APPENDIX OF NOTES. 54 1 



Sir James St Glair Erskine, the Eev. Dr Carlyle, Charles Stewart, 

 Esq., &c. &c., assisted lately in laying the first stone of the new 

 church, Inveresk, East Lothian, Scotland. Sir James S. Erskine, 

 as Grand Master, addressed the duke in a short but pertinent 

 speech on the occasion. He was answered by his Grace, who also 

 addressed the magistrates of Musselburgh. The meeting con- 

 cluded, as all such meetings do, with good eating and drinking in 

 the Town Hall. Dr Carlyle, the respectable clergyman now 

 mentioned, must be rapidly verging to his hundredth year. 

 Above fifty years ago the Doctor's age had exceeded forty years, 

 when he assisted as one of the dramatis personce in the first 

 rehearsal of the ' Tragedy of Douglas' at Inveresk, where the Doctor 

 has since resided as clergyman. The rehearsal now noticed was 

 memorable on account of the assemblage of certain eminent 

 literary characters who gave their cheerful aid to the establish- 

 ment of the fame of their friend Home, the ingenious author, still 

 living, we believe. Among the others who composed this meet- 

 ing as actors in the play were the following four celebrated 

 characters : David Hume the historian, "William Eobertson, Dr H. 

 Blair, and Dr Adam Ferguson." 



This paragraph was sent by Caroline, Marchioness of Queens- 

 berry, and daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch, with an inquiry as 

 to its accuracy. Dr Carlyle's answer the original of which is 

 in the possession of the Earl of Home, who has kindly permitted 

 it to be copied is as follows : 



"The paragraph in the 'Daily Advertiser' of September 25 

 may be partly true, but there are mistakes in it that tend to mis- 

 lead the publick mind in a matter of importance, and should there- 

 fore be corrected. 



*' The first rehearsal of the ' Tragedy of Douglas ' was not at 

 Inveresk, but at the lodging of Mrs Sarah Ward in the Canongate, 

 and was designed to make her fully apprehend the author's mean- 

 ing. The dramatis personce were 



" Lord Eandolph, Dr Eobertson ; Lady Eandolph, Dr Ferguson; 



" Glenalvon, David Hume ; Anna, Dr Blair \ 



" Old Norval, Dr Carlyle ; 



" Douglas, John Home. 



" The rehearsal was not completed. The audience were Patk. 

 Lord Elibank, Lord Milton, Lord Kames, Alexr. Wedderburn, 



