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We announced our intention to hear a special performance, and the arrangements were extremely well managed for giving effect to our entrance. Just at the instant that the mind was rivetted by the first glance of the lofty columns, and the vast expanse of the church, rendered more lofty and vast in appearance by the obscurity of the dusk, and the glimmer of a few tapers, a strong, but a most harmonious chord from the magnificent instrument rolled upon our ears, and, as we gradually stepped forward, the air was filled with the sublime strains of Handel's

Hallelujah Chorus. The sensations of the moment are not to be described; for the full grandeur of the sound-the otherwise breathless stillness of the scenethe mellowed tints of the declining twilight -and, perhaps, the more ready disposition to nervous excitement, from the agitation and fatigues of previous travelling, almost overpowered me; and one of my companions afterwards described himself to have been so peculiarly affected, that, to use a common expression, he did not know whether he was "standing on his head or his heels." A storm and a battle-piece seem always to be given in these exhibitions; the former was the composition of the organist himself, and may be supposed, therefore, well suited for displaying the peculiarities of the instrument. I have already mentioned its superiority in power over the Rotterdam organ, which, noble as it is, might be denominated in comparison, by the phrase of the Scotch covenanter, a mere "kest fu' o' whistles." We had been surprised at Rotterdam by the fine imitation of distant thunder. At Haarlem the imitation of thunder at a distance was equally natural; but we felt the storm gradually coming nearer and nearer, until the rattling peals literally shook the place around us, and were truly awful. Even this, we understood, did not acquaint us with the full power of the instrument, which is said to be never exerted to the utmost, for fear of shattering the roof or walls of the church. The battle also presented opportunities for splendid varieties of sound,-depicting to the ear all the " pride, pomp, and circumstance, of glorious war," from the "shrill sound of the ear-piercing fife," to the din of those "mortal engines, whose rude throats the immortal Jove's dread thunders counterfeit." Neither are softer strains wanting; for the immense combination of pipes and stops admits of the

pathetic and gentle, as expressively as the grand and lofty. The vor humana is peculiarly fine, at times suggesting the idea of a heavenly choir of angels hymning their anthems in unison with terrestrial music. "Luther's hymn," and various other pieces, were likewise performed, and it was considerably above an hour before there seemed any intention of giving over; nor could I have wished it a moment shorter. During our stay we sat, or walked about, to try the effect in different parts; sometimes going into the pews, which extend through about one half of the church, raised a few steps from the floor, and at others penetrating into remote corners, or pacing about the roomy aisles, "in meditation rapt."

Afterwards, we were invited to examine the mechanism of the instrument, and found the organist wiping the drops from his brow after his exertions; for it required great bodily strength, both of the hands and feet, to make such a powerful organ "discourse most eloquent music, from its lowest note to the top of its compass."I observed a motto painted above the keys, Non nisi motu cano, "I do not sing without a motive," allusive, no doubt, to the preparation necessary for the performance; but I thought this might have been translated, with reference to our twenty shillings, "I do not sing for nothing!"

MUSICAL WAGER.

[For the Year Book.]

W. G.*

We never were a musical nation, yet in days gone by, when the late king, George III., was wont to be present at the ancient concerts, and in the time of Harrison, Bartleman, and the Knyvetts, a real lover of music was gratified by the dulcet strains from Handel, Mozart, Hayon, &c., performed with a soulstirring eloquence. But now, alas, all idea of pathos, or harmony, seems absolved in one grand leading desirewhich appears to have taken possession of every performer, from Mori and his violin, down to the boarding school miss who has just commenced her first "Piano Divertimento," the alpha and omega upon their respective instruments-a de

*The card of the Golden Lion at Haarlem was likewise obligingly communicated by W. G. for the engraving.

sire to astound by the rapidity of their execution. This disease has not confined itself to instrumental, for, unfortunately, our vocal performers are bitten with the self same mania.

Some two or three seasons back, when "Figaro" was adapted to the English stage, it created a sort of rivalry between the different bands, especially in the performance of the overture. I heard the palm adjudged to the band of the Opera House, not from the superior skill or expression with which they executed it, but that they could get through it in several seconds less than either of the other bands. Shade of Mozart! to appreciate the performance of thy divine compositions as they would appreciate the value of a race horse-by speed!

