Kay's Originals Vol. 2

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Title Pages Advetisement Notice to the First Edition CLXXI. Mr. John Dowie, Vintner, Libberton's Wynd CLXXII. Colin Campbell, Esq. of Kilberry, Argyleshire CLXXIII. The Lawnmarket Coach; or, A Journey Along the Mound CLXXIV. The Right Hon. Selina Countess Dowager of Huntingdon CLXXV. Jamie Duff, alias Bailie Duff CLXXVI. Major-General Alexander Mackay CLXXVII. Allan Maconochie, Lord Meadowbank CLXXVIII. General James Grant of Ballindalloch CLXXIX. The Right Hon. the Earl of Moira, commander-in-chief of the forces in Scotland CLXXX. The Commander-in-Chief addressing the Edinburgh Spearmen CLXXXI. Mr. John Wemyss, Mr. Robert Clerk, and George Pratt CLXXXII. Two booksellers. Mr. William Coke and Mr. John Guthrie CLXXXIII. William Butter, Esq., and Sir John Morrison CLXXXIV. James Alexander Haldane, Esq., Minister of the Tabernacle, Leith Walk CLXXXV. Sergeant-Major Patrick Gould, and an Edinburgh Volunteer CLXXXVI. Mr. Benjamin Bell, Surgeon CLXXXVII. "The Five Alls." CLXXXVIII. Rev. Dr. Thomas Hardie CLXXXIX. Sir James Campbell, Bart., of Ardkinglass CXC. Dr. Andrew Duncan, Sen. CXCI. Dr. Andrew Duncan in 1797 CXCII. Major Andrew Fraser, the Honourable Andrew Erskine, and Sir John Whitefoord, Bart. CXCIII. Sir John Sinclair, Bart. of Ulbster CXCIV. Lord Stonefield CXCV. John Home, Esq., of Ninewells CXCVI. Mr. William Grinly, Broker and Auctioneer CXCVII. The Hon. Alexander Leslie, Lieut.-General and Colonel of the Ninth Regiment of Foot. CXCVIII. Dr. James Hamilton, Senior CXCIX. Mr. William Mason, Secretary to the Grand Lodge CC. Rev. James Baine, A.M. CCI. Ebenezer Wilson, Brassfounder CCII. Sir Ilay Campbell, Bart. CCIII. Mr. John Campbell, Precentor CCIV. A medley of Musicians CCIV. A medley of Musicians CCV. William Wilson or "Mortar Willie" CCVI. Dr. Thomas Snell Jones, Minister of Lady Glenorchy's Chapel CCVII. William Forbes, Esq. of Callendar CCVIII. Dr. Gregory Grant CCIX. Rev. James Lapslie, Minister of Campsie CCX. O'Brien, the Irish Giant, and William Ranken, Esq. CCXI. Faithful Service Rewarded CCXII. Mr. George Williamson, King's Messenger and Admiral Macer for Scotland CCXIII. Mr. Francis Braidwood, Cabinet-Maker CCXIV. The Right Hon. the Earl of Eglinton CCXV. Rev. James Struthers, Minister of the Relief Chapel, College Street CCXVI. Rev. Mr. Struthers CCXVII. Lord Monboddo, in the Court of Session CCXVIII. Old Geordie Syme, a famous Piper in his time CCXIX. Sir John Leslie, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh CCXX. Old John Tait, the Broom-Maker CCXXI. James Hume Rigg, Esq. of Morton, Isaac Grant, Esq. of Hilton, Achibald Macarthur Stewart, Esq. of Ascog, The Hon. Captain (afterwards General), John Leslie, and Captain William Wemyss CCXXII. Rev. Dr. Buchanan, one of the Ministers of the Canongate Church CCXXIII. Old Widow Ellis CCXXIV. The City Tron-Men; or Chimney-Sweepers CCXXV. William Cumming, Esq. CCXXVI. Rev. John Wesley, Dr. Hamilton, and the Rev. Mr. Cole CCXXVII. Sir William Honyman, Bart., of Armadale CCXXVIII. Rev. Dr. Alexander Turnbull, of Dalladies CCXXIX. Margaret Suttie, a hawker of salt CCXXX. Archibald Hamilton Rowan, Esq., of Killileagh, in Ireland, and The Hon. Simon Butler CCXXXI. Citizen M. C. Browne CCXXXII. Rev. John Walker, D.D. CCXXXIII. M. De Latour, Painter to the King of France, Member of the Royal Academy of Painting at Paris, etc. CCXXXIV. Mr. Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to the American Congress CCXXXV. Captain James Burnet, the Last Captain of the City Guard CCXXXVI. Samuel McDonald, in the Uniform of the Sutherland Fencibles CCXXXVII. Mr. Charles Sinclair CCXXXVIII. Rev. David Black, Minister of Lady Yester's Church, Edinburgh CCXXXIX. Thomas Jefferson, Esq., President of the United States of America CCXL. Major-General Aytoun and The Duc D'Angouleme CCXLI. Mr. Clinch and Mrs. Yates, in the characters of the Duke and Duchess of Braganza CCXLII. Alexander McKellar; or "The Cock o' the Green." CCXLIII. Lord Polkemmet CCXLIV. James Gillespie, Esq. of Spylaw, and his brother, Mr. John Gillespie CCXLV. Rev. Dr. John Colquhoun CCXLVI. Major Charles Johnstone CCXLVII. Andrew Donaldson, Teacher of Greek and Hebrew CCXLVIII. "Petticoat Government" CCXLIX. Campbell of Sonachan laughing at the Print of "Petticoat Government" CCL. Mr. Thomas Sommers, his Majesty's Glazier for Scotland CCLI. Mr. Francis Anderson, W.S., Mr. James Hunter, and his son, Mr. George Hunter CCLII. Rev. Robert Culbertson, of the Associate Congregation, Leith CCLIII. The Right Hon. Charles Hope of Granton, when Lord Advocate of Scotland CCLIV. Right Hon. Charles Hope CCLV. The Right Hon. William Pitt CCLVI. The Right Hon. William Pitt, and Henry Dundas, afterwards Lord Melville CCLVII. