210 Lag's Elegy and Other Chap Books. 



throat in Edinburgh.' (11). In an article on ' Epitaphs and Sepul- 

 chral Inscriptions,' contributed to the ' Scots Magazine,' W. S, 

 Irving-, the bard who committed suicide, refers to the old Hoddom 

 teacher as the author of ' Lag.' Citing a dozen satirical lines he 

 says they are by ' old Mr Irving, the author of the well-known 

 philippic upon the persecutois entitled Lag's Elegy.' (12). W. S. 

 Irving was a native of Iloddom parish, and had devoted much 

 attention to its literary associations. His testimony, highly valu- 

 able in any case, is almost conclusive if he was descended 

 from the satirist, as Kii'kpatrick Sharpe, who knev7 him personally, 

 affirms. The bit of veise quoted in the article was written by 

 Wm. Irving at the age of 75. An imposing monument of red 

 sandstone, still one of the wonders of Hoddom Churchyard, had 

 been erected : 'By James Cl'ow of Land in memory of Mary 

 Hunter, his spouse. She was Daughter of Robert Hunter, late 

 in Middleshaw, and Sister to John Hunter, in Braehead, of 

 Hoddam. She was a virtuous wife, a loving mother, and one 

 esteemed by all that knew her. And to be short to her praise 

 she was the wife that Solomon speaks of in the xxxi. chap, of the 

 Book of Prov. from the 6 verse to the end.' On reading this 

 inscription the grim old dominie drew a piece of chalk from his 

 pocket, and wrote on the pedestal of the monument as follows : — 



' She was the wife !' oh Solomon, thou fool, 

 To make a pattern o' this grubbing tool ; 

 She clothe her house in silk and scarlet fine ! 

 Say rather i' the linsey woolsey twine, 

 Her husband 'mongst the elders at the gate ! 

 Yes — known for nothing but an empty pate, 

 For guzzling down whole chapjiins o' sma' beer, 

 And selling meal and maut a groat too dear. 

 Such were the honest silly Clows — say clowns, 

 Which every roll of honest fame disowns, 

 Who erst, like Moses, brake the ten commands, 

 That is the sacred reHcts of the Lands.' (13). 



11. Memoir prefixed to "Letters from and to Charles Kirkpatrick 

 Sharpe," Vol. I., p. 18. 



12. " Scots Magazine" for May, 1816. 



1.3. The estate of Land included part of Birrens, where the great 

 Roman Camp, lately excavated by the Scottish Society of Antiquaries, is 

 situated. Numerous valuable antiques had been dug up in one of Clow's 

 fields, but he would not suffer them to be collected and sent to a museum 

 for preservation. 



