164 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH.
the most eminent venerators of antiquity, during the latter part of the eighteenth century.
Two small volumes of the Paton Correspondence-now rare and valuable-have been
published, which serve to show the very high estimation in which he was held as a literary
antiquary, and the numerous contributions furnished by him towards the most eminent
works of that class, only a small portion of which has been acknowledged by the recipients.
George Paton was a man of extreme modesty and diffidence,-a bachelor of retiring and
taciturn inclinations ;-yet he was neither illiberal eor unsocial in his habits ; his time, his ,
knowledge, and his library, were all at the service of his friends, and though not only temperate
but abstemious in his tastes, his evenings were generally spent with Herd, and
other kindred spirits, in Johnie Dowie’s Tavern, in Libberton’s Wynd, the well-known
rendezvous of the Scottish literati during that period. He was methodical in all his habits ;
the moment eleven sounded from St Giles’s steeple, his spare figure might be seen
emerging from the wynd head, and the sound of his cane on the pavement of Lady Stair’s
Close, gave the signal to his housekeeper for his admittance. This interesting old Edinburgh
character bears in many respects a resemblance to the more celebrated ‘‘ Elia ” of
the East India House. He obtained a clerkship in the Custom House, the whole emoluments
of which, after an augmentation for many years’ service, never exceeded $80 ; and
yet with this narrow income he contrived to amass a collection of books and manuscripts
to an extent rarely equalled by a single individual; On his death in the year 1807, at the
advanced age of eighty-seven, his valuable library was sold by auction, occupying considerably
more than a month in its disposal ; and its treasures were strenuously contended for
by the chief bibliopolists assembled from distant parts of the kingdom.’
The old mansion in Lady Stair’s Close bears over its entrance this pious inscription,
“ FEARE THE LORD, AND DEPART FRON EVILL,” with the date 1622, and the
arms and initials of its original proprietors, Sir William Gray of Pittendrum,-the
ancestor of the present Lord Gray,-and Geida or Egidia his wife, sister of Sir John
Smith of Grothill, Provost of Edinburgh. Sir William was a man of great influence and
note ; although, by virtue of a new patent, granted by Charles I., the ancient title of Lord
Gray reverted to his family, he devoted himself to commerce, and became one of the most
extensive Scottish merchants of his day, improving and enlarging the foreign trade of his
country, and acquiring great wealth to himself. On the breaking out of civil commotions,
he adhered to the royal party, and shared in its misfortunes j he was fined by the Parliament
100,000 merks, for corresponding with Montrose, and imprisoned first in the Castle
The correspondence between Paton and (Xough-full of matter deeply interesting to the antiquary and topographer
-war4 wme yeara since prepared for publication by Mr Turnbull, Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries, but owing
to the paucity of subscribera, $,he MS. waa thrown aside, to the great losa of literary students.
