BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 143
compensated by his many good qualities-by his constant equanimity, his cheerfulness,
his simplicity of character, almost infantine, his straight-forwardness,
his perfect freedom from affectation ; and, above all, his unconquerable good
nature. He was, indeed, one of the most placable of human beings; and if,
as has been thought, he generally had a steady eye, in his worldly course, to his
own interest, it cannot be denied that he was, notwithstanding, a warm and good
friend, and a relation on whose affectionate assistance a firm reliance could ever
be placed.” One slight blemish,
however, has been overlooked-personal vanity ; for, strange to say, although
in the eyes of others the worthy knight was very far from an Adonis, yet in his
own estimation he was a perfect model of male beauty.
The general appearance of Sir John is well represented in the Print which
precedes this notice. He was short and corpulent-of a florid cemplexion ’-
and his front teeth projected considerably. In later life his corpulence increased
; * he walked with difficulty ; and he became rather slovenly in his mode
of dress-a circumstance the more surprising, as his anxiety to be thought
young and engaging continued undiminished.
In this character we are disposed to concur.
No. CCXX.
OLD JOHN TAIT,
THE BROOM-MAKER.
THE venerable personage represented in the Print died at the Old Kirk of
Gladsmuir, East Lothian, on the 8th January 1772, in the hundred and tenth
year of his age. He had been a miner or collier, in his younger and more robust
days ; but having, by an accident, been disabled for the pits, he was under the
necessity of having recourse to the
“ Making of brooms-green brooms”-
and was long famed throughout the Lothians as a dealer in that important
branch of industry.
What the natural colour of his hair may have been we cannot say ; but in consequence of the
use of some tincture-Tyrian dye it is said-it generally appeared somewhat of a purple hue.
When unbending his mind from severer labours, the knight resorted to Apicius ; and to his
success in reducing to practice the gastronomical propositions of that interesting writer haa been
ascribed his somewhat remarkable exuberance of abdomen. A legal friend, now, alas ! no more,
once witnessed an amicable contest between Sir John and an eminent individual, celebrated for his
taste in re wZinu&. The latter was invincible in the turtle soup and cold punch, but the former
carried all before him when the “sweets” were placed on the table, To show how easily the
victory was won, besides other fruits produced with the dessert, the knight, without any effort.,
devoured nearly a couple of pounds of almonds and raisins.