392 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mr. Crichton entered the Town Council in 1794, as one of the Merchant
Councillors, and held the office of Treasurer in 1795-6. He died at his own
house in Gayfield Square, on the 14th of May 1823. He was a fine manlylooking
person, rather florid in his complexion ; exceedingly polite in his manners,
and of gentlemanly attainments.
One of his sons, Archibald
William, was knighted by George IV. The Colonel’s brother Alexander ~vm
long in the Russian service as physician to the late Emperor Alexander of
Russia, who conferred upon him the honour of knighthood. Sir Alexander
Crichton visited his native country about the year 1834.
Mr. Crichton was married, and had a family.
No. CLVI.
GEORGE FERGUXSON, LORD HERRSAND.
LORDH ERRIAKsDo, well known on the western circuit, was the eighth son of
Sir James Fergusson of Kilkerran,’ one of the Senators of the College of Justice,
under the title of Lord Kilkerran.
Mr. Fergusson was admitted advocate in 1765, and practised successfully
at the bar for thirty-four year’s, when, on the death of Macqueen of Eraxfield
in 1799, he was promoted to the bench, and took his seat by the title of Lord
Hermand, from a mall estate of that name which he possessed about sixteen
miles west of Edinburgh. He was also appointed a Commissioner of Justiciary
in 1808, on the resignation of Lord Dunsinnan j and it is in this capacity that
the character of Lord Hermand is best known to the public. His severity of
manner on the bench was perhaps more peculiarly suited to the criminal court ;
yet as a judge in civil causes, he was eminently honest and upright ; and his
opinions were invariably guided by the most scrupulous attention to justice.
He was one of the judges in the case of Eaird and JI‘Laren, who were tried at
Edinburgh in 18 17, for seditious speeches delivered at a public meeting held
near Kilmarnack, and who were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment in the
Canongate jail. He was on the bench during almost all the other political
trials in the west; and from this circumstance alone is well known as a
Justiciary Lord in that part of the country.
When at the bar, Lords Hermand and Newton were great “cronies,” and
had many convivial meetings together ; but the former outlived all his old lastcentury
contemporaries of the bar, and for many years remained alone, as it were,
the only connecting link between the past and present race of Scottish lawyers.
Sir James married Lady Jean Maitland, the only child of Lord Maitland, eldest son of John
Earl of Lauderdale. ’I%
scene17 around is highly romantic ; and, by the plantations and improvements of Sir James and his
successors, is now an object of much interest to tourists.
Kilkerran is situated near to the Water of Girvan, in the parish of Daily.