haste of business that he ordered the dinner to go to Berwick by mistake in him, and not The in the party who received the order. waiters had arrived by the foreroon train, and were anxiously waiting to get the tables set before the hour of meeting.

The train somehow or other bore by Galashiels, and landed the much waited-for dinner at St Boswells, where the Duke of Buccleuch's hounds could more readily have devoured its contents than they who were so anxiously waiting. The mistake, however, was discovered, and the far fowls with fair feathers were returned with about two hours' delay.

The circumstance acted in two ways, for while the expectants waited and wearied the onlookers tittered and rejoiced."

Our sketch of the procession as it passed up High Street in 1830 is from a drawing by the late Mr Thomas Sanderson, artist, Galashiels, from whom the writer was presented with a copy, shortly before his death a number of years ago.

Paisley.

GEORGE DESSON.

A Border Literary Chronicle with Brief Biographical Notes.

PART IV.

DUNCAN, MARK, M.D. (1570?-1640), son of Thomas Duncan of Maxpoffle, Roxburghshire; professor of philosophy at the University of Saumur in France, the chief seminary of the French Protestants, of which Boyd of Trochrig was principal (1606-14), afterwards of Glasgow ; published "Institutiones Logicæ," 1612. He had a son, Mark Duncan de Cerisantes, who followed the military profession and died of a wound received in an attack on Naples, when serving under the Duke of Guise, 1648. DUNS, SCOTUS (b. 1265-d. at Cologne, 1308), perhaps a native of Duns; the most famous scholar of his time; professor of theology at Oxford; in 1304 he removed to Paris; opponent of Thomas Aquinas; his works printed at Lyons in 10 vols. folio in 1639. ELLIOT, SIR GILBERT OF MINTO (b. 1722-d. 1777), third baronet; statesman and poet; studied at the Universities of Edinburgh and Leyden; passed advocate, 1743; M.P. for Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire; held many public appointments; wrote the well-known pastoral song, "Amynta," beginning "My sheep I neglected, I broke my sheep-hook" (referred to by Scott in the "Lay") and "Twas at the hour of dark midnight," 1745, in which reference is made to the death of Col. James Gardiner at the battle of Prestonpans. ELLIOT, JEAN (b. at Minto, 1727-d. at Monteviot, March 29, 1805), daughter of Sir Gilbert Elliot, the second baronet (1693-1766) and sister of the preceding; wrote the version of "The Flowers of the Forest," beginning "I've heard the lilting at our ewe-milking," 1756; lived in Edinburgh a great part of her life, 1756-1804.

ELLIOT, SIR JOHN (b. 1736-d. Nov. 7, 1786), physician; a native of Peebles; M.D. St Andrews, 1759; practised in London, where he had as competitors Buchan of Ancrum and Armstrong of Newcastleton; is said to have realised £5000 a year; wrote various popular works on medical subjects; obtained a baronetcy in 1778. ELLIOT, REV. THOMAS (b. 1731-d. at Kelso, 1808), minister of Cavers from 1763-1808; wrote an TransacEssay on Astronomy published in " tions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh," and also the old statistical account of the parish Dr Chalmers acted as his assistant for a short time.

ERSKINE, DAVID STEWART, 11TH EARL OF BUCHAN (b. 1741-d. 1829), brother of Henry Erskine; studied at Glasgow University; organised the Society of Antiquaries, Scotland; founded an annual festival in commemoration of James Thomson, 1791, which was continued till 1819 (Burns was invited to the first commemoration); contributed to numerous publications, and wrote literary biographies and essays. ERSKINE, SIR DAVID (b. 1772-d. 1837), dramatist and antiquary; a natural son of the preceding; founded The Scots Naval and Military Academy, Edinburgh"; wrote numerous historical dramas and tragedies.

ERSKINE, EBENEZER (b. at Dryburgh, June 22, 1680d. June 2, 1754), son of Henry Erskine, parish minister of Chirnside, Berwickshire; founder of the Secession Church in 1733; wrote "Sermons," a collection of which in 5 vols. was published after his death in 1762-65. ERSKINE, RALPH (b. at Moneylaws, parish of Carham, Northumberland, Mar. 15, 1685-d. Nov. 6, 1752), younger brother of Ebenezer; studied at Edinburgh University; minister of Dunfermline 1711-37, after which he joined the Secession; wrote "Sermons," 1738; 'Gospel Sonnets," and "Scripture Songs," 1754. FORSYTH, ROBERT (b. at Earlston, 1823-d. at Bridge

of Allan, 1889), wrote several pieces of poetry of considerable merit; published in 1887 "A Lay of Loch Leven."

