BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 75
his neck. He had, however, contracted (which the Print does give) an inveterate
habit of stooping, which was rather injurious to his general aspect. In
convivial society, especially when at the head of his own hospitable table, he was
much disposed to be jocular, and was liberal of his store of pithy sayings and
droll stories. In particular, he highly enjoyed the meetings of the well-known
Poker Club, of which he was a member, along with his brother, and to which
belonged at that time, Patrick Lord Elibank, Lord Ellioch, Dr. Adam Smith,
Drs. Cullen, Black, and Gregory, Dr. Adam Fergusson, Old Ambassador Keith,
Sir Gilbert Elliot, and many others ; some of them men of letters, others, persons
of high birth, or eminent in public life.
John Home was extremely regular and methodical in all his habits, punctual
to his time in whatever he had to do, and not very tolerant with those who
failed in this (as he rightly thought it) important article. It could not be truly
affirmed that he was of an equally calm and placid temperament as his brother,
the philosopher ; but the brothers entertained the most cordial affection for each
other, and continued in constant habits of kind intercourse and mutual good
offices to the end of their lives. Under the historian's will, the principal part
of his effects went to his brother, who survived him.
John Home died at Ninewells, on the 14th of November 1786, after a short
illness, and in great composure of mind. He was interred in the family vault,
under his parish church at Chirnside. He had always been on friendly terms
with the good and worthy pastor of that parish, Dr. Walter Anderson, whom
indeed no one could dislike, who valued simplicity and mildness of character,
or felt the importance of the due discharge of all the duties of that holy office.
By his marriage to Agnes Carre, John Home, who survived her, had eight
children, of whom three sons, .Joseph, David, and John, and two daughters,
Catherine and Agnes, survived him.' Joseph, when a young man, served as
Captain in the Queen's Bays or 2d Dragoon Guards. He afterwards resided as
a country gentleman, at Ninewells, where he died on the 14th of February 1832,
unmarried, and at the advanced age of eighty-one. David was an advocate at
the Scottish bar, and held successively the offices of Sheriff-Depute of Berwickshire,
Sheriff-Depute of West Lothian, Professor of the Law of Scotland in the
University of Edinburgh, one of the Principal Clerks to the Court of Session,
and one of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer for Scotland; from which
office he retired, on the statutory allowance, in February 1834. John was a
man of great worth and good parts j and nature had gifted him with no small
share of genuine pleasantry and humour, which were combined with a generous
and an affectionate disposition. In the earlier part of his life, he did business
with much credit, in Edinburgh, as a Writer to the Signet. In his latter years
he gave up practice there, and took up his residence at Ninewells, with his
eldest brother, the laird, who committed to him the chief or rather the entire
charge of the management of his affairs, and the improvement of his estate.
They carried into execution sundry judicious projects of draining, enclosure, and
"he other three children, namely, Robed, Helen, and Agatha, died in infancy or early youth.