TO
THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
Permit the son of a father deceased in the service of his King, a son, who was
allowed, *at an early age, to assume the charge his father had enjoyed, not on account of
any pretensions he was able to exhibit, but from the mere motion of Royal Benevolence, to
lay at Your Majesty s feet an humble effort to imitate his fathers example, and to prove
himself not wholly unworthy of the favours he has already received.
The dying lips of his father were closed with expressions of gratitude to his Sovereign;
his son, more conscious of the munificence of his Royal Master, than confident of his
abilities to deserve its continuation, feels secure of nothing, except that his tribute of thankfulness
luill not be exceeded even by the gratitude of his deceased father.
He means not, however, to substitute thankfulness for industry, or gratitude for
activity; but he looks forward, with an ardent hope, that, by a full exertion of every energy
of mincl in planning, and of every exertion of labour in executing the duties he has been
permitted to undertake, he may in due time deserve, if nature has endowed him with sufficient
faculties, those favours, which the unsolicited benevolence of his Sovereign has been
graciously pleased to bestow upon him, who will ever consider it his chief happiness to be
able to prove himself
Your MAJESTY'S most loyal Sulject,
and most dutiful Servant,
w. r. AITOJX.