"

FOSTER, WILLIAM AIR (b. at Coldstream, 1801-d. 1862), wrote and contributed several pieces of verse to Whistle Binkie."-(B.M. x. 81, 149). GILLAN, REV. ROBERT (b. 1761-d. 1824), minister of Hawick from 1789-1800; married a daughter of the Rev. William Campbell of Lilliesleaf; wrote Views of Modern Geography and Astronomy, &c.; A Compendium of Ancient and Modern Geography, and the Statistical Account of the Parish.

GOWDIE, JOHN, D.D (b. 1682-d. 1762), was parish minister of Earlston from 1704-1730; translated to Lady Yester's, Edinburgh, and became principal of Edinburgh University, 1754-62. At Earlston he was succeeded by his son (17301777).

GRAINGER, JAMES, M.D. (b. at Duns, 1721-d. in the West Indies, 1767), physician and poet; translated the Elegies of Tibullus, 1758; wrote a poem in blank verse, "The Sugar Cane," 1763; studied medicine at Edinburgh, and practised in London before proceeding to the West Indies. His poetical works were edited by Robert Anderson in 1830.

To be Continued.

Hawick Archæological Society's

Jubilee.

HE Hawick Archæological Society is one of the most progressive and most important Border institutions, and it is natural therefore that a great amount of interest centred in its jubilee, which was celebrated by a banquet on the evening of 18th September.

The Society has done a great deal to keep alive and foster an interest in the antiquities of the Border district, as well as to preserve and hand down to posterity much that is of undoubted value with regard to the customs of the people and the history of many of the ancient institutions with traditions and folklore. It was to the antiquarian enthusiasm of such men as the late Mr William Norman Kennedy, Mr Robert Michie, Mr Alexander Michie, Mr George Webster, Mr James Thorn, and Mr Robert Murray, along with Mr (now Dr) J. A. H. Murray (Oxford), of the Academy, Hawick, that the Society owes its existence; and it is not inappropriate, now that the jubilee of the Society is to be celebrated, that the presidential chair should be occupied for the year by Dr Murray, who is the only original member still living who has kept up his connection with the Society.

The late Mr Thomas Purdom, Chief Magistrate, presided at a preliminary public meeting on 25th August, 1856; and at another meeting held on 16th September following, Mr George Webster, mathematical teacher of the United Schools, gave an address on "The Study of Archæology," Mr Robert Michie following with an address on "Local Antiquities," after which twenty-seven of those present gave in their namies as members of an association to be called "The Hawick Archæological Society." Only three of these members now survive, and, as has been said, Dr J. A. H. Murray is the only one living who has preserved his connection with it. At the earlier meetings it was customary for those who possessed objects of either scientific or natural interest to bring them for exhibition, many of them being presented to the Society, and so there was formed the nucleus of the present museum, which for some years has been housed in the Buccleuch Memorial Science and Art Institute, and is now to be handed over to the Corporation on behalf of the community, and will be accommodated in the mansion-house in Wilton Lodge Public Park. The museum is now admittedly one of the best in the country, with its great

store of interesting and valuable relics of bygone ages. Formerly the old parish school in Orrock Place was used for the Society's meetings, and the museum, having been generously granted by the Duke of Buccleuch, who always evinced a kindly spirit towards the institution, and his generous act placed the Society on a firmer footing. It may be noted that in 1865 the museum was broken into by burglars, who carried off all the coins and many other valuables. A large number of the coins and several of the other articles were recovered, but some, including the costly Indian Rods of State, used in the Madras Council, were lost, the only remains of the latter being the shapeless masses of melted silver into which they had been transformed to destroy their identity. The loss which the Society thus sustained excited general sympathy, and contributions to the museum came in so rapidly that in a short time the collection of coins was larger than before. The depredators were caught, and put on their trial at Jedburgh, and were heavily sentenced. One of the witnesses at the trial was Dr Murray, then a young stripling, who had left the district for a position in the Oriental Bank, London, and who gave evidence as to the coins, &c., in the Society's

museum.

During the first decade or so of the Society's existence there was no lack of papers contributed by the members, among which the inimitable sketches by the late Mr Norman Kennedy, dealing with the sayings and doings of former local celebrities, such as Caleb Rutherford, Wall Slush, and Lang Tam Dyce, proved more popular than the drier, if more educative, scientific, and archæological contributions. In 1864 and 1865 the Society suffered severe loss in its membership, but its progress continued, although there was a falling off in the number and quality of the papers contributed; and there was a dull period of ten years between 1885 and 1895, in consequence of which the members decreased and the Society drifted into debt. The Rev. W. A. P. Johnman was then elected president, and under his guidance, and assisted by Mr J. J. Vernon as hon. secretary, who, during the past decade, has been to the Society what Dr Murray was in its earlier stages, the Society was placed on a sound financial basis; interesting and valuable papers were contributed to regular monthly meetings, until now the Society is in a more prosperous state in every respect than ever it was before. The late ex-Provost Watson, the late Mr James Oliver, of Thorn