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Lewes CCLVIII. Dr. Thomas Hay, City Chamberlain, and Sir James Stirling, Bart. CCLIX. Colonel Monro, a well known blue-gown beggar CCLX. Sir Henry Moncreiff Wellwood, Bart. CCLXI. Sergeant William Duff CCLXII. Lord Balmuto CCLXIII. Rev. James Hall, D.D. CCLXIV. Mr. Hamilton Bell, W.S., carrying a Vintner's Boy from Edinburgh to Musselburgh, and Mr. John Rae, Surgeon-Dentist, accompanying him in the character of Bottle-Holder CCLXV. Mr. Edward Innes, and his second, Mr. James Cooper, following after Mr. Bell CCLXVI. The Artist under Examination by Sheriff Pringle, with the pursuers, Bell and Rae, sitting behind CCLXVII. The Hon. Sir Nash Grose, one of the Judges of the Court of King's Bench CCLXVIII. Harvey Christian Combe, Esq., Lord Mayor of London CCLXIX. Sir John Marjoribanks, Bart., Lord Provost of Edinburgh, in his robes CCLXX. Rev. Charles Simeon, M.A. of Trinity Church, Cambridge CCLXXI. Archibald McArthur, piper to the late Sir Reginald Macdonald Stewart Seton, of Touch and Staffa, Bart. CCLXXII. Mirza Aboul Hassan Khan, envoy extraordinary from the King of Persia to the Court of Great Britain CCLXXIII. Mr. John Finlayson, formerly a writer in Cupar-Fife CCLXXIV. Rev. David Dickson, minister of New North Church, Edinburgh CCLXXV. Hugh Macpherson, sometime Clerk to the Perth Carriers CCLXXVI. Mr. Henry Johnston, in the Character of Hamlet CCLXXVII. Rev. John Jamieson, D.D. CCLXXVIII. Robert Craig, Esq. of Riccarton CCLXXIX. David Smythe, Lord Methven CCLXXX. General Francis Dundas, Sir Henry Jardine, Sir Robert Dundas of Beechwood, Bart., Captain Hay, the Late Earl of Eglinton, and the Misses Maxwell, etc. CCLXXXI. Rev. John McDonald of the Gaelic Chapel, Castle Wynd, Edinburgh CCLXXXII. Lord Cullen, one of the senators of the College of Justice CCLXXXIII. The Edinburgh Fish-Women CCLXXXIV. William Macdonald, officer to the Highland Society of Scotland CCLXXXV. Sir William Miller of Glenlee, Bart. CCLXXXVI. Lieut.-General Vyse, in command of the Forces of Scotland CCLXXXVII. Rev. Dr. James Peddie, of the Associate Congregation, Bristo Street CCLXXXVIII. Rev. Dr. Peddie, in 1810 CCLXXXIX. Andrew McKinlay, tried for administering unlawful oaths CCXC. James Mackcoull, alias Captain Moffat CCXCI. Beetty Dick, Town-Crier of Dalkeith CCXCII. Two Chairmen; or, "The Social Pinch." CCXCIII. James McKean, at the Bar of the High Court of Justiciary CCXCIV. Sir William Macleod-Bannatyne (Lord Bannatyne) CCXCV. Training a Councillor CCXCVI. John Steele CCXCVII. Mr. John Austin, author of a "System of Stenographic Music" CCXCVIII. Robert Kay, Esq., Architect CCXCIX. Captain Billair and his Wife, who, though a tall woman, always wore high-heeled shoes CCC. The Last Sitting of The Old Court of Session CCCI. Rev. Alexander King, of the Relief Congregation, Dalkeith CCCII. Francis Jeffrey, Esq., Advocate CCCIII. Captain Dalrymple, and Miss Macdonald of Clanronald CCCIV. The Lovers CCCV. Dr. John Brown, alias "The Devil Killer" CCCVI. Miss Burns, a celebrated beauty of last century CCCVII. A Political Set-To; or, "Freedom of Election" Illustrated CCCVIII. Mr. Pierie and Mr. Maxwell. The Ladies are in the Costume of 1785 CCCIX. Rev. George Husband Baird, D.D. CCCX. Provost Elder and Principal Baird. CCCXI. Dr. John Hope, Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh CCCXII. Second Division of the Court of Session CCCXIII. Jerome William Knapp LL.D., Deputy-Clerk of Arraigns CCCXIV. Three Social Friends. Mr. Robert Kay, Mr. Louis Cauvin, and Mr. David Scott CCCXV. Mrs. Smith, in the costume of 1795 CCCXVI. The Hon. William Ramsay Maule, of Panmure, afterwards Lord Panmure of Brechin and Navar CCCXVII. A. Colquhoun, Esq., of Killermont, Lord Advocate of Scotland, and A. Maconochie, Esq. (Lord Meadowbank), then Solicitor-General CCCXVIII. The Hon. Francis William Grant of Grant, Colonel of the Inverness-shire Militia CCCXIX. Rev. David Dickson, D.D. CCCXX. Twelve Advocates who plead with wigs on CCCXXI. Rev. James-Francis Grant, of St. George's Chapel, York Place, Edinburgh CCCXXII. The Craft in Danger CCCXXIII. Robert Sym, Esq., writer to the Signet CCCXXIV. Rev. Henry Grey, A.M. CCCXXV. Mr. Robert Macgachen, Accountant of Excise CCCXXVI. Twelve Advocates, who plead without wigs CCCXXVII. John Rose, Esq. of Holme CCCXXVIII. Major Skey, and the Right Hon. Lord Clive (now Earl of Powis), of the Shropshire Militia CCCXXIX. Archibald Campbell, City Officer CCCXXIX.* Archibald Constable, Esq. Appendix Notes to Vol. 2 Index to the Portraits, etc. in Vol. 2 Index to the Names Incidentally Mentioned in the Second Volume » Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time » Edinburgh Past and Present » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

