this impression would help them in the division, if they move it, on Monday. The fact is, as I recollect, that I said nothing one way or other on that supposition, but challenged them either to impeach or address, if they were dissatisfied with my reasons for remaining after the resolutions. You will, I am sure, forgive my troubling you with this, for your private use, if you think it worth while to take any way of counteracting this idea. Perhaps you may have some opportunity to see how it is understood to-day.-I am, dear Sir, your faithful and obedient servant,

66 6

W. PITT.

"Dear Sir,--I am just come from Pitt, who is much obliged to you for your friendly support and assistance. We agree that Mr Luttrel's appearance in his favour on Monday will be a very desirable circumstance. There will probably be a division, but, at all events, the presence of independent and respectable friends will be in the highest degree desirable.-I am, dear Sir, in haste, but with real respect and regard, your most obedient servant, J. J. HAMILTON.

"Five o'clock.""

In 1785 Mr Sinclair became a widower, and felt his loss so severely, that he at first meditated retirement from public life. This intention he communicated to Mr Pitt, who returned the following kind and amiable reply:

666 Downing Street, May 17, 1785.

66 6

My dear Sir,-I feel very sensibly the kind proof of your zeal and friendship at such a moment, and truly lament the unfortunate cause which deprives us at present of your assistance. As far as numbers are in question, a single vote, though always of some consequence, is, I trust, not now so material as once secmed possible. I am not, however, the less thankful to you for the accommodation you propose, though very glad to think it unnecessary. Believe me, my dear Sir, yours very sincerely, W. PITT.'"

In order to overcome the depression thus occasioned, he made a tour on the Continent, which enabled him to form an acquaintance with many foreigners of celebrity. For fellow. traveller to Paris he had Montgolfier, of balloon notoriety, and in that capital dined en famille with Necker, then Prime Minister. The ladies of the Minister's family seemed determined to give their Scottish guest a flattering reception. He found Madame Necker engaged

in the perusal of Blair's Sermons, and Mademoiselle Necker afterwards Madame de Staël-delighted him with playing Scottish airs on the piano. He was also frequently in the society of Buffon, who had become garrulous from old age. The great naturalist, however, did not yield to the Necker family in politeness. He gratified his Celtic visitor by bestowing due praise on English poets and English philosophers.

Shortly after his return from the Continent, Mr Pitt procured for his friend and supporter the honour of a Baronetcy. Sir John then made a second and more extensive tour on the Continent, visiting Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Hanover, and on his return formed a matrimonial union with the Hon. Miss Macdonald, daughter of Alexander, first Lord Macdonald. The uncle of this lady, Mr Bosville, was one of the most remarkable and eccentric characters of his day. The details given in the present work, relative to his tastes and habits, are both interesting and amusing. It is almost impossible to imagine a character whose life and death are better fitted "to point a moral or adorn a tale." Of his extraordinary relative, Mr Sinclair thus writes

"As my granduncle, Bosville, was among the most original and eccentric characters of his day, and as the subject of this Memoir was a frequent visitor at his house, I may be excused for introducing a few Bosvilliana related by my father or his contemporaries. My granduncle's exterior consisted of the single-breasted coat, powdered hair and queue, and other paraphernalia of a courtier in the reign of George II.; but within this courtly garb was enclosed one of the most ultra-liberal spirits of the time. He assembled every day at his house in Welbeck Street a party of congenial souls, never exceeding twelve in number, nor receiving the important summons to dinner a single moment after five o'clock. Such was the old gentleman's punctuality, that the first stroke of the clock was the signal for going down stairs; and when half a minute after, met the company on Mr Friend, the astronomer-royal, arriving the staircase, Bosvi le addressed him with,

I trust, Mr Friend, you will not fail to bear in mind for the future, that we don't reckon time here by the meridian of Greenwich, but by the meridian of Welbeck Street.' The servants entered into

this whimsical accuracy of their master, and when a well-known guest, out of breath with haste, one day rang the door bell about four minutes after five, the footman, looking up from the area, informed him that his master was 6 busy dining !' This repulse was in perfect keeping with his master's favourite maxim; Some say better late than never; I say, better never than late.' A slate was kept in the hall, on which any intimate friend (and he had many), might inscribe his name as a guest for the day. Among the persons thus privileged, I may mention, besides family connexions, Sir Francis Burdett, Lord Hutchinson, Horne Tooke, Parson Este, Major James, Baron Dimsdale, Lord Oxford, and Mr Clifford the barrister of O. P. celebrity. A specimen of Mr Bosville's humour may be given in his description of the last dinner he partook at the house of Lord Dudley, his brother-inlaw. I always dine,' said he, 'punctually at five; but when I reached Park Lane after six, I commonly was forced to wait half an hour before my sister returned from her morning drive Not till halfpast seven did a single soul arrive to dinner, and I have often heard eight strike when we were going down stairs. Feeling ashamed to be the only performer, while the rest were little better than spectators, I generally rose with an appetite. fact is, Lady Dudley and her friends always dine at three o'clock without, knowing it. At that hour she takes a beef steak and a glass of Madeira, which she chooses to call a luncheon. Finding that Lord Dudley's habits and my own did not agree, I at last concluded a treaty offensive and defensive, by which each engaged not to trouble the other with invitations, nor be angry at not receiving them. Since that time we have always lived on brotherly terms.'

