The husband long outlived his sainted partner, his death occurring 30th December 1832, at the age of 84. A second wife, Frances Morley; John, issue of the first marriage, died 9th August 1840, aged 61; and two children of the latter-John, died at 22, and Margaret at 40-are also named upon the monument. More than ordinary interest attaches to this memorial stone, from the circumstance that Mr. Robert Thorburn, the great miniature painter, is a son of John Thorburn. While the future artist was attending the Dumfries Academy, Mr. John Craik, master of the writing department, noticed and fostered his dawning genius, and at his instance he went to London, where he rose to the highest professional eminence, excelling especially as a miniature painter. In 1845, while yet comparatively young, he executed by commission a portrait of the late Prince Consort, and among his productions in the two following years were portraits of Queen Victoria, the Princess Charlotte of Belgium, and the Duke of Brabant. The Men of the Times, in a subsequent notice of the distinguished Dumfries artist, says: "He has continued to advance in reputation, and his groups of the Hon. Mrs. Norton's family, of the Marchioness of Waterford, Viscountess Canning, and of the Duchess of Buccleuch, Ladies Scott and Balfour, elicited special admiration."

Many years before the Union of the Crowns in 1603, the Dyers were numerous enough in Dumfries to constitute a guild of their own; but before the end of the seventeenth century they seem to have been amalgamated with the Tailors' Incorporation. These ancient litsters (as they were termed), the trade progenitors of the Armstrongs and the Shortridges of our own day, did not as a rule deal in fancy colours. With them "true blue" was the prevailing tint, and home-grown wool its chief recipient in the shape of yarns for the spinning wheel or substantial cloth woven by hand-loom weavers-the humble prelude of the tweed fabrics for which our Burgh has come to be so famous. The Rebecca Grierson whose name appears on the stone just noticed was the daughter of a wabster guid," who lived at a period when

this primitive woollen trade was still flourishing, and who may have turned out "blue bonnets " innumerable, and must have litstered lots of hoddan-grey for the better-class burgesses of the district. Fast and true he must have been in his social relationships not less than in the colours of his trade, if the following inscription on his humble monument be not over-coloured :

"Here lie interred the remains of John Grierson, dyer, Dumfries, who departed this life on the 27th January, 1797, in the 86th year of his age. Esteemed by all who knew him as a kind husband and tender parent, a sincere friend, and honest man."

Married first to Rebecca Fergusson, who departed this life March 22d, 1755, aged 42, 66 a humble Christian, a sincere friend, an affectionate wife, and a tender-hearted mother;" he afterwards wedded Susanah Cairns, who survived him ten years, and of whom her children are represented as saying—

66

Reader, she feels her loss no more: her dust is commingled with his. She waits, like him, the rewards of eternity-a mother whom they who now attest her virtues can only remember with reverence and regret."

Under an altar-stone further east lies a younger craftsman, with whom the veteran litster would, it may be, have much business intercourse-John Paton, Deacon of the Weavers, died 21st May 1765, aged 38, and Mary Newall, his spouse; the stone commemorating also their son John, killed at the defence of Gibraltar, when that strong fortress was besieged by the Spaniards in September 1782, the gallant soldier falling lifeless at the age of 28. The name of Newall, as borne by relatives probably, is repeated on adjoining headstones, one of which is devoted to a second " son of Mars," James Newall, sergeant of the Royal Artillery, who served under Colonel de Peyster during the whole American war, “left the lines and tented fields" after an experience of forty years, and, dying 18th March 1825, aged 79, found peace in the grave at last.

His spouse, Jean Hill, lies sleeping by his side. On another stone we read of a second Sergeant Newall (Christian name John), who belonged to the Dumfriesshire Militia, died 9th

March 1813, aged 36; of his wife, Henrietta Blacklock; and their offspring, John died at 39, Janet died at 49.

For the sake of connection, we here notice a table tombstone which rises further west in memory of a third soldier, Corporal William Nicholson, of the 26th or Cameronian Regiment. It does not record his gallant actions; but we know that he fought in the Peninsula under General Sir John Moore, was taken prisoner during the memorable retreat from Corunna, was confined in France till 1814, and that he died in Dumfries, 1st May 1857, aged 72. Corporal Nicholson received a medal in recognition of his services, dated 1793-1814, which is now in the possession of his daughter, Miss Nicholson, St. Michael Street. His wife, Janet Graham; James, their son, who died at 27; and Janet Nicholson, spouse of Daniel Inglis, died 6th December 1801, aged 72, are also specified in the inscription.

