64 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
out on a short tour to France during the Christmas recess. He travelled for
some distance with Montgolfier, the inventor of balloons, and on his arrival in
Paris was kindly received by Necker, then Prime Minister. “ The ladies of
the family,’’ says his biographer, “seemed to have resolved on giving their
Scottish guest an agreeable reception. He found Madame Necker reading
Blair’s sermons, and Mademoiselle Necker, afterwards the celebrated De Stael,
playing Lochber 710 more on the piano.” On his return to Britain, Mr. Sinclair
communicated hints to Government respecting several improvements with which
he had become acquainted in France ; and the title of Baronet was conferred on
him (4th February 1786) as a reward for his public services.
In 1786, Sir ,John proceeded on a more extended tour, in the course of
which he visited Denmark, Sweden, Russia, and Poland ; from Warsaw he proceeded
to Vienna- from thence to Berlin, Hanover, Holland, Flanders, and
returned to England by France, having, in the short space of seven months,
performed a journey of more than 7500 English miles. During his progress
he was introduced to nearly all the courts of the various countries-was everywhere
received with the utmost kindness and attention, and established a
correspondence with many of the most eminent and remarkable men on the
Continent. In Sweden, Denmark, and Russia, he met with several countrymen,
particularly at Stockholm, where he found many of the nobles descendants
of Scotsmen who had fought under Gustavus during the Thirty Years’
War.
Not long after his return, Sir John again entered into the married relation,
by espousing, on the 6th March 1788, the Honourable Diana, only daughter
of Alexander first Lord Rlacdonald. The ceremony was performed in London,
where the parties resided for a short time ; but they eventually settled in Edinburgh,
taking up house in the Canongate.’ During his residence there, each
day, with the exception of an hour or two, was laboriously devoted to study or
business. His exercise usually consisted in a walk to Leith, between the hours
of two and four; and it was one of his favourite sayings that “whoever
touched the post at the extremity of the pier, took an enfeoffment of life for
seven years.” To Caithness he performed regular journeys, generally diverging
from the direct route to extend his agricultural acquaintance.
On resuming an interest in Parliamentary affairs, he became gradually
estranged from the support of the administration of Pitt, conscientiously differing
with the Premier on many important points. The abandonment of Warren
Hastings by the minister he considered an unworthy sacrifice to popular feeling
-and on the “Regency Question” he was decidedly opposed to the ministerial
propositions. Thus disaffected he naturally fell in with the “ Armed Neutrality,” a
party so called from their profession of independence, of whom the Earl of Rloira
was considered the head.
Sir John now entered on a series of projects of great importance to the
He afterwards removed to Charlotte Square, and latterly to George Street.