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Kay's Originals Vol. 1

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Volume 8 Page 453
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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.
Volume 8 Page 454
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