his ‘Journey to the Western Islands’. He describes Scotland and its people, noting particularly what is strange to an Englishman, relates his personal experiences, and tells many historical anecdotes and legends, some of which he declares to be new to him. The journal is illustrated with images copied from Adam De Cardonnel’s "Picturesque Antiquities of Scotland".