BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 267
The annual gathering of the Blue-Gowns was usually deemed an interesting
sight, and the church was generally well attended. The impatience of the old
men for the finale of the procedure frequently occasioned scenes of a risible
nature, amply justifying the good-humoured sarcasm of the Author of Waverley.
The following paragraph, however, from a newspaper in 1817, records an instance
of genuine philanthropy that would do credit to a much higher “ order ’)
than that of the Bedesmen :-
“June 7 .-BZue-Gown Benevoknce.-On Wednesday morning, while the Blue-Gowns were
receiving their usual allowance of blue cloth and money, in the Canongate Church, Edinburgh,
a very interesting and gratifying scene occurred. Among them was a woman who has seven
children, but whose husband (formerly a Blue-Gown) died about a fortnight ago. She came to
solicit her husband‘s gown, and a little pecuniary aid, but was only allowed 2s 6d. At that
moment, one of the Blue-Gowns, who has been deaf and dumb from his birth, had just received
his gown for the first time. A person present made signs to him that the woman had received
none-that she had seven children who were almost naked, and wished he would give his gown
to her ; and it was truly gratifying to see with what readiness the poor fellow ran and put it
into her arms, and made signs that she should make it into clothes for her children. In order
to try him, the gown was taken from the woman and given back to him, but he refused it with
the greatest indignation, and when the woman got it seemed overjoyed.”
The generous Blue-Gown, James Mathewson, was one of the very few of
his order who latterly frequented the streets of Edinburgh.l
No. CCLX.
SIR HENRY MONCREIFF WELLWOOD, BART.,
ONE OF THE MINISTERS OF THE WEST CHURCH, EDINBURGH.
THIS distinguished clergyman was one of the very few men of title whom the
annals of the Church of Scotland record. Descended from a family of antiquity,
he was born at Blackford, near Stirling, in 1750. His father, Sir William
Moncreiff, Bart., a man of “singular merits and virtues,” was minister
of that parish, and greatly beloved by his parishioners. Brought up with the
tenderest care, and the utmost attention to his religious instruction, SIR HENRY
made.early choice of the clerical profession, and had entered on his theological
course at the University of Glasgow, when the sudden and lamented death of
his father interrupted his studies for a season.
Deeply grieved by this unexpected event, the parishioners of Blackford gave
a decided proof of their affection for their late pastor, by resolving that no other
A well-known worthy of this privileged class, who “ground music out of a box,” waa said to
possess property which yielded him an annual income of nearly SUO. Nay more, though wellnigh
fourscore, and blind, he led a blooming young bride to the altar.