CHAP. I.] BIRTH AND PARENTAGE. 13 



was very intelligent and ingenious, played well on the 

 organ, and composed some music, but in other respects 

 was less "accomplished" than most of her family, 

 except in domestic works, and above all in knitting, 

 which in those days was an elegant and most elabo- 

 rate pursuit. 



Her father, E. Hodshon Cay, Esq., of N. Charlton, 

 is thus spoken of in Lockhart's Life of Scott (p. 86 of 

 the abridged edition, 1871): "I find him "(Scott) 

 " further nominated in March 1796, together with Mr. 

 Robert Cay, an accomplished gentleman, afterwards 

 Judge of the Admiralty Court in Scotland, to put 

 the Faculty's cabinet of medals in proper arrangement." 

 Mr. Cay at one time held the post of Judge-Admiral 

 and Commissary-General, and while thus dignified in 

 his profession used to reside for part of the year on 

 his hereditary estate of Charlton, which had been freed 

 from certain burdens l upon his coming of age. 



He married Elizabeth Liddell, daughter of John 

 Liddell, Esq., of Tynemouth, about the year 1789. 

 The eldest son, John, has been already mentioned 

 as an early companion of John Clerk Maxwell's, 

 and both his name and those of Jane and R. D. 

 Cay will reappear in the sequel. Between Frances 

 (Mrs. Clerk Maxwell) and her sister Jane, who was 

 never married, there existed a very close affection. 

 There is a picture of them both as young girls (a 

 three-quarter length in water-colours) done by their 

 mother, who was an accomplished artist. Her gift m 



1 Incurred by his father in successfully resisting some manorial 

 claims. These debts had brought the family to Edinburgh. 



