A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing his impending graduation, plans to travel to London to attend medical school, his friend John Wilson getting a job in the engineering department in America, the cost of provisions and taxes, and that oatmeal is the "chief support" for laborers in Scotland.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing the cold weather, the upcoming birth of a baby for John, attending a performance of the actress Sarah Siddons, issues with selling the crops in South Carolina, William's opinions on the medical field including his "little faith" in the London Hospitals.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing his final exams in medical school, the dangers of traveling to France, and discussions of health and diseases.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing a letter of credit, the severe winter in Edinburgh, deciding not to travel to Paris for medical school, plans to return to Charleston to work as a doctor, and William's opinions on the study of medicine.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing the birth of a baby in John's family, other family matters, and the observation that many inhabitants in Edinburgh have a wooden leg due to sickness.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing an upcoming birth in John's family, their brother Isaac's courtships, and the statement that "war resounds from all quarters." The letter goes on talking about the inhabitants of Edinburgh and their excessive alcohol and tea drinking, tobacco use, nervous disorders, and the "badly attended" theater.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing their brother Isaac's relationship with Miss Conny, classes at university, joining the medical society, and a brief discussion on William's trip to the Scottish Highlands.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing family matters, news of their father and stepmother having another baby, their brother Isaac's bachelor status, and an "affair" between the Chesapeake Frigate and the British ship Leopard.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing winter, formal balls in Charleston, their brother Isaac's relationship with Miss Conny, and other family matters.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina on attending a course of midwifery and "materia medica," William's concerns of being in the country during the political tensions, and the upcoming birth of a new sibling.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing John appearing on a jury, their brother Isaac's relationship with Miss Conny, dancing at the Club House, John's son, and William's plans after graduation.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing his friend Isaac Wilson's political views, plans to attend medical school in Paris to learn surgery and the upcoming birth of a new sibling.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing letter writing, their brother Isaac, William's traveling companions, his views on how the enslaved persons in South Carolina are "better off" than the "highland peasantry," and an account of the living conditions of the Scottish Highland inhabitants.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. at Kensington Plantation discussing the weather in Edinburgh, William's opinions on drinking alcohol, his belief that there is no cure for excessive drinking, the "degraded state to which human nature is brought by drunkenness" and the "ill effects it produces on the constitution."
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. at Kensington Plantation discussing John suffering from "Cholic," and William's account of the landscapes, inhabitants and agriculture of the Scottish Highlands.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing letter writing, the birth of their twin sisters, the death of Mr. Fraser, their Uncle Elias Ball and brother Isaac Ball's excursions, and the music of the Scottish Highlands.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston discussing letter writing, his father's advice, the birth of twin girls to John Ball Sr. and Martha Taveau, and an excursion to the Highlands in Scotland.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. at Kensington Plantation discussing his travels from England to Edinburgh, the landscape of the country, gothic architecture, the differences in cultivation between South Carolina and England, viewing "the lions and other wild beasts," a visit to the armory, attending Botany class, and William's annual expenses at school.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. at Kensington Plantation discussing health, the weather, a storm damaging the vessel that carried William's previous letter, a political peace between "the French and the combined forces," and the death of William Pitt the Younger.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing a visit to the ruins, chapel, and landscape of "Roslin Castle," attending a graduation ceremony for future doctors and seeing "eighteen men receive licenses for killing their own species," and observations on the graduation process at the university.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation asking why John is not writing to him, studying physics, astronomy and chemistry at school, William's opinions on his professors, and that John's friends, which includes a clergyman, are also attending school in Edinburgh.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing the birth of twin girls for John and his second wife Martha Taveau, attending a graduation ceremony at the university for doctors in medicine, and the landscape and cultivation of Edinburgh.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing their brother Isaac's relationships, William's love for a "certain young damsel in Charleston," and other family matters.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball at Kensington Plantation discussing his travels, classes in physics, chemistry, and anatomy, the "Corsican Hero," and Lord Nelson's death fighting against the French and Spanish.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball at Kensington Plantation discussing letter writing, damage to the crops in South Carolina, and the British troops in the Napoleonic Wars.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his father John Ball Sr. in Charleston, South Carolina discussing money, the winter in Scotland, yellow fever in Charleston and that "our medical men have never attempted the cure of it by the affusion of cold water." The letter goes on to state William's opinions on finding a cure for yellow fever, and the birth of a baby boy between John Ball Sr. and his second wife Martha Taveau.
A letter from William Ball in Edinburgh, Scotland to his brother John Ball Jr. at Comingtee Plantation discussing hunting with his brothers, the Christmas holiday, and Scottish religion.
A list of classes William Ball is taking at the University of Edinburgh which includes Latin, Greek, mathematics, logic, philosophy, history, agriculture, and religion.
