| Description Of Item | The letter is from Duncan to Ewing, one of his pupils at the University of Edinburgh thanking Ewing for receipt of his observations on the circulation of the blood. '...it gives me no small pleasure to have proofs that I live in remembrance of my pupils...'.
The letter's red postmark is the standard Edinburgh despatch mark type ED43, date given top to bottom JUN/18/1817, the letter M stands for morning duty and the letter B is the stampers mark, in this case George Brander. The postal rate was calculated by distance in measured miles, Edinburgh to Aberdeen 134 miles, falling within the rate band for 121-170 miles. The Act of July 1812 applied, a rate of 10d. To this is added The Scots Mail coach tax of 1/2d giving a total charge of tenpence-ha'penny, to be paid by the recipient. The charge mark is a black mark over the initials of the addressee. |