and gentle and amiable in manner, Mr Grant was greatly revered and beloved by the people of Laggan. Died suddenly on 2nd December, 1801, in the 60th year of his age-his remains being interred in the Churchyard of Laggan beside those of his mother— "venerable for the fervour of her piety, and the sanctity of her life, and beloved for the endearing qualities of a tender and affectionate heart, and a liberal and beneficent spirit."

Here are some very touching and beautiful glimpses of Mr Grant, given by his gifted and devoted wife in a letter written from the Manse of Laggan, of date 1st January, 1802, shortly after his death:

"You wish to know how I bear the sudden shock of this calamity. I bore it wonderfully, considering how much I had to lose. Still, at times, the Divine goodness supports me in a manner I scarcely dared to hope. Happily for me, anxiety for a numerous orphan family, and the wounding smiles of an infant, too dear to be neglected, and too young to know what he has lost, divide my sorrows, and do not suffer my mind to be wholly engrossed by this dreadful privation-this chasm that I shudder to look into. A daughter, of all daughters the most dutiful and affectionate, in whom her father still lives (so truly does she inherit his virtues and all the amiable peculiarities of his character) this daughter is wasting away with secret sorrow, while in smiles she hides her grief to soften mine.' I was too much a veteran in affliction, and too sensible of the arduous task devolved upon me, to sit down in unavailing sorrow, overwhelmed by an event which ought to call forth double exertion. None, indeed, was ever at greater pains to console another than I was to muster up every motive for action, every argument for patient suffering. No one could say to me, 'the loss is commoncommon be the pain;' few, very few indeed, had so much happiness to lose. To depict a character so very uncommon, so little obvious to common observers, who loved and revered without comprehending him, would be difficult for a steadier hand than mine. With a kind of mild disdain and philosophic tranquility, he kept aloof from a world, for which the delicacy of his feelings, the purity of his integrity, and the intuitive discernment with which he saw into character, in a manner disqualified him—that is, from enjoying it. For who can enjoy the world without deceiving or being deceived? But recollections crowd on me, and I wander. I say, to be all the world to this superior mind, to constitute his happiness for twenty years, now vanished like a vision; to have lived with unabated affection together even this long,

when a constitution, delicate as his mind, made it unlikely that even thus long we should support each other through the paths of life, affords cause for much gratitude. What are difficulties when shared with one whose delighted approbation gives one spirits to surmount them? Then to hear from every mouth his modest, unobtrusive merit receive its due tribute of applause; to see him still in his dear children, now doubly dear; and to know that such a mind cannot perish, cannot suffer-nay, through the infinite merits of that Redeemer, in whom he trusted, enjoys what we cannot conceive! Dear Miss Dunbar, believe me I would not give my tremulous hopes and pleasing sad retrospections for any other person's happiness. Forgive this; it is like the overflowing of the heart to an intimate friend; but your pity opens every source of anguish and of tenderness."

Removing to Edinburgh a few years after the death of her husband, whom she survived for the long period of 37 years, Mrs Grant continued to live in that city for nearly 30 years, namely, from 1810 until her death in 1838. "During this lengthened period, Mrs Grant mixed extensively in the literary and other circles of Edinburgh, where her house was the resort of many eminent characters, both of her own and foreign countries. She continued all this time to maintain an extensive correspondence with her friends in England, Scotland, and America, and her letters, as may be supposed, contained many sketches of the literary and other society of the Scottish Capital, and of the varied characters with whom she was brought into contact, as well as notices of the literature and general topics of the day."

Mrs Grant's life, for some years after she gave up writing for the public, had been in part devoted to an intellectual employment of another kind-the superintendence of the education of a succession of young persons of her own sex, who were sent to reside with her. From the year 1826, also, her means had been further increased by a pension of £100, which was granted to her by George IV., on a representation drawn up by Sir Walter Scott, and supported by Henry Mackenzie, Lord Jeffrey, and other distinguished persons among her friends in Edinburgh. In that representation they declared their belief that Mrs Grant had rendered eminent services to the cause of religion, morality, knowledge, and taste, and that her writings had " produced a strong and salutary effect upon her countrymen, who not only found recorded in them much of national history and antiquities which would otherwise have been forgotten, but found them combined with the soundest and best lessons of virtue and morality."

Of the five sons and seven daughters of Mrs Grant's marriage, four died in early life before their father; and, with the exception of John Peter, for many years a Writer to the Signet in Edinburgh, who edited her correspondence and the memoir of her life, published in 1845, all predeceased their venerated and famous mother. The following is the inscription on the tombstone erected to her memory, beside that of her husband, in the Churchyard of Laggan :

"Sacred to the Memory of Mrs Anne Grant, Widow of the Rev. James Grant, Minister of this Parish, who died in Edinburgh, 7th November, 1838, aged 83. Her writings illustrate the associations and scenes of her eventful life. Her eminent virtues adorned its relations. Her Christian faith and fortitude sustained its many severe afflictions in humble submission to the will of God. Her numerous family of twelve children, for whom she made most meritorious and successful exertions, was, by the will of a mysterious Providence, all cut off before herself, except him who now records this memorial of his love and veneration.

"Her mortal remains are interred in the burying-ground of Saint Cuthbert's Parish, Edinburgh."

