BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 323
No. CXXXII.
TWO SHADOWS.
LORD KAMES, AND HUG0 ARNOT, ESQ.
THIS is a very excellent burlesque representation of these celebrated individuals,
who, we need scarcely explain, were equally remarkable for tenuity of person.
They have both been already noticed in No. V.; but a few additional particulars
may not be deemed uninteresting.
LORD KAMES, so eminent as a judge and an author, was also an amateur
agriculturist of considerable reputation ; and his ‘‘ Gentleman Farmer ” was long
held as a complete vade-mecum on the subject of farming. Among other
contemplated improvements, he entertained a notion of the practicability of
concentrating the essence of manure, so as not only to render the substance
more productive, but the mode of application less laborious. Conversing one
day with a tenant, and seeing the immense quantity of ordinary manure he was
laying on a field, Lord Kames observed that he could make the full of his
snuf-box go as far in producing a crop. “ Gif ye do that,” said the doubting
farmer of the old school, “ I’ll engage to carry hame the crap in my pouch I”
The favourite, although not very polite, expression of the Judge has already
been rendered familiar to the reader. Being on one occasion at Stirling, in his
official capacity as a Lord of Justiciary, Kames invited Mr. Doig,’ a teacher
there of deserved reputation, to sup with him. In the company of one so
famous as the celebrated Judge, it was natural that the teacher should display
his conversational acquirements to the utmost advantage. Old Kames was
highly amused by the facetious talents of his guest, and for a time guardedly
maintained a proper degree of etiquette ; but a fresh sally of pleasantry breaking
down all formality, out at last came his familiar expression-“Eh, man,
but ye’re a queer b-h!” The pedantry of the teacher was perhaps a little
alarmed-“ Thank you,” said he, “ I’ve often been termed a dog (Doig) before ;
but this is the first time I’ve ever been called a b-h /”
When Lord Kames was a young advocate at the bar, the Jesuitical Lord
Lovat, who was notorious for his insincerity, had observed his talents; and
“On the 19th of August 1797, Dr. Doig, well known in the literary world, after thirty-seven
years’ labour in Stirling, received from the Magistrates and Town Council a handsome pecuniary
present ; and from some gentlemen, who had formerly been his pupils, a large silver cup, with a
classical inscription, expressive of his merits, and of their sense of the benefits which they had reaped
from his instructions. “-Scols Magazine.