The

"Mr Bosville scarcely ever quitted the metropolis; he used to say that London was the best residence in winter, and that he knew no place like it in summer. One year when in Yorkshire, he made a point of not visiting his own estates, lest he should be involved in the cares and troubles of a landed proprietor. But though he seldom really travelled, he sometimes made imaginary journeys. He used to mention as a grave fact, that once he visited the Scilly Isles, and attended a ball at St Mary's, where he found a young lady giving herself great airs, because her education had received a finish' at the Land's End.' Another of his stories was, that having been at Rome during the last illness of Clement XIV., he went daily to the Vatican to ascertain what chance he had of enjoying the spectacle of an instal

lation. The bulletins, according to my grand-uncle's playful imagination, were variously expressed, but each more alarming than its predecessor. First, his Holiness is very ill;' next, his Excellency is worse; then, his Eminence is in a very low state;' and at last, the day before the Pope expired, came forth the startling announcement, his Infallibility is delirious.' This pleasant original occasionally coined anecdotes at the expense of his own guests, and related them to their face, for the amusement of the company. Parson Este was once editor of a paper called the World; and Bosville alleged of him before a large party, that one day a gentleman in deep mourning came to him at the office, requesting the insertion of a ready-made panegyric on his brother, who had died a few days before. No!' answered the reverend editor, your brother did not choose to die in our newspaper, and that being the case, I can find no room for eulogies upon him.' It was a favourite saying of Bosville, which my father borrowed from him, when he wanted to give encouragement to a diffident friend, Il faut risquer quelque chose.' The origin of this catch-word was a story told by Bosville of a party of French officers, each of whom outvied the rest in relating of himself some wonderful exploit. A young Englishman who was present, sat with characteristic modesty in silence. His next neighbour

asked him why he did not contribute a story in his turn, and being answered, 'I have done nothing like the feats that have been told us,' patted him on the back, and said, with a significant look, Eh bien, Monsieur, il faut risquer quelque chose.' Some one asked Mr Bosville whether he intended purchasing the new Baronetage?' No,' replied the humourist, I am waiting till the Squirage comes out; a work then mentioned in derision, but now printed with success.

"Among Mr Bosville's liberal friends, was the noted author of the Political Re

gister.' While Cobbett was in Newgate, my grand-uncle went in state, with four horses to his carriage, to visit the prisoner; and afterwards presented him with a thousand pounds in token of sympathy, as he termed it, with the persecuted sufferer. The party in Welbeck Street, as may be supposed, never stood very high in favour of the Government. The butler one day whispered to Mr Bosville, after dinner, that some gentlemen insisted upon seeing him in the anti-chamber. Going out to them, he found his friend Townshend the police-officer, and his myrmidons, in quest of two noted democrats then actually seated at the dinner-table. Bos. ville received the gentlemen' with great

civility, and offered them refreshments if they would not interrupt the socialities of the dining-room, pledging himself to be security for the objects of their search. These functionaries appear to have been almost as accommodating as the bailiffs who so obligingly augmented the retinue of Sir Richard Steele, at his memorable entertainment. Having made this arrangement, Bosville returned to table without the slightest symptom of discomposure, and prolonged the entertainment till the usual hour. While the company were withdrawing, the bailiffs were allowed to execute their office, and carried off the astonished guests to prison.

"The concluding days of Bosville are a melancholy evidence of the force of habit. He wished his dinner parties to be continued to the very last. His health declined, and his convivial powers deserted him; but the slate hung as usual in the hall, and he felt more anxiety than ever that the list of guests upon it should not fail of its appointed number. Habitually inclined to scepticism, he was not prepared, amidst increasing infirmities, to seek for comfort in religion. Even during his last hours, when he was confined to his chamber, the hospitable board was regularly spread below. He insisted upon reports from time to time of the jocularities calling forth the laughter which still assailed his ear; and on the very morning of his death gave orders for an entertainment punctually at the usual hour, which he did not live to see. It would be well for those who think that religious consolations are easily attainable on a death-bed, and without habitual preparation, to take solemn warning from the last moments of Bosville!

