BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 377
trable to all such assaults. It did not fail, however, to excite the notice of his
opponents north of the Tweed ; and we have seen by the ‘‘ Patent of Knighthood”
how the artist improved upon the suggestion.
Notwithstanding his temporary unpopularity, Sir James was subsequently
at the head of the Magistracy in 1794-5, and again in 1798-9. During the
latter warlike period his conduct was truly meritorious. Scottish commerce
had suffered considerably from the attacks of French and Dutch privateers,
even on our very coasts, which had been left in a shamefully unguarded
condition. By the representations of Sir James, and his judicious applications
to Government, proper convoys were obtained for the merchantmen, and due
protection afforded to our bays. He zealously forwarded the plan of arming
the seamen of Leith and the fishermen of Newhaven, by which a strong body
of men were organised in defence of the harbour and shipping.
So highly were the services of Sir James appreciated, that at the annual
Convention of the Royal Burghs of Scotland (of which he was preses), held at
Edinburgh in 1799, the thanks of the Convention were presented to him in a
gold box, “for his constant attention to the trade of the country, and in
testimony of the Convention’s sense of his good services in procuring the
appointment of convoys, and in communicating with the outports on the
subject .”
In private life he was
very much respected : of mild, gentlemanly manners, but firm in what he judged
to be right. His habits were economical, but not parsimonious ; and the party
entertainments given at his house were always in a style of magnificence. In
person, he was tall and extremely attenuated.’
At one period Sir James resided in St. Andrew Square, the first house
north from Rose Street; and latterly at the west end of Queen Street, not
far from the Hopetoun Rooms. He acquired the estate of Larbert, in
Stirlingshire, which, with his title of Baronet, descended to his son, Sir Gilbert
Stirling, then a Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards. He left another son,
George, who on the 25th December 1820 married Anne Henrietta, daughter
of William Gray of Oxgang, Esq. He had also two daughters, Janet and Joan,
the former of whom was married to Admiral Sir Thomas Livingstone of Westquarter,
near Falkirk.
Sir James Stirling died on the 17th February 1805.
1 It is related of Sir James, that on being pointed out to a countq woman while walking, attired
in his velvet robes, in a procession, she exclaimed-‘‘ Is that the Lord Provost I I thocht it was the
corpse rinnin’ awa’ wi’ the mort-cloth.”
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