B I0 G RAP HIC AL SKETCH E S. 57
Islands ; but this situation he held only for a limited period, in consequence of
some misunderstanding. He returned to the Continenti and died there in 1795.
He married a French ladyone
of the Protestant refugees ‘-whose sister was a well-known novel writer of
the ‘‘ Minerva Press.” He had two sons, who were educated at the High School.
The eldest, George, was unfortunate. He entered the army; but, having
formed some indifferent connections, he retired from the service, and died in
Switzerland. Augustus, the youngest, became a distinguished officer of artillery.
He commanded the horse-brigade during the whole of the war in Spain, and
was repeatedly thanked in public orders by the Duke of Wellington. He was
created a Baronet and K.C.B., and died at Woolwich.
The Major resided in No. 5 George Street.
The Hon. ANDREW ERSKINE was a younger brother of the “ musical
Earl of Kellie.” He held a lieutenant’s commission in the 71st Regiment of
Foot, which corps being reduced in 1763, he exchanged from half-pay to the
24th, then stationed at Gibraltar.
Erskine had little genius or inclination for a military life ; his habits and
tastes were decidedly of a literary character. He was one of the contributors
to Donaldson’s “ Collection of Original Poems by Scottish Gentlemen.” He
is chiefly known, however, for his correspondence with Boswell (the biographer
of Johnson), printed at Edinburgh in 1763. These letters, the legitimate offspring
of “hours of idleness,” consist of a mixture of prose and verse; and
are remarkable for the spirit of extravagance which pervades them. Those of
Boswell are characteristic of the writer, and his pen might be traced in every
line ; but it would be difficult to discover in the letters of Erskine any marks
of the dull, reserved disposition which was natural to him. His manner was
unobtrusive and bashful in the extreme. He indeed occasionally alludes to
this ; and, in one of his poetical epistles to Boswell, says-
“ You kindly took me up an awhard cub,
And introduced me to the soaping club.”’
The following notice of the “French Refugees,” we find in the London Nmhg Post of
September 18, 1792 :-‘‘The subscriptions for those unfortunate people do honour to the generosity
of the nation. It is expected that iu the course of a few days it will be very considerable, as there
has been upwards of Five Thousand Pounds already subscribed. It is rather strange that the piety
of our English Bishops did not induce them to anticzpate the good iutentions‘of the lady. The
mitred brotherhood should have been the first to have felt for the forlorn sitnation of the emigrant
priests ; but their doors seem shut against the voice of distress, and their hearts appear callous to
the calls of humanity. It is the object of the managers of the subscriptions to supply those
refugees with money, who are desirous to emigrate to other countries, where their talents and
abilities may be exercised for their own emolument, and the benefit of the state. Their next objects
of relief are those who, from affluence, have been reduced to extreme poverty, and whose pride still
prevents them from solicitiug alms. To alleviate their misfortunes, every man must administer his
mite with cheerfulness ; but those French paupers who have been long before the Revolution in this
country, and are common mendicants, it is not the intention of the subscription to embrace.”
So called from their motto, which was, “Every man soap his own beard; or every man
indulge his own humour.” This club met erery “Tuesday eve,” and their favourite game was the
facetious one of snip snap snmm.
VOL. 11. I
58 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Some idea of Erskine’s appearance may be gathered from his friend$ reply :
‘‘ Now, my lieutenant with the dwky face;
For though you’re clothed in scarlet and in lace,
The gorgeous glare of which to art you owe,
Yet nature gave you not my snowy brow.’’1
As a specimen of the Lieutenant’s style and humour, we may quote the following
from one of his letters, dated from New Tarbat, where he appears to
have resided principally during the epistolary intercourse, and where Boswell
paid him a visit-the friends having previously met at Glasgow by appointment
:-
“ I have often wondered, Boswell, that a man of your taste in music cannot play upon the Jew’s
harp ; there are some of us here that can touch it very melodiously, I can tell you. Corelli’s solo
of Maggie Lauder, and Pergolesi’s sonata of the Curle he cum o’er the craft, are excellently adapted
to that instrument. The first cost is but three-halfpence, and they
last a long time. I have composed the following ode upon it, which exceeds Pindar as much as the
Jew’s harp does the organ.”
Let me advise you to learn it.
[We quote the last verse.]
“ Roused by the magic of the charming wire,
The yawning dogs forego their heavy slumbers ;
The ladies listen on the narrow stair,
And Captain Andrew straight forgets his numbers.
Cats and mice give o’er their battling,
Pewter plates on shelves are rattling ;
But falling down, the noise my lady hears,
Whose scolding drowns the trump more tuneful than the spheres.”
‘( Captain Andrew,” however, could ‘(touch it very melodiously” on other
instruments than the Jew’s harp. He was an excellent musician-little inferior
to the (‘ musical Earl ” himself-and composed several much-admired airs.
To Thomson’s Collection of Scottish Songs he contributed, among others, the
delightful air and words of
“ See the moon on the still lake is sleeping,” etc.
The Captain was an admirer of the drama, and wrote one or two pieces for
the Edinburgh stage. One of these, by no means deficient in spirit, published
in 1764 (Gd.), bears the title of ((She’s not Him, and He’s not Her-a farce,
in two acts, as it is performed in the Theatre in Canongate.”
Although a poet, Erskine does not appear to have been influenced by any
romantic adoration of the fair sex. On the subject of matrimony his notions were
very different from those of Boswell ; ’ and he remained all his life a bachelor.
On the death of Vice-Admiral Lord Colville, in 1790, he resided chiefly thereafter
with his sister Lady Colville, at Drumsheugh, near the Dean Bridge,
The fact was, they were both tinged with the complexion ascribed to the “daughters of
Jerusalem. ”
a In one of hia letters to Boswell, he says-“ When you and I walked twice round the Meadows
upon the subject of matrimony, I little thought that my difference of opinion from you would have
brought on your marriage so soon ”
