BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 3 29
the British court. Accordingly he and his family arrived in London, by the
way of France, in 1782. Amongst his recommendatory letters, those to the
Duke and Duchess of Devonshire procured him their kind and powerful
patronage. He was subsequently introduced to the Royal family, from whom he
received several distinguished favours. Presents and benefactions being, however,
no certain provision for his permanent and comfortable maintenance, the Count
naturally became anxious, and at last reluctantly yielded to the representation of
his friends, by adopting the resolution of exhibiting himself. This he did, first
at one guinea-then at five shillings-and afterwards at half-a-crown.’
The acute and sensitive mind of Boruwlaski felt extremely mortified at this
humiliating mode of life, although the curiosity of the public proved for several
years a source of ample revenue. At the time he published his Memoirs, the
novelty had considerably abated ; and the fears he entertained of the future
were feelingly alluded to in the concluding part of his narrative. Amongst
other evils of which he complained, his servant had eloped with trinkets and
valuables to a large amount ; and the small pension which he enjoyed from the
King of Poland had been stopped, in consequence of a report having reached
that monarch‘s ears that he was accumulating a fortune in this country.
When Boruwlaski came to Edinburgh in 1788,’ he was considered an object
of great curiosity, and the peculiar circumstances of his case having excited
general sympathy, he was taken notice of by several respectable gentlemen, and
among others by Mr. Fergusson, who generously endeavoured by their attentions
to sweeten the bitter cup of life to the unfortunate gentleman. It was soon
discovered that the Count was a person of cultivated mind, and possessed of
high conversational powers. The opportunities of seeing men and manners
which his mode of life afforded, and the acuteness which he displayed in the
perception of character, rendered the little foreigner an object of peculiar
estimation. After undergoing the annoyance of “ receiving company,” he used
The Count did not, at least in Edinburgh, exhibit himself as a dwarf-indeed his feelings would
not have allowed of such a thing-he merely received company. He gave a public breakfast, to
participate at which the small charge of 3s. 6d. was demanded. The following is a copy of one of
his advertisements :-‘I Dun’s Hotel, St. Andrew’s Square. On Saturday next, the 1st of August
(17SS), at twelve o’clock, there will be a public breakfast, for the benefit of Count Bornwlaski; in
the course of which the Count will perform some select pieces on the guitar,-Tickets (at 3s. 6d. each)
may be had at the hotel, or at the Count’s lodgings, No. 4 St. Andrew’s Street, where he continues
to receive company every day from ten in the morning till three, and from five till nine. Admittance
One Shilling-*,’ The Count will positively quit this place on Friday the 7th of August.”
In 1784 the Scottish metropolis was honoured by the presence of a lady, who, from the description
of her in the subjoined advertisement, would have been an admirable companion for Boruwlaski :
-“ The Author of Natim is wonderful, even in the least of his works. Just arrived, and to be
seen by any number of persons, in a commodious room within the head of Forrester’s Wynd, first
door and right hand, from eleven o’clock in the morning till eight at night, THEA YAZINWU OMANIN
MII?IATUF~, from Magor in Monmouthshire ; who is, beyond contradiction, the most astonishing
curiosity sportive nature ever held out to be the admiration of mankind. She is now in the 26th
year of her age, and not eighteen pounds weight. A child of two years of age has larger hands and
feet ; and in fact she is the most extraordinary cnriosity ever known, or even heard of in history.
We shall say no mow of this wonder of nature-let those who may honour her with their visita
judge for themselves.-May 26, 1784.”
2 u
330 B I0 G R A P 11 I CA L S KE T C H E S.
to spend the evenings with those families who were kind enough to receive him
into their domestic circle, where he always proved, if not a great addition, at
least a very pleasing one.
Upon an occasion of this description, when with the family of Mr. Fergusson,
the Count having expressed a desire to see how the proceedings were conducted
in the Court of Session, his host, in his usual obliging manner, agreed to
gratify the Count by calling for him next morning on his way to the Parliament
House. Mr, Fergusson was true to his appointment, and the artist
having observed the parties, has rendered the circumstance memorable by the
foregoing etching, which is remarkable for its correct representation of both
individuals.
The Count is still (1837) alive, and resides at Durham, in a pretty cottage on
the banks of the Wear, near the Prebend Bridge, Having obtained, through the
generosity of several kind friends, a small annuity, he now hoards with the
Misses Ebdon, the sisters of a minor canon of Durham, and seems much
attached to his intelligent landladies.
The celebrated Stephen Kemble, of cumbrous magnitude, was long his nextdoor
neighbour, and their vicinity to each other, as well as congeniality of
disposition, soon occasioned constant intercourse and an amusing intimacy
betwixt two persons formed by nature in moulds so different.
A nephew of the late Mr. Neil Fergusson happened to visit Count Bomwlaski
on the 8th of October 1836, and found him, although then in his 97th year,
still in tolerable bodily health, and in full possession of all his mental faculties.
He recurred with much feeling to the many acts of real friendship which he had
experienced from Mr. Fergusson, and spoke with warm gratitude of several other
individuals in the Scottish metropolis, whose delicate attentions had served to
mitigate the mortifying hardships of his peculiar lot.
While in Edinburgh, Boruwlaski’s name, from a similarity in sound, was
waggishly converted into Eamel-of- Whisky, by which appellation he was
generally known.
No. CXXXIV.
DR. ALEXANDER HAMILTON,
PROFESSOR OF MIDWIFERY.
THE Medical School of Edinburgh had been established for a very considerable
period of time before it was found necessary to institute a Chair to teach
the principles and practice of Midwifery. So early as 1726, Mr. Joseph
Gibson had been appointed by the Town Council to give instructions in
the art of midwifery ; but he appears to have confined his teaching to females
