Memorandum.
The following memorandum of advice was given by Thomas Williamson Ramsay to his youngest son Robert before embarking for India with the 42nd Foot, the Black Watch (see portrait in Forage 31). I have no date when it was written but Robert was born in 1806 and his father died in 1838. (Don’t know more than that----yet!!) Altho’ I do not wish to give you many advices before you leave however, yet I cannot forebear mentioning a few of the points to which I am sure you will direct your attention, especially as they are points to which during my whole life I have endeavoured to pat the most uniform regard. 1. Debt. To owe no debt whatever to anyone, rather suffer privation however severe than put yourself in the power of any person – when a man becomes a debtor to another for money, he in a certain degree lowers himself in his status in society and brings on himself the utmost misery. 2. Economy. Rigid economy will enable you to live respectably without getting into debt. Avoid purchasing articles that you can possibly do without and enter into no money engagements whatever with officers or others who may try to involve you in their cash transactions and difficulties – complicity in this sort of business is certain ruin as first you may feel unwilling to refuse such application but steady uniform resistance will soon prevent any future applications and you can always plead that your father’s most positive orders prevent you from every engagement of this kind. 3. Idleness. You know I am a great enemy to idleness of every description. It leads to every inconvenience and frequently to worse consequences – it lays the foundation of debility and disease and in a sure impediment to prosperity in every situation of life. 4. Activity. By activity and early rising, your duties will soon become easy and you will find time go on very pleasantly; perhaps at first landing you may not feel quite so comfortable but you will soon be reconciled to everything. All will be new and entertaining. As far as possible avoid exposure to the full sunshine. 5. Gambling. You are well aware of my rooted aversion to every species of gambling and I feel confident that independent of your own sense that out of regard to my feelings on this point, you will carefully avoid gambling and betting of every description as they are the high road to destruction. 6. Females. Regarding your conduct to females, you will require to be most particularly guarded, otherwise much distress and ruin will be the consequences. In all countries this is less or more the case but more particularly the case in India. Many are on the watch to lay hold on simpletons – a false step is ruinous for life. 7. Quarrelsome. No character is more deservedly despised than that of a quarrelsome person. He is abominated by everyone and shunned as the pest of society. I have no fear of you ever falling into so bad a habit. 8. Dress. There cannot be two opinions on this subject – you should never appear a sloven or a fop. A judicious medium is the best rule; nor should you have at any one time too many clothes as they are expensive and troublesome, especially in India as here the carriage alone from one station to another is a great expense. 9. Visiting. I am far from thinking that you should avoid visiting altogether, but I confess that altho’ you must in this respect be partly guided by the fashion of the place where you happen to reside. Yet I think it would be advisable to shun too much visiting; it leads people to imagine that you have very little to do, or that you neglect what is your duty – in short, too much gadding about holds one up to ridicule as a very frivolous character and soon tires people of your company. 10. Health. On health everything depends. In the India climate sobriety is all in all. If one indulges in wine or any kind of strong drink even to slight excess, or in too much eating, or neglect early rising, or avoid taking exercise by times in the morning, or indulges too much in dancing or amusement in crowded rooms he will soon be numbered with the dead. Sir Thomas Morse went to Madras a cadet and by good conduct without interest reached being governor, Commander in Chief, a baronet, a Major General and a K.C.B. By close attention to the measures, he enjoyed good health for nearly 50 years. You should never use tobacco in any shape whatever as it is a most disgusting practice and extremely injurious to health. 11. Natives. Were you to read the life of Sir Thomas Morse you would see the propriety and necessity of conducting yourself with kindness, indulgence and attention to the natives; they never forget such treatment. Sir Thomas, as well as your old friend Mr. Anderson went by the appellation of their fathers. 12. Professional Duties. Attention to your military duty is of the greatest importance and should be attended to with diligence, assiduity and cheerfulness and not on any pretence delayed for a single moment. If a different conduct on your past were noticed by your superior officer, all confidence in you would be at an end. 13. Reading. The more you read the better, provided you peruse proper books. You will of course make yourself acquainted with the books relative to military duties and after these you may peruse History or any other books likely to communicate useful knowledge as well as amusement. I need not mention the importance of reading religious books of established reputation, giving at all proper times a decided preference for the Scriptures. 14. Correspondence. In your correspondence with home, be very regular – regularity in your case will, in part, lighten the feeling of separation, both to you and to your relations who will keep you constantly informed of what is going on. No excuse can be admitted for neglecting this duty. Be most regular and attentive in answering official letters, orders, reports etc. This will recommend you to your superior officers and perhaps assist in placing you on some staff appointment. Improve your handwriting and pay attention to arithmetic and accounts. 15. Religion. Above all, I depend on your undeviating attention to your religious duties. Some people may appear, or really are inattentive on this greatest and most important point, but depend upon it even these will set a high value in others on what they themselves so unfortunately neglect. They are laying up a source of inexplicable regret thro’ all stages of afterlife. Religion is the only true foundation for the right discharge of all our moral and social duties and without it we can never hope to attain lasting happiness in tis world and that which is to come. When you look at the portrait of Thomas Williamson Ramsay on the landing, you see a man of very high moral and Christian principles. On the outside of the envelope containing this memorandum, the following is written by Thomas Williamson Ramsay junior (Roberts brother): “Memorandum of advice to Robert from my dear father, when setting off for Madras in the 42nd Regt. TWR.” Thomas junior was already in Bombay when Robert left. See Forage 10B. The envelope dates much later. Transcribed by Frank Storr’ Charlecote Extras No. 1 Reproduced by kind permission of Sir Edmund.
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