BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 425
The centre figure, DR, WILLIAM LAING, represented as holding a little
girl, his niece, by the hand, was a medical gentleman of good reputation and
respectable character, His conciliatory manner and amiable disposition gained
him the esteem of a numerous circle of friends. He originally .came from
Jedburgh. The attitude in which he is portrayed was suggested by the Doctor
himself.
As an instance of Dr. Laing’s kindly disposition, and the interest which he
took in the encouragement of youth, a gentleman well known in the literary
circles of Edinburgh, and to whose extensive information the proprietor of this
work is much indebted, mentions that he was for several years a pensioner of
the Doctor, who insisted on his calling every New-year’s-day to receive a gift
of two shillings and sixpence; and which he obliged our respected friend to
accept, even after he had become so old as to be ashamed of the donation.
Dr. Laing lived in Carrubber’s Close, where he died 13th March 17 8 9.
The last figure of the group, DR. JAMES HAY, of Hayston, was long
well known in this city, where he died on 10th October 1810, in the eightysixth
year of his age. Having adopted the medical profession, he served as an
army-surgeon in 1744, under the Duke of Cumberland in Flanders, where,
being a man of shrewdness and observation, the beautiful and well-cultivated
fields of that country attracted his notice, and probably gave him a taste for
agricultural pursuit,s, which afterwards proved a source of amusement to him,
when he succeeded to his paternal property of Hayston, in Tweeddale. His
spirited example and intelligence tended greatly to improve and advance the
agriculture of that district.
Notwithstanding these pursuits, Dr. Hay lived chiefly in Edinburgh ; and,
as was the custom of the time, was a regular frequenter of the meetings of the
citizens at the Cross,’ among whom he was esteemed for his gentlemanly manners
and friendly address. It was probably on occasion of some of those accidental
greetings that Kay may have seen the parties together whom he has grouped in
this Print.
Dr, Hay held the office of Inspector of the Military Ward in the Infirmary
of this city till his death. In 1805, on the failure of the heirs-male of the body
of Sir James Hay of Smithfield, he was served heir to the baronetcy, as the
lineal descendant of Sir James’s next brother, and became Sir James Hay. His
grandson, Sir John Hay, who for some time represented the county of Peebles in
Parliament, was succeeded in the title by his brother, the late Sir Adam Hay, Bart.
At the time the foregoing Print was executed, Dr. Hay lived in New Street,
Canongate. He had previously resided in the Potterrow, near which there is a
small street named after him.
Edinburgh at that time was confined almost exclusively to the old city. The concouwe of the
They there met to discuss the topics of the day, and
These meetings always
The Cross was situated in the centre of the principal
citizens at the Cross served a double purpose.
to see their acquaintances, without the labour and waste of forenoon calls.
took place between the hours of one and two.
street of the old town.
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