xiv Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh . 
he kept with considerable regularity down to the last years of his 
life, hut there are no salient features of which I could take advantage 
in such a notice as this. One only I would mention, and that is the 
marvellous sweetness, kindliness, and generosity of the whole of 
these private notanda, as well as the reverential tone of his thoughts. 
Keen as he could he, and ardent in the pursuit of any principle to 
which he was attached — a man who never feared to speak his mind, 
and generelly had a very decided mind to speak — there is not a 
tinge of acerbity to be found in him ; nothing but good fellowship 
and just appreciation, even of his opponents. I have been very 
much touched by that feature in his diary. Even when politics ran 
highest, there was not a drop of personal bitterness. The subjoined 
list, with which I have been favoured, shows the extent of his public 
avocations : — 
Offices in Connection with County Business. 
A Commissioner of Supply in 1849 — for the earliest entry in the Minute- 
Books of the County of his being present at a meeting of Commissioners 
of Supply is at the meeting held in October 1850. 
Justice of the Peace, probably the same year, but no record exists of such 
appointment. 
Chairman of Committee appointed to carry out Commissioners of Supply Act, 
1857. 
Chairman of Lands Valuation Committee, 1854. 
Chairman of Standing Committee of Middle District of Turnpike Roads in 
Berwickshire, 1862, on resignation of his father, John Swinton. Con- 
tinued in this office until adoption of Roads and Bridges Act. 
First Chairman of Middle District Road Trustees under Roads and Bridges Act, 
1882. 
Chairman of Police Committee of the County in 1871. 
Deputy-Lieutenant, 1874 (Duke of Roxburghe, Lord Lieutenant). 
Chairman of Local Authority under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 
1879. 
Member of Prison Board. 
Member of Income-Tax Commissioners. 
These bodies have no stated Chairman, but, when present, Mr Swinton 
was usually appointed Chairman. 
(Mr Deas, writer, Duns, and at one time Clerk of the Peace, in sending 
list of above offices, remarks: — “He continued to attend nearly every 
meeting of all these bodies from the commencement until his retirement 
in 1883 and 1884.”) 
For many years Vice-Chairman, and afterwards Chairman, of the Parochial 
(Edrom) Board, and Chairman of the School Board of Edrom. 
For thirty-five years Representative Elder to the General Assembly from the 
