“ Should this discovery of blossoming trees succeed, it would spoil a little of the spirit of our Angus epigram, translated from the French by a pleasant neighbour of mine. He was asked by a Kentish gentleman :

“ Why plant fruit-trees, whero, in no year,

Or apple grows, or plumb, or pear?
I'll tell you why - be it understood,
We plant for nosegays, and for wood.
My wife at church, in blossom season,
Sports a nosegay like a besom ;
An apple-tree our dinner bears ;
A cherry bears our tea;
Our plumbs, and pears, make beds and chairs,
That bear my wife and me.”

It

No. 2.

“ Skibo Castle, 12th Aug. 1809.

A rainy day. My dear Sir John, 66 At Dunnichen, I have an Album, which in imitation of Noctes Attica, I call Dies Pluviales Dunnichisences. Had I been there now, and farther from you, it should have received an extract from the Roman Encyclopedia, Pliny's Natural History, which if not already in your memory, you will not, perhaps, dislike to see. may furnish a Quotation or Motto for some recommendatory exhortation to the perseverance in agricultural pursuits. Cato, says Pliny, the first of the name, famous for his triumphs and censorships ; but still more famous for the wisdom of his precepts, particularly on agricultural subjects, tells us, he had ten culeos of wine from one jugerum (like ten bolls of wheat per acre); and Pliny adds, monstrans efficacissimis exemplis, non maria plus temerata conferre mercatori, non in Rubrum littus, Indicumve, merces petitas, quam sedulum ruris larem. That farming is a súrer road to wealth than the command of an Indiaman. It is singular, that the Hon. John Cochrane bid my brother quit his ship if he wanted 50,000l. and buy 50,000 acres of Highland mosses. This advice was given twelve years ago, long before Lord Meadowbank's or Mr. Smith of Sevenridges moss improvements were known by

your means to the public. Would to God it had been later than them, for it might perhaps have been followed.

“ I purpose making a voyage to Rosshire, to examine the miraculous apple-tree. The discovery won't be more accidental, and to us northern gardeners, who have all had the smallpox, not less interesting than Dr. Jenner's discovery of the cowpox, or Dr. Franklyn's discovery of stilling the sea by oil. A secret known to the tacksmen of St. Kilda, a century before, mentioned indeed a century before by Martin, who tells us when overtaken in his way from collecting the rents of that remote island by a storm, he (the factor) suspended fat St. Kilda puddings superstitiously from the stern of his boat into

In my younger days, while I had teeth, an old woman sent me to say certain words at à certain well, holding a key for some minutes between my teeth. The loadstone has since been accidentally discovered to be a cure for the tooth-ache. Might it not be worth while to inquire if other superstitious pranks may not have some foundation in natural causes? I hope you discover the cause of my boring you with these trifles. It is not only because hæ nugæ ad seria ducant, but also because I am very sincerely and respectfully, yours, &c. &c. &c.

" GEORGE DEMPSTER."

the sea.

LIST OF THE WORKS

Of the late George Dempster, Esq.

1. Discourse on being nominated Chairman of the Society for extending the Fisheries of Great Britain, 1789,

2. An Account of the Magnetic Mountains of Cannay, an island twelve miles in circumference, which possesses many columnar appearances, similar to those of Staffa.

3. Several Papers in the Transactions of the R. S. of Edinburgh.

4. Several Letters in the Agricultural Magazine. 5. Some printed Speeches delivered in Parliament.

LATE M.P. FOR CHRIST-CHURCH, IN THE COUNTY OF HANTS, CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENT, TREASURER OF THE NAVY, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE, KEEPER OF THE RECORDS IN THE EXCHEQUER, DEPUTY WARDEN AND KEEPER OF THE NEW FOREST, ONE OF THE ELDER BRETHREN OF THE TRINITY HOUSE, AND A MEMBER OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL, &c. &c.

[With an Account of his Works.]

The life of this active and diligent statesman, at once elucidates and exemplifies the position, that England affords a fairer field for intellect and industry than any other country in Europe. The late Revolution in France presented many opportunities indeed, for both the display and triumph of military talents ; but there were few instances of mere Civilians attaining eminence, and fewer still of any permanent security for wealth and honours. Fouche, Duke of Otranto, was indeed a provincial schoolmaster, anterior to the late commotions in his native country; while Roland, before he

became a minister, lived during many years in a station almost equally obscure; but the one took refuge from proscription in death, and the other now lives in exile, and perhaps in insecurity. On the contrary, the subject of the present memoir rose by slow but certain gradations; he acquired both fortune and honours, without incurring any danger ; he resided among us during a long life in security; he, at length, died in affluence, and calmly transmitted his wealth, as well as a portion of his political influence, to his children.

George Rose was a native of Scotland, having been born at Brechin *, a royal borough in Angusshire, on June 11th, 1744.

His father, the Rev. David Rose, of Lethnot in the shire of Forfar, was breda clergyman; but he was not of the established religion, being a member of the Church of England, and consequently, accounted a Dissenter. In addition to this, he was one of those Episcopalian ministers, who were looked on with an evil eye, under the name of Nonjurors, because they would not swear allegiance to the Brunswick race, deeming the expatriated House of Stuart, the only true and legitimate sovereigns of this country! We are now astonished at such narrow notions of government, and a liberal and enlightened posterity will scarcely believe that they ever existed.t

His mother, who bore the same maiden name, and who might perhaps, also, have been of the same family as her husband, was the daughter of Donald Rose, of Waterclunie. If she possessed but little fortune, she could however boast of “ gentle blood,” for she claimed her descent from the Roses of Kilravrock or Kilraak, an ancient family in the county of Nairn, that furnished a prolific stock of petty barons during the feudal times, when all who were not either slaves or dependents, appear to have been chiefs.

As a nonjuring minister in the north of Scotland, it cannot be supposed that the elder Mr. Rose could possibly enjoy much affluence. On the contrary, his income was so extremely

This obscure town is about eight Scotch miles from Montrose. + On the

Charles Stuart, the last direct male heir of that line, the Nonjurors immediately swore allegiance to his present Majesty George III., and have been since treated with great consideration and kindness.

slender, that recourse was had to a different mode of life, for the maintenance of his family; and soon after the birth of his son, it was deemed prudent to remove him under the protection of a near relation settled in England. Accordingly, at a very tender age *, and before he could possibly receive any education in his native country, George was sent hither, and placed under the auspices of an uncle who kept an academy in the immediate vicinity of Hampstead. Here he obtained but a very slender education, for the first rules of arithmetic, and a slight knowledge of the Latin language, were all the prefatory studies the boy ever engaged in; but he never forgot what he had once learned ; and possessed ample resources in his own mind. The chief object was to be placed as soon as possible in some situation by which he could earn his bread, and George accordingly, appeared destined to compound the drugs, feel the pulses, and administer prescriptions, to the inhabitants of the neighbouring hamlets. But these professional avoeations were not found congenial to the young man's inclinations ; and there is reason to suppose, that the indentures were cancelled by mutual consent : as his master, who resided at Hampstead, was not anxious to retain an unwilling apprentice.t

Meanwhile, a great change had taken place in the situation of his father. The late Earl of Marchmont, a nobleman of considerable talents and influence in the south of Scotland, had been originally educated in what were then called Tory principles; and feeling for a man who appeared to have been beggared, and almost proscribed, on account of his sturdy adherence to the political faith which they both professed in early life, conceived a great attachment to him. Accordingly, the elder Mr. Rose soon after became the Mentor of Lord Polworth 1, and from that moment, the protection of this powerful fansily was extended to his son.

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