xxviii ORMISTOUN^S LETTERS 



The portrait in the Farmer's Magazine^ vol. v., of John 

 Cockburn is from an original which was long in the family of 

 Haldane of Gleneagles.^ The Letters amply show that he 

 inherited the most pleasing of the qualities Macky ascribes to 

 his father. Asa landlord he proved himself eminently just 

 and considerate. At a time when precarious tenure and 

 harassing feudal services kept the ' pure Commounis "" in a 

 degraded position, he was kindly and generous to a fault. 

 We find that their services in the making of roads, which 

 he might have claimed, he merely ' expected."* He grudges 

 to hurt David Wight's feelings, and so advises Bell to avoid 

 being seen again planting trees in his hedges. ' Make the hole 

 and slip in the horse chesnut at once, for if David sees yow 

 open new ground he'l think himself undone.' He is even 

 patient when some rogues among them set fire to whins (p. 63) 

 and pull up saplings, only threatening, in a Wight letter, to 

 make use of his barony court in the way of punishing them. 

 His thoughtfulness is unceasing. To Wight he says, ' To those 

 born and bred on my own estate I always think I have a 

 particular relation and a tie upon me to encourage, more than 

 strangers.' BelFs brother, John, is a gardener in London 

 (p. 51) and first of a long succession of Scots abroad in that 

 line, and has had 'brother Adam' with him as a not very 

 hopeful learner. Bell had himself been at Tottenham as a 

 learner (p. 28). Brodie had learned joinering there, and then 

 transferred his skill to Ormistoun. Alexander Wight was urged 

 (1726) to come south and get insight into the malting business 

 he was about to enter upon. ' I believe I can get you recom- 

 mendations to several places in the north, about Stockton, in 

 Yorkshire; you will find some very bad husbandry.' If he 

 come to London, he ' shall be welcome to lodging.' 



The reader will not fail to form an intimate picture of the 



^ Charles Cockburn, John's youngest brother, married the daughter of 

 Haldane of Gleneagles, and his son assumed the name of Haldane. This lady is 

 the * Mrs. Cockburn ' of the Letters. 