Among the most important of Sir John Sinclair's numerous services to his country, was the establishment of a Society for improving British Wool. This article had been for centuries the staple commodity of Britain, yet its improvement had been utterly neglected by men of scientific and practical knowledge. Not a single individual throughout Europe, with the exception of M. D'Aubenton, keeper of the royal flocks in France, had adequately united these qualities, and the partial improvements which had taken place in some of the breeds were by no means the result of any well-directed system. It is true that physiologists possessed a general acquaintance with the anatomical structure and general habits of the animal, as exhibited in various districts and countries; but the effects of climate, frost, and management had never been accurately ascertained

by observations, nor had any work been published which could instruct the sheep-farmer in the most advantageous manner of managing his flock.

This state of ignorance Sir John Sinclair determined should no longer exist. In his own person he collected all possible information on the subject, and stimulated all within the sphere of his influence to similar exertions. The result was the establishment of an Association for the improvement of British Wool, of which he was elected president. The good effected by this society was very great. Specimens of sheep of all breeds were procured, and no exertion of influence, or expenditure of money, was spared which could render the collection complete. King George the Third gave the society his warm patronage and support, and presented them with specimens of rams from the royal flocks, and in the course of one year from its commencement, the association, by gift or purchase, accumulated about 800 sheep, natives of all countries, from Abyssinia to Sweden, from Shetland to New South Wales.

The advantages derived from the exertions and influence of this society by the country at large it would be difficult to estimate too highly. To them the country is indebted for the introduction of the Cheviot breed into the Highlands, which is now naturalized over the whole north of Scotland, and the rent of sheep pasture in every part of the island has risen in a proportion far exceeding that of other landed property. Thus chiefly by the judicious and patriotic efforts of the subject of these Memoirs has the wealth of the country, and the comfort of its inhabitants, been increased to an extent which our grandsires would have considered incredible.

The life of Sir John Sinclair was too full of action to enable us in these pages to trace its progress with any accuracy or minuteness. We must, therefore, confine our notice to the more prominent events with which he was connected. In 1794 he raised a fencible corps, and being no less active in matters military than civil, we learn that in seven months from the time he received his commission he had so drilled and perfected the discipline of his regiment, as to merit from the General commanding the praise of being "an excellent and effective corps."

The Statistical Account of Scotland was undertaken shortly afterwards, we believe in the year 1790. This extensive, arduous, and all but impracticable work, was not at first contemplated by Sir John, in the form and pressure it afterwards'assumed. It arose thus:-To his history of the revenue, it had been his wish to sub. join a general view of the political circumstances of the country, but from the scantiness of information, he had been compelled to abandon the attempt. Being subsequently a member of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and on terms of intimacy with many of its leaders, the idea suggested itself, that by means of the clergy, he might be furnished with such information regarding their respective parishes, as when skilfully arranged and concatenated, would constitute a work of great public utility. He had then no intention of printing, as separate performances, the various contributions of his correspondents, but the general ability displayed in the papers first received, induced a change of plan, and the work grew to completion, in its present form. A circular letter was forwarded to each clergyman, accompanied by 160 queries, under the four heads of geogra phy and natural history, population, productions, and miscellaneous subjects. The trouble he seems to have

had with his reverend contributors was enough, and more than enough, to wear out any patience, but his own. Many were indolent, and considered the composition of two sermons a week quite as much labour as it was reasonable they should undertake. Others were jealous of the distinguished position of the editor, and charged him with presumption, in assuming the place of a fixed and central luminary, round which the minor clerical planets were expected to revolve. Some, from the habit of extemporaneous preaching, had in cultivating "the gift of the gab," suffered that of the pen to fall into disuse, and were unwilling to submit their written productions to the ordeal of public criticism. Some were old; some were stupid; some obstinate; some indifferent; but, on the whole, it is barely justice to state, that the great majority entered with zeal and good will into the project, and performed the task allotted to them with ability.

There were difficulties to be overcome, however, not only with the pastors, but with their flocks. Many of the latter were rather jealous of any minute enquiries into their circumstances and pursuits. They had no idea that such labours could be undertaken from motives entirely disinterested and patriotic. There was such a thing as an income-tax in those days, and a man making public profession of his profits, was compelled to pay for it.

When the minister, therefore, began to cross-examine the farmers of his parish on their private affairs, he often appeared to them rather in the light of a supernumerary exciseman than a spiritual guide, and was met with what, in the native idiom, is called "a cold shoulder." The idea of taxation having once got into the heads of men in remote parishes, could not be got out by any eloquence however convincing. Or if, in some instances, this was effected, it was replaced by the belief that the minister was actuated in his scrutiny into the details of their personal property by a busy and impertinent curiosity.

