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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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Volume 9 Page 410
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 309 to impress upon him that, whatever license for such conduct might exist in Persia, it would not be tolerated in Scotland. After remaining a few days at the Palace of Hamilton, the Mirza proceeded through Kilmarnock and Ayr on his way to Ireland. In the latter town he remained one night. While travelling, his Excellency reposed on a mattress made of soft leather and filled with hay, placed above the bed of the inn where he halted. This was carried along with him, and re-filled by his servants every night.‘ No. CCLXXIII. MR. JOHN FINLAYSON, FORMERLY A WRITER IN CUPAR-FIFE. THE father of MR. JOHNFI NLAYSOwNas originally an officer of excise at Anstruther ; but, disgusted with his situation, he resigned, and turning farmer, became tenant of the farm of Benyhole, in the parish of Abdie in Fife, where he died many years ago. His son, John Finlayson, was born about the year 1770, and served his apprenticeship with the late Mr. James Stark, procuratorfiscal for the county. He passed procurator before the Sheriff Court of Fife in 1793, and practised in Cupar with tolerable success for some time. In consequence of perusing the works of Richard Brothers, Finlayson was not only weak enough to credit the predictions of that writer, but, becoming himself affected with the spirit of prophecy, gave full scope to his opinions in a pamphlet, entitled ‘‘ An Admonition to all Countries,” which we believe, never reached a second edition. So confident was he that the millennium would begin, and the Jews be recalled to Judea, on the 19th of September 1797 (the day mentioned in his pamphlet), that he actually retired from business early that year, wound up his affairs, and transferred $1 his unfinished processes to Mr. John Christie, who had commenced business as a writer in Cupar the preceding year. Soon after this Finlayson left Fife ; and finding that neither his own nor Brothers’ predictions were likely to be verified, he settled in London, where he for some time carried on the business of a house-agent. Some years ago he published a book, the object of which was to convict Sir Isaac Newton of ignorance, and to show that he really knew nothing of the subjects on which he had written. instantly seized her, if not rudely, at least roughly, and endeavoured to salute her. The lady screamed out, “You monster ! ” upon which he let her go, exclaiming, in his own language, “She is insane.” 1 In Mrs. Trollope’s excellent work, entitled ‘‘Vienna and the Austrians, vol. ii. p. 91 (2 vols. Lond. 1838, Svo), there is presemed the following anecdote of Abonl Hassan. When Sir Thomas Lawrence was at “Vienna in 1819, the Ambassador paid him a visit ; and young Napoleon (Dnc de Reichstadt), who had expressed a strong desire to see the stranger, was taken to Sir Thomas’s apartmenta at the t i e he was expected there. The Persian entered, and was presented to the young Duke, but immediately hegan conversing in English with much vivacity with Count Dietrichstein. Struck with his noisy and unceremonious manner, the Duke, then only eight years of age, remarked very gravely-6c Voila un Penau bien vif ; il me parait que ma presence ne lui cauve p s le plus leger embarras.”
Volume 9 Page 411
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