wood, Mr William Scott, Orchard, and Mr Adam Laing, Burgh Chamberlain, should also be identified with the Society's latter-day progress. Apart from its regular meetings, the Society has perpetuated in a substantial manner the memory of many notable men and many historic incidents associated with the district. Mural tablets have been erected at Burnflat (Haggisha'), the birthplace of "Old Mortality" at Teviothead, where Johnnie Armstrong and his followers were put to death in 1529 by order of King James V.; and at Sclaterford, in Rulewater, to commemorate the rout of an English host under Lord Dacre in the year of Flodden; while other work of a similar character is in contemplation. Among the commemoration functions of the Society has been the celebration of the centenary of such eminent Borderers as Sir Walter Scott, Dr John Leyden, and James Thomson, author of "The Seasons,' as well as the celebrations associated with Henry Scott Riddell, author of "Scotland Yet;" Mungo Park, and the centenary of the False Alarm.

A feature of recent years has beer the annual field meeting, when numerous places of historic interest have been visited, including such places as far apart as Dunfermline and Culross in the north, and Penrith and Ullswater in the south. Since the Society was formed, 480 papers have been contributed by 115 persons, the greater portion of which have appeared in the Transactions, and many of the numbers are out of print. Dr Murray contributed no fewer than fifty-one papers; Mr Norman Kennedy, forty-eight; and Mr Vernon, thirty-three.

The jubilee banquet was held in Hawick Town Hall, and was attended by about 260 ladies and gentlemen.

The most interesting function of the evening was the presentation of the freedom of the burgh to Dr Murray, the distinguished lexicographer.

Having, on the call of the Town-Clerk, signed the Burgess Roll and taken the oath of allegiance, Dr Murray was presented with a burgess ticket in a handsome casket of oak adorned with silver mountings. The casket bears the inscription on a silver plate on the lid: :

"To James Augustus Henry Murray, Esq., of Oxford, M.A., LL.D., D.C.L., &c., &c., on his admission as an honorary burgess of Hawick, 18th September, 1906."

Dr Murray's monogram and the burgh coatof-arms are also worked in the burgess ticket,

which is embellished with representations of acorns and thistles. At the left upper corner is the burgh coat-of-arms, with the motto, "Teribus Ye Teriodin." The ticket reads:

"At Hawick, and within the Council Chambers there, at a meeting of the Town Council held on the 30th day of March, 1906, on the motion of Provost Melrose, seconded by Bailie Scott, it was unanimously resolved to confer the freedom of the burgh on James Augustus Henry Murray, Esquire, of Oxford, M.A., LL.D., D.C.L., &c., a native of the district, and a former citizen of Hawick, not only as a mark of personal esteem and of admiration for his high attainments in literature, philology, and archæology, but especially to recognise and commemorate the strenuous labour and research which he has for over a quarter of a century devoted to the editing and publication of the 'Oxford New English Dictionary' on Historical principles, now approaching completion. Extracted from the minutes of the Town Council of the Burgh of Hawick, sealed with the Burgh seal, and delivered to Dr Murray in a silver-mounted oak casket this 18th day of September, 1906.-John Melrose, Provost; Robert Purdom, Town-Clerk."

Bailie Douglas Edinburgh; Rev. Rev. James Oliver, Portobello; and Colonel Douglas Elliot afterwards presented a joint address to Dr Murray from the Edinburgh Borderers' Union and the Border Counties' Association.

Dr Murray, who was cordially received on rising to reply, said he was deeply sensible of the distinguished honour they had conferred on him in adding his name to the roll of the honorary burgesses of this ancient burgh, a roll which was adorned by so many honoured and illustrious names. Intimately connected as he was in years bygone with the educational, literary, scientific, and public life of Hawick, he recognised in this very gracious act a pleasing testimony that neither in these earlier years nor in his subsequent life he had done anything of what they were greatly ashamed, or which might cast a slur on the fair name of My ain auld toon."

Dr Neilson then proposed "The Houses of Parliament," and the toast was acknowledged by Sir John Jardine.

The Lord-Advocate proposed the "Hawick Archæological Society." Professor Cooper, Glasgow, proposed “The Literature of the Borders,' and Sir George Douglas replied.

The Rev. W. A. P. Johnman proposed "Kindred Societies," and

Lord Rosebery replied in a speech brimful of humour, in the course of which he dealt with the proposed new spelling, and declared that it was a blow struck at morality itself.

A number of other toasts were honoured.