12s BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
every man his own Harry Ewkine f" Mr. Erskine felt very much amazed, as
may be supposed, upon the announcement of the fictitious publication.
Mr. Erskine was twice married, and by his first marriage he had the present
(1837) Earl of Buchan, Major Erskine, and two daughters : one married to the
late Colonel Callender of Craigforth, and another to Dr. Smith. By his second
wife, Miss hlunro (who still survives, 1837), he had no issue.
No. LIX.
JAMES BRUCE, ESQ. OF KINNAIRD,
AND
PETER WILLIAMSON.
THIS rencontre, which happened only a short time after Mr. Bruce published
his travels, is said to have taken place at the Cross of Edinburgh, where the
parties represented were seen by Kay in conversation, although he ha's ingeniously
placed them on the hillock alluded to by Mr. Bruce, from whence proceeded
the principal fountain of the Nile.
The first figure in the print is JAMES BRUCE of Kinnaird, the Abyssinian
traveller, He was born on the 14th December 1730, at Kinnaird in the county
of Stirling, and was eldest son of David Bruce of Kinnaird,' by Marion,
daughter of James Graham of Airth, Judge of the High Court of Admiralty in
Scotland,
At the age of eight years, Bruce, who was then rather of a weakly habit and
gentle disposition, though afterwards remarkable for robustness of body and
boldness of mind, was sent to London to the care of an uncle. Here he remained
until he had attained his twelfth year, when he was removed to
Harrow, where he won the esteem of his instructors by his amiable temper
and extraordinary aptitude for learning. In 1747, he returned to Kinnaird,
with the reputation of a first-rate scholar. It having been determined that he
should prepare himself for the Bar, he, for that purpose, attended the usual
classes in the University of Edinburgh ; but finding legal pursuits not suited to
his disposition, it was resolved that he should proceed to India. With this
intention he went to London in 1753 ; but while waiting for permission from
the East India Company to settle there as a free trader, he became acquainted
with Adriana Allan, the daughter of a deceased wine-merchant, whoa
This estate waa acquired by his grandfather, David Hay of WoodcockdaIe, who, on mm-ying
Helen Bruce, the heiress of Kinnaird, assumed the name and arms of Bruce. The immediate founder
of the Kinnaird family was Robert, the second son of Sir Alexander Bruce of Airth, by a daughter
of the fifth Lord Livingston, who became one of the most zealous ministers of the Reformed Church
of Scotland, ww much in the confidence of James the Sixth, and had the honour of pla&g the
crown on the head of his Queen on her arrival from Denmark.
.