332 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Not discouraged by the reproof conveyed in the decision of the Assembly, Mr. M'Donald is known in the religious world for his praiseworthy exertions in various parts of the Highlands, and particularly in behalf of the previously much-neglected inhabitants of St. Kilda'-the most distant and isolated of all the islands of Scotland. Commissioned by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, his first visit was undertaken in 1822, for the purpose of ascertaining the religious and moral condition of the inhabitants. In his journal Mr. M'Donald gives an interesting account of his reception by the natives. He was accompanied by Mr. M'Lellan, the tacksman of the island; and not being able to effect a landing on the eastern coast, in consequence of the boisterous state of the weather, the boat veered round to the leeward, where shelter was found in an arm of the sea. Upon landing, he and Mr. M'Lellan walked towards the village, a distance of nearly two miles. " When descending the brow of the hill above the village," says the journal, "we observed some persons standing without ; and on a sudden, in consequence, as we afterwards learned, of his sounding the alarm, all the souls in the village appeared at once ; at first flying in different directions, until they discovered from what quarter the strangers were coming, when they made toward us in a body, shook hands with their tacksman, and welcomed him to the place. After these salutations were over, he introduced me to them as a minister who had come to visit them, and was sent by the Society. Upon this they immediately shook hands with me, as if we had been many years acquainted ; and, ' God bless the Society which sent him, and God bless him for coming,' was the general exclamation." Mr. M'Donald remained nearly a fortnight on the island, during which he embraced every opportunity of preaching to them ; and in his private conversations entered so warmly into their affairs and interests, that when the day of departure came, he had much difficulty in sustaining the emotions'with which the scene overpowered him. Mr. M'Lellan and he were accompanied by the inhabitants to the beach, where they assisted in launching the boat-took an affecting farewell-and long after the party had bid adieu to the shores of St. Kilda, they could still see the group of islanders clustering round the gentle rising ground, gazing as if unwilling to lose sight of their recent visitors. The report which Mr. M'Donald submitted to the Society on his return contains some interesting particulars regarding St. Kilda and its inhabitants. We need offer no apology for the following extract :- 1 St. Kilda, or Kirta, a solitary isle in the Atlantic Ocean, belonging to the range of the Hebrides, but removed to a considerable distance from the main cluster. The nearest land to it is Harris, from which it is distant sixty miles in a west-south-west direction ; and it is about one hundred and forty mile3 from the nearest point of the mainland of Scotland.-EncycZopdiu Britannica. Of late a trip to St. Kilda has become a favourite steamboat and pleasure-yacht excursion ; and some curious, though rather exaggerated, descriptions of the isle and its inhabitants were in circulation a short time ago. In former days, however, little intercourse was maintained with the mainland ; and so late as about the middle of last century the island was the prison of the lady of Erskine of Grange, brother of the Earl of Mar, attainted for his concern in the Rebellion of 1715. The cruel treatment of the unfortunate lady was attributed to a violence of temper on her part, and a fear on that of her husband lest she might betray the secrets of the party to which he was attached. She was a daughter of Chiesley of Dalry, who was executed for the murder of President Lockhart in 1689.