By tables or headstones in this section the following other craftsmen, with their relatives, are borne in remembrance : Samuel Clark, mason, died 8th January 1853, aged 56, his children-John, also a mason, died at 37, Jane at 22, Marion at 37, "after a long and severe affliction borne with Christian patience and resignation;" John Thomson, joiner, died 2d December 1867, aged 88, with Margaret Martin, his spouse, their children-four who died young, James at 21, John at 22, William at 24; William Crosbie, joiner, died 18th January 1799, aged 85, with Jane Gillespie, his wife; John Beck, tailor, died 25th September 1832, aged 61, Elizabeth Johnston, his spouse, Mary, their daughter, died at 27, Mary, daughter of Joseph Beck, died at 14, an infant son, and John, "a youth of great promise," aged 19; James Haining, tailor, died 16th April 1839, aged 57; Edward Duncan died January 27th 1734, aged 64, with Isobel M'Kenrick, his spouse, and David, youngest son of James Haining, merchant tailor; two youthful children of Samuel Wilson, tailor, Ann Wilson, died 11th October 1847, aged 62, her sister Margaret, died 27th April 1854, aged 78 (probably both sisters of the said Samuel Wilson); Robert M'Caskie, who long plied his vocation as hairdresser in the

Vennel, died 4th December 1837, aged 73, with Isabella Copland, his spouse.

An altar-stone tells the place where lie William Smith, innkeeper, died 30th June 1822, aged 49, Marion Pringle, his spouse, and three of their youthful progeny; and a humbler memento appears of another "publican," Andrew Scott, died 30th January 1818, aged 50. Commemorated by table-stones lie John Allan, died 30th April 1751, aged 25, Margaret Crosbie, his spouse, Janet, their daughter, wife of William Fergusson, died 1st January 1799, aged 68; William Bellinger, died 10th August 1799, aged 49, with his wife, Helen Smith, and their son John, who died at 25; James Rowlandson, farrier, died 1st June 1785, aged 42, with Rose Sandys, his spouse, Agnes, their daughter, who died at 60, Sarah, another daughter, wife of William Robertson, died at 56, and three other children, who died young; George Johnston died 1st April 1809, aged 73, Elizabeth Rowlandson, his wife, and an infant granddaughter; Peter Galen, an Ulster man, born in its flourishing capital, Belfast, died 21st July 1815, aged 41; William Welshe of Scar died 28th March 1780, aged 43, Mary Newall, his wife, with a youthful son, William Newall of Barskeoch (her brother probably), died 18th February 1809, aged 72; and William Johnston, who, after a successful mercantile career in Demerara, spent his closing years at Netherwood Bank, dying 11th November 1840, aged 75.

On headstones not previously noticed we read of Annie Nichol, wife of James Ross, died 26th March 1865, aged 23; of Jean Sturgeon, who had reached the advanced age of 84, when she died 9th March 1842; of Edward Duncan, died 27th January 1754, aged 64, with Isobel M'Kenrick, his spouse; of James Somerville, master of the schooner "Alexander," died 12th February 1858, aged 69; of James Dinwiddie, died 15th July 1792, aged 57, with Rachel Nicholson, his spouse, and David (their son, we believe), died 1st February 1831, aged 87; and on a diminutive slab the names of nine youthful members of one family circle, that of William Lookup, remorselessly broken in upon by "the destroying angel."

CHAPTER XVII.

SECOND INTERIOR SECTION-CONTINUED.

EVERAL sons of Esculapius, who practised the healing art in Dumfries about the middle of the last century—

Dr. James Hay, Dr. George Archibald, Dr. Ebenezer Gilchrist, Dr. James Morrison, Dr. Robert Mitchell, Dr. John Gordon, Dr. John Fergusson, and others-lie with their patients in the Churchyard, subject to the same irrevocable doom. The last named of these medical gentlemen, who died 6th July 1774 (age not stated), sleeps obscurely beneath an adjoining thrugh, the lettering on which has been cut by some incompetent or careless hand. He is specified as "a curgeon," and as "a worthy honest man, without show or ostentation ;" as "diligent and cautiaus in his profession." Then an idea about his devoted attention to humble folks vainly struggles to find fit expression in the following style: “A good friend too and niur unheard by the poor;" after which it is stated that he "lived much esteemed and died greatly regreted." "Mrs. Doctor Ferguson," died 9th January 1800, aged about 60, and their son John, died 7th July 1814, aged 36, are also commemorated by the monument, the inscription stating that "He was justly lamented by his relatives and by all who knew him, his exemplary life was well worthy of imitation."

Another professional gentleman, contemporary with some of the foregoing-Robert Boyd, "Writter" in Dumfries— lies below a thrugh-stone of a less humble grade. He died 5th August 1727, aged 44. From the date of the Union till our own day the Burgh seems always to have had a plentiful proportion of lawyers in its population. Robert M'Burnie of Larglangley, Robert Edgar, Thomas Carlyle, James Gordon, James Smith, James Copland, and James Dickson were among the legal brethren of Mr. Boyd, whose names we have seen on old writs or tombstones, at a time when the inhabitants did not number more than 5000, if so many.