BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 143
Martin, however, waa certainly more “ at hame” in some instances than he
was either in French, Latin, Greek, or Hebrew. On one occasion, at the time
Manfredo was performing in Edinburgh, Martin, in the course of his night’e
labour, came across the ‘‘ Life of Robinson Crusoe.” Holding up the volume,
and pointing to the picture of Robinson’s man Friday, he exclaims, Weel,
gentlemen, what will ye gie me for my MaeFredo /-worth a dieen 0’ the Italian
land-louper.” Manfredo, who happened to be present, became exceedingly
moth at this allusion to him. Call nzs
de land-loupeur I ’) Nothing disconcerted by this unexpected attack, Martin,
again holding up the picture replied-“ I’ll refer to the company if my Man-
Fredo is no worth a dizen 0’ him !” The Italian fumed and fretted, but, amidst
the’general laughter, was obliged to retire.
In these days “ rockings” in the country, and parties in the town, were very
frequent. On such occasions the auctioneer was wont to be extremely merry,
and seldom failed to recite in his best style “The Edinburgh Buck,” by Robert
Fergusson. He used also to sing tolerably well the ballad of “Duncan
Gray.” This seldom failed to be forthcoming-more particularly when a teaparty
surrounded his own fireside. In this there was perhaps a little touch of
domestic pride-at least the second Mrs. Martin always thought so. During
courtship some trifling misunderstanding had taken place-
“Vat do you say about Manfredo!
“ Maggie coost her head fu’ heigh,
Look’d asklent and unco skeigh,
Gart poor Duncan staud abeigh.”
But Martin, like the famed Duncan, cooled, and discontinued: his visits for
some time, till Katherine “grew sick as he grew heal,” and at last condescended
to let the bookseller know her surprise why he had discontinued his visits.
Martin, who had been like his favourite, ‘‘ a lad 0’ grace,”-
‘‘ Could na’ think to be her death ;
Swelling pity smoor’d his wrath.”
So he accordingly resumed his visits and Kattie became his d e , being ‘‘ crouse
an’ canty baith ;” but she never could endure the song of I‘ Duncan Gray.”
Of Mr. Martin’s social habits, perhaps the best proof is the fact of his having
been a member of the “Cape Club.”’ His diploma of knighthood is as
follows :-
The Cape Club comprised amongst its numerous membem many men of talents and of private
worth. Fergusson (who alludes to the Club in his poem of “Add Reekie”), waa a member ; as
were Mr. Thomaa Sommers, his friend and biographer ; Wood, the Scottish Roscius aa he WBS called ;
and Runciman, the painter. The Club derived ita name from the following circumstance :-“A
person who lived in the suburbs of Calton waa in the custom of spending an hour’ or two every
evening with one or two city friends ; and being sometimes detained till after the regular period
when the Netherbow-Port waa shut, it occasionally happened that he had either to remain in the
city all night, or WBS under the necessity of bribing the porter who attended the gate. This difticult
pass, partly on account of the rectangular corner which he turned immediately on getting out of the
Port, 88 he went homewards down Leith Wynd, and partly, perhaps (if the reader will pardon a very
144 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
“Be it known to all mortals, whether clerical or laical, that we, Sir James
Gray, Knight of Kew, the supereminent sovereign of the most capital knighthood
of the Cape, having nothing more sincerely at heart than the glory and
honour of this most noble order, and the happiness and prosperity of the Knightscompanions
: And being desirous of extending the benign and social influence
of the Order to every region under the grand Cape of Heaven ; being likewise
well informed and fully satisfied with the abilities and qualifications of William
Martin, Esq., with the advice and concurrence of our Council-We do create,
admit, and receive him a knight-companion of the most social Order, by the
name, style, and title of Sir Villiam Martin, Knight of Roger, and of
E. F. D.-Hereby giving and granting unto him, all the powers, privileges, and
pre-eminences that do, or may belong to this most social Order. And we give
command to our Recorder to registrate this our patent in the records of the
Order.-In testimony of the premises, we have subscribed this with our own
proper f i t , and have caused appended the great Seal of the Order,’ at Cape-
Hall, this 20th day of the month called October, in the year of grace, 1792.
(Signed)-BED, Deputy-Sovereign.-Entered into the records of the Order, by
Sir CELLARR, ecorder.-L. BOX, Secretary.
Besides
being a burgess, he was a member of the Society of Booksellers, and of the
Merchant Company of Edinburgh. He was also a member of the Kirk Session
of the Parish of St. Cuthbert’s.
The late Mr. Archibald Constable prevailed on Martin to sit for an hour to
Mr. Geddes, portrait-painter ; but the sketch was never finished, as he could not
be induced to sit again. Although rough, it is a capital likeness, and was
bought at Mr. Constable’s sale by a friend of “ the Knight of Roger.”
So much for the good fellowship of the “grinning auctioneer.”
humblepun), because a nautical idea was most natural and appropriate on the occasion of being
halfseas ovw, the Calton burgher facetiously called doubling the Cape ; and it was customary with
his friends, every evening when they assembled, to inquire “ how he turned the Cape last night.”
The Club, on the 22d September 1770 (the birth-day of the author of ‘‘ The Seasons ”) held a
musical festival in honour of the poet, and resolved to have similar meetings every tenth year.
Accordingly, in the year 1780, 1790, and 1800, under the superintendence of Mr. Wood, who composed
and recited verses for the occasion, the entertainmenta were repeated with increased effect.
In 1780, when letters of marque were issued against the Dutch, the Knights of the Cape, at a
very thin meeting of their Order on the 26th December, subscribed two hundred and fifty guinea
towards fitting out a privateer.
l “ The Great Seal of the Order,” inclosed in a tin box, has the letters “ E. F. D. ,” surmounted
by a coronet, enclosed with laurel, and the whole encircled with the worda--“ Sigillum commune
Equitum de Cape-Conwrdia fratrum decus.”
