NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. ^3 



we have a right to look for in all civilized countries in which virtue has 

 its chief foundation in humanity. 



The title which Horace gave to his satires and epistles, sufficiently 

 denotes their character. He called them ser??iones,— discourses, conver- 

 sations, reflections made amongst friends, on the lives and characters of 

 men. Assuredly then I may follow so bright an example, and having 

 mentioned the name of Baird, may be allowed to enter a little into the 

 history of a family of which Scotland may well be proud, and of a name 

 long known in the sporting world as contributing to its honour and its 

 fame. 



In (he first place, I had heard and read of one distinguished member 

 of this family when I was a boy; of his deeds of glory in our Indian 

 wars ; of his numerous wounds ; of his captivity and his chains ; I 

 need scarcely observe that I allude to the Right Honourable General 

 Baird, second son of the late Sir John Baird, Bart., of Newbyth, near Had- 

 dington, uncle to the present Sir David, and from whom he (Sir David) 

 inherited his title and estates. But more to my purpose is the notice of those 

 who have signalized themselves in the hunting field, or on the race course, 

 and I have reason to believe that our good king's dominions never produced a 

 keener sportsman than the late Mr. Baird — the father to Sir David — • 

 who hunted East Lothian and Berwickshire for so many years of his life, 

 and was so great a supporter of the Scottish turf. And here I cannot 

 do better than quote the words of one of his friends in a short memoir 

 of his sporting life. " Possessed of an ample fortune," says he, " and 

 with a mind enthusiastically devoted to the sports of the field, Mr. Baird 

 may be truly said to have passed his days in one unceasing round of 

 manly and pleasureable pursuits. His fox-hounds and his race- horses — 



