Autograph Note Signed to the "Conde de Mirasol", Mariscal de Campo de los Niales[?] Ejincitos[?]" (address panel), in Italian.

Pencil note,to the effect that Cranstoun was the brother of Countess Purgstall (Styrian estates). One page, 4to, some damage and marking but text clear and complete. Approx. "Mi grande Mirasol: En obsequio y a solicitud de un amigo quien desio compacer, ti [?] esta canta de introduccion a favor de su respectable y joven postador il Teniente Digby Miller, [?] ala Brigade Escosesa que forma paste de la Legion levantada in este pais para il Servicio de la Reyna y se halla en Vespinas de partir para il norte de Espana . . ." He recommends him to his attention. From Net: "This event was described to Sir Walter Scott by Miss Cranstoun, afterwards Countess Purgstall,[9] although Scott himself mentions that his curiosity "was first attracted to this truly romantic story by a gentleman, who, having heard Lenore once read in manuscript, could only recollect the general outline, and part of a couplet, which, from the singularity of its structure, and frequent recurrence,[10] had remained impressed on his memory."[11] This gentleman Was Mr. Cranstoun, the brother of Countess Purgstall, and so her statement is no doubt accurate as Scott might well have received his account both from the brother as well as from the sister. It was in the course of 1794, or at any rate early in the following year that Scott made his own rendering of the ballad."