CIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 5 9’
Water-of-Leith. His dress continued of the same fashion for nearly half-acentury;
and he wore the garters and flapped waistcoat to the last. The only
change he latterly adopted was a curiously formed flat round hat. He was a
tall, stout man, and particularly fond of walking. Every morning, and in all
weathers, he walked to the Hawes Inn, at Queensferry, where breakfast was
waiting him at his stated hour. He rang no bell-gave no orders-and seldom
saw a waiter. After breakfast, he turned up a plate, put his money in payment
upon it, and then walked back in the same solitary manner to Drumsheugh.
Like many gentlemen of his day, Erskine indulged occasionally at cards, and
he was particularly partial to the game of whist. He was, notwithstanding, no
great player, and generally came off the loser. It is supposed that an unlucky
run at his favourite game was the cause of his melancholy end. He was discovered
drowned in the Forth. (1793), opposite Caroline Park.
Besides the works previously enumerated, Mr. Erskine was the author of
“ Town Eclogues :” 1. The Hangman-2. The Harlequins-3. The Street
Walkers-4. The Undertakers ; London, no date, with a curious plan of Edinburgh
prefixed. The object was to expose the false taste for florid description
which then and still prevails in poetry. These satirical effusions possess great
merit. phe late Archibald Constable at one time projected a complete collection
of Erskine’s works, and actually advertised it ; but his other numerous speculations
came in the way, and the project fell to the ground. This is much to be
regretted, as the book, if well edited, could not have failed to have been attractive.
SIR JOHN WHITEFOORD, the third figure, and the Hon. Andrew
Erskine, were on terms of the closest intimacy, and walked so frequently together,
that, the one being tall and the other of short stature, they were somewhat
wittily termed-“ the gowk and the titling.”
Sir John was at one period a pretty extensive landed proprietor, and possessed
the estates of Whitefoord and Ballochmyle, in Ayrshire. In consequence of
the mismanagement of his predecessor, who is said to have “ supplied the
groundwork of the character of Sir Arthur Wardour in the Antipuary,” Sir
John was involved in difficulties; although perhaps not so deeply but that, with
care and prudence, he might have overcome them. The failure of the wellknown
banking establishment of Douglas, Heron, and Co., however, compelled
him to dispose of the estate of Ballochmyle, delightfully situated on the Waterof-
Ayr, where he and his forefathers had long resided. Maria Whitefoord,
afterwards Mrs. Cranston, the eldest daughter of Sir John, was the heroine of
the plainti1.e lines by Burns, entitled the ‘‘ Braes of Ballochmyle,” composed on
the eventful occasion of her leaving the family inheritance :-
‘‘ Through faded groves Maria sang,
Hemel’ in beauty’s bloom the while ;
An’ aye the wild-wood echoes rang-
. Farewell the Braes 0’ Ballochmyle !”
Sir John was one of the early patrons of Burns, the poet having beeu
