Proceedings Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PROCEEDINGS SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND. NINETY-NINTH SESSION", 1878-79. ANNIVERSARY MEKTING, 30th November 1878. JOHN ALEXANDER SMITH, M.D., Vice-President, Chaire inth . A Ballot having taken place, the following G-entlemen were duly admitted Fellows :— J. ROMILLY ALLEN, Esq., 23 Maitlaud Street. ARCHIBALD HAMILTON BRYCE, LL.I)., Recto f Edinburgro h Collegiate School. r EDWARSi D COLEBROOKE, Bart., M.P., Abington, Lanarkshire. GEORGE G. CUNNINGHAM, Esq., Advocate, 23 Manor Place. HENRY DAVIDSON, Esq f Muirhouse.o . JAMES MACDONALD, Esq., W.S. ALEXANDER MACMILLAN, Esq., Publisher, London. JOHN M. CRABBIE, Esq., younger of Duncow. JOHN M. DICK PEDDIE, Esq., Architect. BALFOUJ R PAUL, Esq., Advocate Grea2 ,3 t King Street. JOHN EDWARD SIBBALD, Esq. Ettric,8 k Road. JOHN SIBBALD, M.D., Commissioner in Lunacy. VOL. XIII. A 2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, NOVEMBER 30, 1878. JAMES WALLS CUKSITER, Esq., Kirkwall. AVILLIAM YOUNG BLYTHE MARTIN, Esq., Blythe House, Newport. Eev. B. J. HALL, St Petersburg, Russia. MAGNUS JACKSON, Esq., Marshall Place, Perth. JOHN SHAND, M.D., 66 Northumberland Street. J. E. M. WEDDERBURN. M.A., W.S., 32 Albany Street. r JAMESi S BAIN, K.B., Park Terrace, Glasgow. ST JOHN VINCENT DAY, C.E., Garscadden House, Dimtocher. The Office-Bearei's of the Society for the ensuing Session were elected as follows :— Patron. HER MAJEST QUEENE YTH . President. MOSE TH T HONOURABL MARQUESE ETH LOTHIANF SO . K.T. Vice-Presidents. Captain F. W. L. THOMAS, R.N. JOHN E. FINDLAY, Esq. Professor JOHN DDNS, D.D. Councillors. JAMES T. GIBSON-CRAIG, Esq., ) Representing the Board of FRANCIS ABBOTT / , Esq.Trustees., . Eev. THOMAS MACLAUCHLAN, LL.D. Sir J. NOEL PATON, LL.D., Kt, E.S.A. Professo . WYVILL0 r Si r E THOMSON, LL.D.. Kt , Sir WALTER ELLIOT, K.C.S.I. .F.W SKENE, LL.D. Professor J^NEAS J. G. MACK AY, LL.B. Professor NORMAN MACPHERSON, LL.D. ANNIVERSARY MEETING. .5 Secretaries. ARTHUR MITCHELL, M.D., LL.D. JOHN ALEXANDER SMITH, M.D. JOSEPH ANDEHSON, Assistant Secretary. WILLIAM FORBES, Esq., , . „ . ~\ . _ _ ' ' . f Secretaries for Foreign THOMAS DICKSON I Correspondence. ' , Esq,1' , General )- ,-, j Register House, j Treasurer. DAVID DOUGLAS, Esq., 9 Castle Street. Curators Museum.the of ROBERT CARFRAE, Esq. WILLIAM FEMES DOUGLAS, E.S.A. Curator Coins.of GEORGE SIM, Esq. Librarian. JOHN TAYLOR BROWN, Esq. Auditors. ROBERT HUTCHISON, Esq. THOMAS B. JOHNSTON, Esq. Publisher. DAVID DOUGLAS, Esq. Castl9 , e Street. Chairmae Th n then rea followine dth namee gFellowe th listh f f o tso s deceased durin Sessioe gth n :— Elected JAMES BALLANTINE, Esq., .... 1847 GEORGE PAUL CHALMERS, R.S.A., . 1873 r JAMESi S COXE, M.D., Kt., .... 1875 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, NOVKMBER 30, 1878. Elected JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Esq., .... 1873 JAMES DOUGLAS, Esq. of Cavers, . 1856 WILLIAM DRYSDALE, Esq.; S.S.C., . 1849 ROBERT HORN , Faculte Death f no Advocates f yo . , 1852 EDWARD JAMES JACKSON, Esq., . 1851 ANDREW JERVISE, Esq., . 1870 Eight Hon. Lord KINNAIRD, .... 1867 DAVID LAING, LL.D., ..... 1824 . Colone186 . 1. FORBEJ l . S LESLIE . , ROBERT LOVE, Esq. of Threepwood, . 1874 JAMES MACKNIGHT, Esq., W.S., . 1841 Sir W. STIRLING-MAXWELL, Bart., . 1870 The mooting resolved to record their sense of the loss the Society had sustaine deathe th n dthesf i s o e members particularld an , lamentee th n yi d death of David Laing, LL.D., one of the Foreign Secretaries of the Society. Fro time mth e whe joinee nh e Societdth 182n y i Lainr 4M g s mosit f to bee d active ha non e members nearlr fo whole d yth an , e period of his connection with the Society—extending over fifty-four years—he took a leading part in the management of its affairs, first as Treasurer for sixteen years during the most critical period of its existence, subsequently Editor e oe f ath "s son it Proceedings,f so Vice-Presidents "a Foreigs a d an ,n Secretary, and in each of these departments contributed largely to its prosperity and usefulness. From first to last he was a constant contri- butor of papers at the meetings;. and the number, variety, and importance of these contributions are altogether unparalleled in the history of the Society. His readiness to communicate freely from his unexampled stores of information was felt to be an invaluable aid to historical research; whil s geniahi e l presence d counsean , connection i l n wite hth Society' l timeal s t affaira s s highlwa s y e Societprizedth d deepls yan i , y sensible tha loso n ts whics sustaineha t hi d wil e longeb l r felr moro t e deeply regretted than that of its oldest and most respected member, David Laina ANNIVERSARY MEETING. 