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Indiana University Studies 



age more substantial than gratitude. Hogg imagined that 

 this hope was utterly beyond fulfilment when the news reached 

 him of the Duchess's death in August, 1814. The good 

 woman, however, had not forgotten the poetic shepherd of 

 her husband's dukedom. Her dying request was in behalf of 

 Hogg, a request that w^as answered by the Duke's grant to 

 Hogg, rent free, of the small farm of Altrive Lake. 

 Hogg wrote on January 29, 1815:-' 



Dear Laidlaw, the weather seems so uncertain and broken that I 

 believe I must postpone my journey to Traquair, and for some time, 

 although Nicholson is out of all patience for the dog, and was per- 

 fectly in raptures when he heard that I was coming out for him. It 

 is strange that I cannot get him in. 



You have won your shilling. There was scarcely one-third of the 

 club counted above me in our play for the medal. . . . With regard 

 to the making of my new curling stones, you need not much mind until 

 we see where we are to play next year, for yesterday I was waited on 

 by Major Riddell (the Duke's factor) w^ho delivered me a letter from 

 the Duke of Buccleugh, granting me in the most kind and flattering 

 manner the farm of the Moss-end (Altrive Lake), without any rent, or 

 with what his Grace calls a nominal rent. The Major was extremely 

 polite, and said that he had never been commissioned to confirm any 

 grant that gave him more pleasure, and that he wished much to be 

 better acquainted with me. He said it was a pity it was not better 

 worth my acceptance, but that it was the only place vacant, and would 

 do for the present as a retreat. He mentioned the exchange with the 

 Craig, which was to take place, and said that whatever fell to the 

 Duke's share, w^ould of course fall to me. This I knew would be a mis- 

 take but as "a gi'en horse sudna be lookit i' the mouth" I only said 

 that with all these arrangements I w^ould take no concern. I have writ- 

 ten to his Grace to-day, shortly acknowledging the benefit conferred. 

 You must get word to my father who will be very uneasy. 



Yours truly, 



James Hogg. 



On May 7, 1815, Hogg took possession of the farm he was 

 to occupy, with the exception of one short removal to an adja- 

 cent farm, till his death. The cottage itself was in a woeful 

 state of disrepair, so open, in fact, that when visitors came, 

 ''All the plaids were hung up around the door as a screen from 

 the cold." Here he lived for some time with his aged father 

 (his mother had died at Ettrickhall in 1813) and a country 

 servant-maid whose ''rusticity must often have amused some 

 of his more fastidious friends". (Mrs. Garden.) 



Quoted by Mrs. Garden, page 81 . 



