BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 463
The late Sir Alexander Boswell of Auchinleck wrote a song, in 1817, commemorating
the leading members of the Duddingston Society of Curlers. He
thus introduces Mr. Millar :-
“ To the kirk we maun bow, sae we needna be sour,
For there, I how, stands our best pillar :
But gif 0’ keen curlers ye’re wantin’ the Jmw,
For Jour ye maun look to a-MILLBrc.”
His fondness for this game inspired Mr. Millar himself, and he wrote an
excellent Fang to the air-“ The Laird 0’ Cockpen.” It was printed at the time
as a single leaf, but it may be found, somewhat curtailed, in a volume on curling,
entitled “ Memorabilia Curliania Mabenensia,” printed at Dumfries, 1830,
8vo. We are not aware of any other composition by this gentleman, who was
truly considered by his friends as a most agreeable companion and a keen
curler.”
Mr. Millar died at Meadowsale, near Strathaven, on the 17th August 1824.
IT.-The late SIR WALTER SCOTT, Bart., of whom as the world is
already in possession of so much, no apology will be requisite for the brevity of
our notice. By way of pointing out the locality, we may state that he was born
on the 15th August 1771, in a house (removed to make way for the University
buildings) which stood at the head of the College Wynd,’ partly in what is
now North College Street, near the spot where a wooden erection has been
formed for exhibiting the skeleton of a whale belonging to the College Museum
(now removed). His father, Mr. Walter Scott, Writer to the Signet, resided
in the third $at, the two under floors being occupied by Mr. Keith, grandfather
to the late Sir Alexander Keith, Knight-Marischal of Scotland.
The author of “Marmion” became an advocate in 1792; but, as is well
known, he never made.any figure as a barrister. His fame and emoluments
were destined to be gleaned in another field ; and though he failed in securing
the golden harvest he had reaped, the triumph of his genius is now beyond the
reach of cavil or the chance of accident. Sir Walter is classed in the Print as
one of the advocates who (‘ plead without wigs ;” but prior to the date of the
Engraving (1811) he had been appointed one of the Principal Clerks of
Session-an appointment, which precluded practice at the bar.
Sir Walter Scott died at Abbotsford on the 21st September 1832.
This might well have been the most appropriate site for the monument erected to the memory
of Sir Walter, had the improvements at one time contemplated by the Commissioners for the University
buildings been carried into effect. The plan comprehended the removal of all those tenements
between Bailie Grieve’s ehop, corner of Adam Square (running in a straight line through that
large self-contained home, middle of the Horse Wynd, built and formerly inhabited by the Earl of
Galloway, and subsequently by Mr. Paton, the publisher of the first edition of this work), and the
centre of @le Square ; thus leaving a considerable open space round the College, The monument,
occupying the natd spot of the Great Magician of the North, and immediately fronting the centre
of the north parallel of the buildingfl, would have added greatly to the b u t y aa well aa the intereat
of the scene.
