TRANSACTIONS. 191 
Jardine of Applegarth, first president of the Dumfries and Galloway 
Natural History and Antiquarian Society, and of the late Dr 
Gilchrist, a more recent occupant of the office. There is also a 
portrait of the late Mr Starke of Troqueer Holm, the immediate 
successor of Sir William. The commanding figure in the local 
world of letters as here represented is of course that of Burns. Of 
the poet himself there are nearly a dozen engravings. Two of 
these (the property of Mr Maxwell, bookseller, and of Mr Gibson 
Starke of Troqueer Holm) bear inscriptions in the handwriting of 
the poet’s sons. Grouped around the central figure are portraits of 
members of his family and literary friends ; among the latter being 
Dr Currie, his first biographer ; the Rev. Dr Blacklock, a native of 
Annan, and the blind poet-minister of Kirkcudbright ; Mr Syme 
of Ryedale; the Earl of Glencairn; and an engraving of Mr 
Martin Hardie’s striking portrait group, “Burns in Edinburgh.” 
A photograph is also shewn of Miss M‘Murdo, “ Phillis the Fair ” 
of his song. In “ the poet’s corner” we find further three portraits 
of Allan Cunningham, one of them being a sketch which was 
in the collection of the late Sir James Gibson Craig ; Henry Scott 
Riddell, a native of Ewesdale, and author of “Scotland Yet ;” 
Thomas Aird, the friend of Ayton; and James Hogg, who was 
successively a shepherd and a farmer in Dumfriesshire before 
settling at Altrive. General Sir Robert Laurie, who represented 
Dumfriesshire in Parliament from 1774 until his death in 1804, 
and one of the three who took part in “the Whistle ” contest at 
Friars’ Carse, is also entitled to be ranked among the friends of 
Burns. Near his portrait is that of a descendant of his successful 
rival on that occasion, Mr Cutlar Fergusson of Craigdarroch, M.P. 
for the Stewartry, and a member of Earl Grey’s Reform Ministry. 
The Senate has other representatives in the persons of the late Mr 
J. J. Hope-Johnstone, M.P. for Dumfriesshire ; Mr Ewart, M.P. 
for the Dumfries Burghs ; and Mr R. Milligan, brother of the late 
Mr Milligan of Westpark, who sat for Bradford in the Parliaments 
of 1847 and 1852. In Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, 
Sheriff of Dumfriesshire, and Mr Andrew Crosbie, advocate, son of 
a Provost of Dumfries, and the “Pleydell” of Scott’s “Guy 
Mannering,” we have additional pillars of the law. Divinity is 
strongly represented. Perhaps the most attractive portrait in this 
series is a remarkably fine engraving of Edward Irving. There is 
a complete set of the ministers of the New Church of Dumfries, 
several of them gentlemen of distinction; and among others we 