12. JOHN MATHESON, A.M.
1802-1808.

Native of Ross-shire. Obtained his degree at the University and King's College, Aberdeen, in 1778. Licenced by the Presbytery of Dornoch, 29th March, 1785. Became Missionary at Badenoch and Lochaber, 19th September, 1791. Ordained by the Presbytery of Forres, 3rd April, 1792, as assistant to the Rev. Alexander Watt of Forres. On Mr Watt's death, Mr Matheson returned to his old Mission in Badenoch. Presented to Laggan by Alexander Duke of Gordon, and admitted 11th August, 1802. Died 1st December, 1808, in the 49th year of his age and 17th of his ministry.

13. DUNCAN M'INTYRE, A.M.

1809-1816.

Native of Fort-William. Graduated at Aberdeen in 1779. Licenced by the Presbytery of Abertarff, 25th November, 1783. Ordained by them as Missionary at Fort-William, 13th July, 1784. Became subsequently Missionary at Kilmuir, in Skye, then at Laggan and Glenurchy, and thereafter at Glencoe. On the nomination of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, he afterwards resumed the charge of the Mission of that Society at Fort-William. Presented to Laggan by Alexander Duke of Gordon in March, and admitted 7th September, 1809.

Kilmallie appears to have been regarded by Mr M'Intyre as a perfect paradise compared to Laggan. Having received a call to Kilmallie, the reasons for his translation submitted by himself to the Presbytery of Abertarff are so candid and amusing as to be worth quoting. Here they are:

"(1). Because your petitioner has a large young family, as yet uneducated, and because that in his present parish the proper Seminaries of Education are not nearer to him than Perth or Inverness; and because the Living of Laggan is inadequate to the expenses that unavoidably would attend their being sent to either of these places; whereas at Kilmallie education falls more within his reach and ability.

"(2). Because the climate of Laggan is so severe as in general to render the crop most unproductive, and is commonly attended of course with most serious loss; whereas the climate of Kilmallie is warm, kindly, and favourable to the rearing of crops, as well as most congenial to his own and his family's constitutions, they being natives of the Parish.

(3). Because that Laggan is at the distance of fifty miles from any market town where he can be supplied with the necessaries of life; whereas at Kilmallie he can get whatever he requires for the use of his family and for the improvement of the Glebe by sea to the very door.

"(4). Because that the Living of Kilmallie, including the Glebe, is much better than that of Laggan.

"(5). Because that the feeling of amor patriæ binds him more to Kilmallie than to any other parish.

"For the above stated reasons, and others to be stated by your petitioner viva voce at your bar,

"He humbly trusts and earnestly entreats that the Rev. Presbytery of Abertarff will be pleased to grant him an Act of Translation, and your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc., etc."

Notwithstanding the vastly superior attractions of Kilmallie, in the estimation of Mr M'Intyre, I question very much whether the present estimable Minister of Laggan would readily exchange that Parish for that of Kilmallie. Apparently, however, Mr M'Intyre's reasons proved so irresistible to his Presbytery that they agreed to his translation to Kilmallie nem. con., and he was accordingly inducted as Minister of that Parish on 26th March, 1816.

14. WILLIAM ROBERTSON, A.M.

1816-1818.

Licenced by the Presbyterv of Edinburgh, 28th July, 1810. Ordained by the Presbytery of Abertarff as Missionary at FortWilliam on 1st April, 1812. Presented to Laggan by Alexander Duke of Gordon in July, and admitted 3rd September, 1816. Was a brother of John Robertson, the famous Minister of the neighbouring Parish of Kingussie from 1810 to 1825. Appointed a Justice of the Peace for the County of Inverness in 1818. Translated to Kinloss, 19th June, same year.

15. GEORGE SHEPHERD, A.M.

1818-1825.

Native of Rathven. Graduated at Aberdeen in 1812. For some time Schoolmaster at Kingussie. Licenced by the Presbytery of Abernethy, 16th July, 1816. Ordained by the Presytery of Abertarff as Missionary at Fort William, 2nd September, 1817. Presented by Alexander Duke of Gordon, 26th September, and admitted as Minister of Laggan, 16th November, 1818. Translated to Kingussie and Insh, 11th May, 1825.

16. MACKINTOSH MACKAY, LL.D.

1825-1832.

For sometime Schoolmaster at Portree. Licenced by the Presbytery of Skye. Presented by Alexander Duke of Gordon, 27th July, and ordained as Minister of Laggan, 27th September, 1825. Was the seventh Minister presented to Laggan by Duke Alexander during the long period of seventy-five years that nobleman enjoyed the family honours, namely, from 1752 down to his death in 1827. Degree of LL.D. conferred upon Mr Mackay by the University of Glasgow in 1829. Appointed a Justice of the Peace for the County of Inverness, 13th May, 1831. Translated to Dunoon and Kilmun, 27th March, 1832. Joined the Secession of 1843. Elected Moderator of the Free General Assembly, 24th May, 1849. Sailed for Australia in 1853. Admitted as Minister of the Gaelic Also to a congregation at Sydney in 1856. Returned to Scotland in 1861. Admitted as Minister

Church of Melbourne in 1854.

of the Free Church, Tarbat, Harris, in 1862. Died 17th May, 1873, in the 80th year of his

age.

Dr Mackay was one of the foremost Gaelic scholars of his day. In connection with the excellent Gaelic Dictionary published by the Highland Society, the following note indicates the importance attached to the aid rendered by him in its preparation :—

"In its progress through the press it has been superintended and corrected by the Rev. Mackintosh Mackay, now Minister of