Report of the Meetings for 1893. 249 



Ashiestiel grounds were entered through a short avenue, not 

 of verj' old trees, and the drive is over a series of curves through 

 a pretty piece of 'park.' Here the visitors were received and 

 welcomed by Mr Alexander Eutherfoid and Mrs Rutherford, 

 Galashiels, at present with their family occupying the building. 

 Mr Eutherford led the way to the rooms in the building asso- 

 ciated with Sir Walter Scott, the first a small library room in 

 which, according to common allegation, Scott wrote Marmion, and 

 the opening chapters of Waverley. He stated, however, that the 

 opinion of Miss Russell, proprietrix of the mansion and the 

 estate, was that this writing was done in anotlier room, which in 

 Scott's time was dining room and parlour. In the room first 

 entered the company were shown a leather-covered chair with 

 mournful associations. It was a gift from Sir Walter to a lady 

 relative at Ashiestiel, an invalid ; and when Scott, long after, 

 returned from his ineffectual search for health on the sunny 

 Mediterranean, the chair was taken to Abbotsford and was his 

 favourite resting place until the end came. It was subsequently 

 returned to Ashiestiel, and was a most highly valued possession 

 of Miss Russell. 



Several pictures in the room, chiefly family portraits, were 

 described by Mr Rutherford. Scott's dining room was then 

 entered, and many pictures on the walls described. Since Scott's 

 time a large wing has been added to the building, and in the 

 dining room there the company were invited to accept the 

 hospitality of Mr and Mrs Rutherford. Some more family 

 portraits were here shown — one of them being that of Professor 

 Dr Rutherford of Edinburgh, whose daughter was mother of 

 Sir Walter Scott ; another daughter being mother of the late 

 Sir James Russell of Ashiestiel, so that Sir Walter and he were 

 cousins, though the daughters of the Professor were by different 

 wives. Among the portraits is one by Sir Joshua Reynolds, one 

 b}' Raeburn, some by Sir David Wilkie, and some by Ramsay, 

 son of Allan Rauisay. Among the portraits is one of Sir R. M. 

 Keith in Highland dress, of date 1750, and proving that the 

 dress was not a modern arrangement due to the influence of the 

 writings of Sir Walter — which is sometimes alleged. It is 

 almost the same as that of one of our Highland regiments. 



Mr Rutherford showed the deed by which Sir Walter obtained 

 a lease of the house and lands of Ashiestiel, the owner, his 

 cousin, the late General Sir James Russell, being then a young 



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