Still, in spite of all obstacles, the work went on. The influence of government and the more eminent individuals connected with the church was exerted in its favour. The dilatory and the recusant were stimulated by repeated circulars, and the educated classes generally began to feel considerable interest in the success of the undertaking. Persons of adequate talent were employed as statistical missionaries to draw up an account of those parishes, of which the pastors remained obstinately mute; and in spite of the unfortunate circumstance of a volume being destroyed by fire, on the premises of the printer, he had the happiness, on the 1st of January, 1798, of completing the work in twenty-one volumes. Sir John's feelings on that day must have been of the most enviable description. He beheld the labour of nearly eight years brought to a successful termination. He felt the proud consciousness of having conferred a memorable and lasting benefit on Scotland; and gazing on the solid and ponderous tomes before him, he might well say, "on this basis will I rest my chief claim to the gratitude of my country." Of this great work Mr Sinclair says, with great justice and truth, that

"Perhaps a more interesting exhibition of diversified talent was never made than in the original manuscript reports from the multitude of authors, whom public spirit, personal friendship, private influence, gratitude, or importunity, had called almost simultaneously into the field of authorship. Many of the reports showed great natural ability as well as literary acquirement; and the whole collection did the highest honour to the Church of Scotland. The contributions, however, as might be expected, were of very unequal merit. Some of them betrayed much ignorance, prejudice, and inaccuracy; some were imperfect and jejune; a far greater number tedious and verbose. Lord Hailes, in a letter to Sir John, dated 18th February, 1791, warns him not to receive, with implicit confidence, all the statements transmitted to him by his correspondents. There is much,' he says, 'to be learned even from your specimen volume, but I suppose that you will check the information you receive from the clergy with what you learn elsewhere.' Other friends, in whose hands he placed some of the manuscripts for revision, expressed, in strong terms, their disappointment and vexation at the crude and undigested materials submitted to their consideration. The account of says the Rev. Dr Hardy, was the strangest paper I have yet met with a good deal of important information ill expressed, and lying run-rigg with a great quantity of nonsense.' In the task of giving uniformity and precision to this multifarious series of papers, Sir John Sinclair and the literary friends employed to assist him might have justly adopted the saying of an old Scottish jurist, who, having undertaken the task of abridging and condensing some enormous mass of writings, describes, with great satisfaction, how he had cropped, lopped, pruned, pared, and amputated the huge mass before him into readable dimensions.' The sensitiveness of authors is well known, and was abundantly called forth when the corrected manuscripts were printed. Many of the clergy were loud in their expressions of dissatisfaction. Correction and emendation naturally appeared to involve a charge against the competency of the writers. The parts omitted were judged to be most important, and those supplied to be needless interpolations. On the other hand, there were many clergymen, and in some instances the ablest, who not only took in good part the censorship of their reports, but thanked Sir John for the improvement they had personally derived from the diversified studies to which his numerous queries invited them. He more than once refers to this as amongst

the most pleasing circumstances connected with the undertaking.

"It is gratifying to record that a work, so honourable to the talents, industry, and patriotism of the clergy, was the means not only of raising the church in the estimation of the public, but of benefiting its most necessitous ministers. The exposure of their privations, in connexion with the evidence of real worth afforded by their productions, eli ited the patronage of the Legislature. In addition to the royal grant already mentioned, which operated so beneficially towards their families, laws were passed for regulating the augmentation of their livings, either from the parochial funds, or, where the tithes were exhausted, from a Parliamentary grant in their behalf. By this enactment, it was provided that L. 150 per annum should be the lowest stipend of a clergyman of the Church of Scotland. It may be added, in connexion with the benefits resulting to the clergy from the Statistical Account,' that their labours have supplied statesmen with a fresh argument in favour of ecclesiastical establishments. Pinkerton, the historian, congratulating Sir John Sinclair on the completion of his labours, observes, that he had thus furnished one of the strongest practicable arguments for the utility of the clerical body.'

"Another interesting class of men, whose talents have mainly contributed to the moral and intellectual superiority of Scotland, shared in the benefits produced by this great work. The parochial schoolmasters had from various causes been reduced to extreme penury; but measures were now taken to remedy this evil, by an addition to their salaries. I have now before me various letters of thanks for the exertions of my father in their behalf. The schoolmaster of Stewarton, writing in the name of his brethren within the presbytery of Irvine (21st March, 1798), informs Sir John that salaries in some parishes had been augmented by the heritors (landowners) themselves; and in others by mortifications (endowments), either of land or money, since the publication of the Statistical Account.' He expresses at the same time, the determination of his brethren to be guided by the Baronet in all their exertions to obtain the intervention of Parliament in their behalf.' There is also a letter in the name of a general meeting of the schoolmasters of Scotland, which proves how shamefully this useful body of men had hitherto been neglected. They return thanks to Sir John Sinclair for procuring their exemption from liability to serve in the militia."

We pass over the numerous testimonies of applause, which, on the ap