BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 247
excellent person spent the best part of his days. Upon a salary of €80 per
annum, he lived contented, happy, and universally respected.”
No man within the walls of Edinburgh, it has been said, ever passed a more
inoffensive life than did “ honest George Paton ;” yet, by the literary services
which he rendered to others, he did not escape the displeasure of one or two
individuals, whom his critical strictures had offended. The article formerly
mentioned-on Scottish topography-gave mighty offence to Martyn John
Armstrong, who, in company with his son, had published, in 1774-5, surveys of
several counties in Scotland. Armstrong addressed two very ill-natured letters
-one to Paton and the other to Gough-on the subject. This philippic appears
to have roused the temper of the antiquary. In writing to Gough, ignorant of
the counterpart which that gentleman had received, he thus gives vent to his
indignation :-(‘ While writing this, the inclosed impertinent, ignorant, scurrilous
rhapsody, was brought before me ; forgive my transmitting it for perusal, which
be kind enough to return at pleasure. I am diffident of resolution whether such
a blundering blockhead of an impostor shall have any answer made him ; horsewhipping
would serve him better than a reply, * * * * He is below notice,
and despise him, as he is generally so here. The joint tricks of father and son
being so well known in this place, they could remain no longer with us.” From
this specimen of (‘hard words,” it may be inferred that, however quiet and
inoffensive he might be, “ honest George ” by no means lacked spirit to resent
injury or insult. From a similar cause he also incurred the displeasure of his
irritable countryman and fellow-antiquary, John Pinkerton, from whom he had
the honour of a very violent epistle. These petty ebullitions of offended
authorship, however, which threatened to disturb the wonted quiet current of
the antiquary’s life, evaporated without mischief.
His dress
was plain and neat; and he always wore a black wig. Besides the etching in
the print which precedes this sketch, and which is allowed to be an uncommonly
faithful representation, there is a small portrait of him (a private plate) done in
1785 ; a “ beautiful drawing ” of him in chalk is also preserved by the Antiquarian
Society, of which he was a member.
I The death of Mr. Paton occurred on the 5th March 1807, when he had
attained the great age of eighty-seven.
His valuable library’ was sold by auction in 1809 ; and his manuscripts,
prints, coins, &c., were disposed of in a similar manner in 1811. The first sale
occupied a month; the latter about ten days.
The personal appearance of Mr. Paton was somewhat peculiar.
LORD MONBODDO and DR. HUTTON have already been amply noticed
in the preceding pages of this work. The division of the print, entitled
“ Demonstration,” represents these celebrated individuals in the discussion of
Percy’s Letters to George Paton, etc., p. 87. Crown 8vo. Edinburgh, Stevenson, 1830. Of
He also left a very valuable
thia volume only a hundred copies were printed.
library.
a Mr. Paton bad a brother, who was a minister at Ecclefechan.