5 It is perhaps without a parallel in literary history that one who juss ha t died, should have bee r nbac fa s 1809referre a ko s , , to dh i a letter from Mr Hunter of Blackness to Archibald Constable, as having even then achieve da reputatio r bibliographicanfo l knowledge. Mr Laing began to publish in 1815, and in 1821 edited a valuable little volume—the works of an early Scottish poet, Alexander Scott. This was followed at intervals by other works of a kindred nature, among which were the " Select Eemains of the Early Popular Poetry of Scotland," publishe n 1822di ; "Fugitive Scottish Poetry,o tw n i " volumes, published in 1823 and 1825 (to which there was added a second serie n 1853)i s ; "Early Metrical Tales," publishea t n 1826di a d an ; later perio editiony b d f Dunbaro s , Henryson, Lyndsay Wyntound an , , the last forming part of the series of " Early Scottish Historians." In d issue182ha e dfac-simil2a h e " Bookth f Eegisted o e an e Armef o r f so r DaviSi d Lyndsay, re-issua n "o s engage f whicetimo e wa th e et h da of his death. The early literary history of his native country, together wit ecclesiasticas hit l history sinc perioe e Eeformatioeth th f do e th d nan history of Scottish art, were his special spheres of research, and in these departments he may be said to have stood almost alone. His editions of Knox's Baillie'f worko d san s letter examplee sar dees accuratd hi pf an s o e researc judicioud han d comprehensivan s e annotation peculiarlA . y in- teresting instanc inquiries hi f eScotlano n i regarn t si ar o daffordes t di n i d the facts which he brought to light as to the beautiful painting of James III. s Queenhi d ,an which mainls exertionhi y broughs yb wa s t s bacit o kt appropriate resting-plac Holyroon ei d Palace Societe Th . y will remember anniversare th n o s thawa y t ti meetin 1874gn i fiftiete ,th h afte electios rhi n as a Fellow of the Society, that we had the pleasure of receiving for the Society the fine portrait of him by Herdman, which was painted at the expense of a committee of subscribing Fellows who wished to give him some testimonia theif o lvalued ran regard d ol respec d memben dan a s a t r wisn ow h s thahi ty b thi s Societye so th wa ftestimonia t I . l tooe kth form of a painting to be presented to the Society, and by the kindness of James T. Gibson Graig, Esq. (now our eldest member) it has been 6 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , NOVEMBE , 1878R30 . engraved for the Society's " Proceedings." The Council of the Society has also obtaine e permissiodth e Eoyath f no l Scottish Academ engravo t y e the portrait by W. Fettes Douglas, which, is in the Academy's possession. r Laing'M s communication Societe th o st y for mseriea materialf so o s s valuabl themselvesn ei suggestivo s d speciae an , th f eo l direction whicn si h his researches were conducted, that it has been thought advisable to append to this notice a complete list of them, compiled from the minutes of the Society's meetings :—- List of Communications to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland ly the late DAVID LAING, LL.D. Letter recommendin e publicatiogth e Societe "th th Numismat f y o b ny a Scotise," addresse e Secretaryth o t d r HibbertD , . Read Marc, 22 h 1824. Letter addressed to Dr Hibbert, respecting Callander of Craigfortll's Manu- script Note Milto n possessiose o th n Societye i th f no . Read Marc, h27 1326 (printed in " Archteologia Scotica," vol. iii. p. 83). Reporunpublishee A th n o t d "Annotation Milton'n so s Paradise Lost," written latthe e Johby n Callander, Esq Craigforthof . the , presenteto him dby Societ Augusn yi t 1781. Tlead April 10,1826 (printe "dn i Archaaologia Scotica," vol. iii . 84)p . Deliverie fro Spanise mth h Armada, 1588. Printe t Edinburgda heire th sy hb of Andro Hart, 1628. Read Jan. 15, 1827. The first part of an Inquiry into the Origin and Progress of Dramatick Exhibi- tion Scotlandn sr i Davi M y dB Laing. , Secretar e Bannatynth o t y e Club. Read Apri , 18279 l . BrieA f Accoun e Hawthorndeth f o t n e possessioMSSth e Societyn i . th f no . Read Jan. 14, 1828 (printed in " Archfeologia Scotica," vol. iv. p. 5V). An Accoun Visie a Companth f f o to t f Englisyo h Comedian e Courth f o st o t yeae th rJame n i 1599 .