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, 333 The length of the island appears to be about three miles from the westernmost point to that on the north side of the eastern bay, and its breadth nearly two miles from north to south. It is surrounded with high and almost perpendicular rocks, except on the N.W. and S.E. sides, in each of which there is a small bay, or arm of the sea ; of which the latter alone affords any harbouring place for vessels. The land is in general rather elevated ; and there are three hills of considerable height. Of these, by far the highest is Cmgar, on the north side, supposed to be upwards of 1400 feet above the level of the sea ; the next, Ornuall-hill, on the east ; and the third, Rmveil (Gaelic, Rdh-mheall), on the south-west side of the Island. '( I could discover no old edifices on this island, except that called Christ's Church, near thk village, and situated in the burying-ground ; and St. Brianan's, a little above the bay, on the south-west side-both of which are in ruins. " There are two small islands besides the main one, which are serviceable to the people for pasture, as well as for the fowls which frequent them. The one is called Soay, sitnate on the west side of St. Kilda, and separated from it by a narrow channel. It is about a quarter of a mile long, and scarcely half as broad. The other is Boreray, about four-miles in a direct line to the north, and a little larger than Soay. " The ground is used chiefly for pasture ; and the islanders keep a stock of sheep and black cattle on it, from which they are supplied with articles of clothing, milk, butter, cheese, etc. There is no moss on the island ; and the only fuel consists of turf cut on the hills, and carried home a9 it is needed. The group of houses in which the people reside, for it scarcely deserves the name of a village, is situate a little above the eastern bay, and is composed of twenty small huts, built with stone, and thatched with turf and straw. Being surrounded with hills on all sides, except the south and south-east, it is pretty well sheltered, unless when the wind blows from these quarters. "All the cultivated lauds lie around the village in scattered and irregular patches ; of which each family in the island, about twenty in number, has nearly an equal quantity-what they call a farthingland, or something about two acres, This sows about five firlots of barley and six of oats, which, with potatoes, are the only crops they raise. Though the soil is naturally rich, yet, owing to want of good management, it seldom yields above three returns. Hence they cannot conveniently dispose of much of their grain ; and of late years, indeed, I believe they have done but very little in this way. Besides, every three years, these lands pass by lot from one hand to another ; a practice which evidently militates greatly against real improvement. In making it into meal, they grind it in querns, or little hand-mills, there being neither windmills nor watermills in the island. "Their houses, or huts, are all exactly of the same form and dimensions, and in internal appearance also completely alike. They consist of but one apartment, in which the family is accommodated at one end, and the cattle at the other. The walls contain their beds and places for their stores, for which purpose they are generally six or seven feet thick. No chairs or tables are to be seen : wooden stools and even stones being made to supply their place. The ashes are never carried out of the house, nor even removed to the part of the room appropriated to the cattle, but are spread every morning under the feet of the inmates, in order, aa they call it, to help the manure. The floor, thus raised in the course of the season to a considerable height, is reduced to its proper level only once a year, when the whole matter so accumulated is conveyed to the fields I reasoned with the people on the impropriety of this habit, chiefly on the ground of ita being injurious to their health and comfort, but to little effect, long custom having reconciled them to it. As might be expected,'also, their habita in other respects, and particularly in point of cleanliness and dress, are much of a piece with the interior of their houses, their persons being extremely dirty, and seeming to undergo no sort of purification, except once a week ; while their clothes are in general coarse and ragged, though, on Sunday, both the young men and women dress a little more decently. I was somewhat surprised at not finding the kilt and hose among them, instead of which, the men commonly wear a jacket or short coat, with trousers or pantaloons. There is scarcely anything like division of labour among them, every man being his own tailor, shoemaker, and, in most cases, weaver, there being no thorough-bred workman of any kind in the island. " Notwithstanding these habits, it is not a little remarkable that they enjoy such a degree of health and longevity. During my residence among them, there waa not a single individual The grain also, as mightrbe expected, is rather of an inferior quality.

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