Meport of Meetings. By the President. 479 



uses to which, they were put by Adam Scott of Tushielaw, who 

 was beheaded in Edinburgh in 1530 [see "Pitcairn's Criminal 

 Trials "; " Chambers' Gazetteer of Scotland."] 



The scenery, as we drove up the valley, was that of a retired 

 hill district, hill pasturage the main feature, with wood enough 

 to give contrast. Here and there the devastating influences of 

 some of the great gales were still visible in trees lying prostrate 

 where they could be ill spared. In many of the woods and 

 plantations of the Lowlands, however, *' thinning out" has been 

 so much neglected, that the effects of a violent storm, if the fine 

 old trees escape, are rather beneficial than otherwise. 



We reached Ettrick Church at a quarter before one, inspected 

 the monuments of notable persons ; Boston ; Hogg ; Will o' 

 Phaup ; Tibbie Shiel ; etc., in the well kept churchyard ; noticed 

 that about the oldest thing to be seen was a monumental stone 

 built in to the wall of the church, inscribed 



T, ® Q MEMENTO MOEI 

 ■^ ^ 1619; 



read with interest an inscription on a tombstone recording the 

 fact that two persons named Beattie, father and son, had held 

 the post of schoolmaster for 102 years consecutively; passed 

 on to the manse to inspect some articles laid out for us ; and, 

 retracing our steps for a short distance, we reached Thirle- 

 stane Castle, whose gates we had driven past on our way to the 

 Church. Lord Napier and Ettrick, Lady Napier, and the Hon. 

 Mark Napier [well known as Arabi's counsel] kindly received 

 and hospitably entertained us to a sumptuous luncheon, at the 

 conclusion of which, the President, in suitable terms, proposed 

 the health of the noble host and hostess, and expressed the 

 warm thanks of the Club for their kindness. Lord Napier replied 

 in a genial, interesting and amusing speech. The rest of the 

 short time at our disposal was spent in viewing the garden and 

 grounds, and in a necessarily too brief examination of the many 

 objects of interest which our distinguished host had prepared 

 for our inspection, a description of which, I shall leave to Mr 

 Hardy's flowing pen. I will not, however, omit to note that 

 among them was an original sketch of the farm and grounds of 

 Abbotsford by Scott's own hand. 



Thirlestane Castle is modern. It is 870 feet above the sea, 

 and is situated close to the remains of Thirlestaue Tower, a large 



