any difference ?

The second sentence should not be used for a future situation. I was to have met Mr Brown last night.

Thank you Mister Micawber , but these two sentences are from Longman dictionary , they are not mine . Longman dictionary says:

Quote : " was to/was to have+past participle /was going to can be used to describe events which are hindered or prevented(....but):

I was to see/ was going to see/ was to have seen Mr Kay tomorrow ,but the appointment has been cancelled.

Longman's 'explanation', if quoted accurately, makes little sense to me.

1-- I see no ambiquity in 'I was going to see, but'-- it indicates that the meeting did not take place.
2-- Similarly, 'I was to see, but' = 'I was to have seen, but' -- the meeting did not take place.

Although I personally see no point in using the perfect infinitive for the futur

Sorry for bothering you to much Mister Micawber ,but I 'm really confused about this issue . how about the sentence in the the Practical English Grammar by A.J. Thomsom and A.V Martinet:

The Lord Mayor was to have laid the foundation stone , but he was taken ill last night so the Lady Mayoress is doing it instead .

Thanks

Monalisatuan
The Lord Mayor was to have laid the foundation stone , but he was taken ill last night so the Lady Mayoress is doing it instead .

Although the laying of the stone is in the future, the aborted plan to lay it is in the past.

Hi , Avangi ,

But if so why should we not say " Iwas to see/ was to have seen Mr Kay tomorrow ,but the appointment has been cancelled. "?

Here , the plan to see Mr Kay is in the future ,but the aborted plan is in the past.

Plase help me with clearer explanation.

Best regards

MonalisatuanSorry for bothering you to much Mister Micawber ,but I 'm really confused about this issue . how about the sentence in the the Practical English Grammar by A.J. Thomsom and A.V Martinet:

The Lord Mayor was to have laid the foundation stone , but he was taken ill last night so the Lady Mayoress is doing it instead .

Thanks

How about this?

I was to have met Mr Brown tomorrow by the time you come but the appointment has been cancelled so I won't be able to tell you tomorrow what he thinks about the issue.

The meeting was planned to have finished earlier than your arrival, that's why the perfect tense. Does that make sense?

Hi M,

Not sure what time it is in HCM City but I need to catch some Z's and go to work. (Can't think straight.) Look forward to weighing in on this later. Your persistence is appreciated.

- A.

Hi ! Monalisatuan

I'm also interested in the issue Monalisatuan raised here .Hopefully Avangi will soon come back to help clarify the usage of was to + past participle.This issue is very practical and interesting for me too.

Best Regards