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.
3 1
43G BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
No. CLXVIII.
GEORGE MEALMAKER,
AUTHOR OF THE ‘‘ NORAL AND POLITICAL CATECHISJI OF NAN.”
GEORGE was an extensive weaver in the Seagate of Dundee, at a period when
the giant power of steam had not come into competition with the hand-loom.
Unfortunately for himself, he became deeply infected with the political spirit of
the times; and in 1796, from his superior capacity acquired the distinction
of a leading member of one of those societies of “ United Scotsmen,” formed at
that period in various parts of Scotland, ‘‘ particularly in the counties of Fife,
Forfar, and Perth.”
The object of these associations was ostensibly the attainment of annual
parliaments and universal suffrage; but they were conducted in a manner
unwarrantable by law-by means of signs and oaths of secrecy. Mealmaker was
charged not only with having taken the test of secrecy himself, but with having
administered the oath to others, and with being otherwise active in promoting
the extension of what was then considered an illegal combination. He was
also accused of having circulated various “ seditious and inflammatory papers
or pamphlets,” particularly “the Moral and Political Catechism of Man ; or,
a Dialogue between a Citizen of the World and an Inhabitant of Britain,”
to which was added a narrative of his arrest, examination, and imprisonment,
written by himself, and printed by T. M‘Cleish.
The trial took place at the High Court of Justiciary, on the 10th January
1’198. Mr. Clerk
and hlr. White spoke for the prisoner; and the Solicitor-General and Mr.
Burnett for the Crown. On proof being led, the existence of the societiestheir
dividing into other bodies, when the members became numerous-their
signs, countersigns, committees of secrecy, etc., as set forth in the indictment,
were fully proven by the witnesses, one of whom was committed to prison for
prevarication upon oath. After the Lord Advocate had addressed the jury on
the part of the Crown, and Mr. Clerk for the prisoner, the evidence was summed
up by Lord Eskgrove, when the jury were enclosed a little before four in the
morning. Next day they unanimously returned a verdict of guilty ; and the
pannel was sentenced to fourteen years’ transportation. On receiving sentence
the prisoner addressed the Court, and blamed the jury for precipitancy, having
taken only half an hour to consider the verdict. He said “he was to be another
victim to Parliamentary Reform ; but he could easily submit, and go to that
distant country where others had gone before him. With regard to his wife
Edinburgh, 1797.
The pleadings on the relevancy lasted nearly four hours.
12mo.
