108 BI 0 GRAPH1 C AL SKETCHES.
Forbes invited him one day to dinner, when, attempting to excuse his demand
for increased rent, he observed that he was but a poor man-“Be content wi’
your lot, sir,” said Bertram. The latter had to yield, however; but took
revenge by preaching for several Sundays against avarice, from the text-
“Alexander the coppersmith has done me much evil; the Lord reward him
according to his works ! ”
Mr. Forbes could never forget or forgive the treatment and bad feeling of
the people of Falkirk. In dealing alms to the poor, as was his practice
every Saturday from a back window, he used to be very particular in his
inquiries, whether the hundreds that got their twopence each were natives of
the town. Of. course the cunning band were aware of this, and always
represented themselves as belonging to the neighbouring villages, while a
change of habiliments enabled them to assume two or three characters, and the
twopence was always unsuspectingly forthcoming.
Although strict in exacting his rents, Forbes was universally esteemed as a
good landlord. His master passion was the acquisition of cash, which he wisely
invested in the purchase of land. His injunctions, even at the last, are said to
have been fervently expressed in the exclamation-“ Buy land-buy land ! ”
As illustrative of his careful habits, it is told that upon one occasion only was
he induced, by the persuasive eloquence of the Duchess of Gordon, to gratify
his fashionable friends with a ball at Callendar House, which for that uight
resounded. to the inspiring strains of Neil Gow and his band, with all the
hilarity of former days.
In the improvement of the vast landed property which had fallen into his
possession, Mr. Forbes displayed great and successful efforts. The neglected
state of the soil, under the slovenly agriculture of former days, and the eusy
rents of the paternal lords, left a wide field for his active determination to render
the Callendar estates, what they sooii became, among the first in Scotland. A
valuable herd of noble stags, that had long added grandeur to the domain, were
complained of by some of the surrounding farm tenants, for leaping the wall
and destroying their crops. Inst,antly their doom was sealed; and it was
announced, by tuck of drum through Falkirk, that all who chose might shoot
them. Of course the slaughter and rout were complete. A score or two of
red deer were nothing in comparison with the rent of a farm ! He prided
himself much on his farming system, which indeed soon rendered even the
barren Caermuirs a richly cultivated property, although he used to say that
before his time a buy of hem kept upon it might have paid ad the rent. He
was much indebted to the late Dr. Coventry for what was done on the estate.
No less fortunate was Mr. Forbes in his legal disputes, which were neither
few nor cheap. When any dubious question arose about the particular rights
to any parts of the estate, or the privileges of the town or individuals, he never
closed a bargain without taking the parties, or being taken by them, to the
Court of Session or House of Lords; thus, at least, making good by their
dechion a questionable title.