It is to be hoped that a new musical era will shortly commence in this country, and that the "votaries of Apollo" will in future study music for the sake of the "heavenly maid." As rapidity of execution may be considered to have reached its climax, assuredly no new candidate for fame will think of attempting to outvie the feat that was performed just three

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Cairnes, Esq., by Margaret, daughter of Sir John Clerk, of Pennycuick, bart. He was born October 24, 1681, and placed under Sir John Medina. From London he travelled to Rome, Constantinople, and Smyrna, whence he returned to London, and afterwards to Scotland, under the patronage of General John Duke of Argyle, and other noblemen of that kingdom. Having remained there two or three years, he again visited London, where he was greatly esteemed. His father was an advocate, who intended him for the profession of the law; but he quitted it for his favorite art, to which he united the sister arts of poetry and music; and became, with ardour, the muses' friend. Aikman brought Allan Ramsay into notice in Edinburgh, and James Thomson in London; introducing the latter not only to the first wits in England, but to Sir Robert Walpole. There was also a particular friendship between Aikman and Somerville. His health declining, he was advised to return to Scotland; but died in Leicester Fields, when only forty-nine. His only son, John, died on the 14th of January preceding. Their remains were taken to the Grey Friars' cemetery in Edinburgh, and buried in the same grave; Mallet wrote upon them this

EPITAPH.

Dear to the good and wise, disprais'd by none,
Here sleep in peace, the father and the son;
By virtue, as by nature, close allied,
The painter's genius, but without the pride :
Worth unambitious, wit afraid to shiue;
Honor's clear light, and friendship's warmth
divine.

The son, fair rising, knew too short a date;
But Oh! how more severe the parent's fate!
He saw him torn untimely from his side,
Felt all a father's anguish-wept and died.
Allan Ramsay testified his grateful recol-
lection of his friend Aikman by affectionate
verses to his memory."

VANDYCK'S METHOD OF PAINTING.

Jabac, an eminent French connoisseur, was so intimate with Vandyck that he painted Jabac's portrait three times con amore, and confidentially communicated to him his method of painting. Jabac was observing to him how little time he bestowed on his portraits; Vandyck answered that, at first, he worked hard, and

Noble.

took a great deal of pains to acquire a reputation, and with a swift hand, against the time that he should work "for his kitchen." Vandyck's general habit was this--he appointed the day and hour for the person's sitting, and worked not above an hour upon any portrait, either in rubbing in, or finishing: so that as soon as his clock informed him that his hour was past, he rose up and made a bow to the sitter, to signify that he had finished; and then appointed another hour, on some other day; whereupon his servant appeared with a fresh pallet and pencils, whilst he was receiving another sitter, whose hour had been appointed. By this method, he commanded expedition. After having lightly dead-colored the face, be put the sitter into some attitude which he had before contrived; and on grey paper, with white and black crayons, he sketched the attitude and drapery, which he designed in a grand manner and exquisite taste. After this, he gave the drawing to the skilful people he had about him, to paint after the sitter's own clothes, which, at Vandyck's request, were sent to him for that purpose. When his assistants had copied these draperies, he went over that part of the picture again, and thus by a shortened process, he displayed all that art and truth which we at this day admire in them. He kept persons in his house of both sexes, from whom he painted the hands, and he cultivated a friendship with the ladies who had the most beautiful, to allow him to copy them. He was thus enabled to delineate them, with a surprising delicacy and admirable coloring. He very frequently used a brown color, composed of prepared peach stones, as a glazing for the hair, &c. He had not remitted his practice of painting, till a few days before his death."

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June 8.

RIDING OF LANARK MARCHES. This ceremony is of very ancient date, and must be performed annually on the day following the last Wednesday of May, old style; consequently it takes place early in June.

The morning is ushered in by boys assembling in crowds, and patrolling the streets. Their first care is to procure the clerk and treasurer of the burgh, whose presence cannot be dispensed with. These being got, the procession moves off to the sound of drum and fife. At one of the marches, where the Mouse separates the burgh lands from those of Lockhart of Lee, a pit stone is pointed out, standing in the middle of a gentle pool. This is the ducking hole. Such as, for the first time, have enrolled themselves under the banners of the procession, must wade in, and grope for the stone, during which act they are tumbled over and ducked, to the no small satisfaction of the spectators. There is no distinction of rank-were the greatest potentate to appear, he would share the fate of the most humble plebeian. As soon as the novices are immersed, the whole then move off to the woods of Jerviswood and Cleghorn, and cut downnot small twigs, but stately boughs of birch, with which they return, and march through the principal streets in regular procession, to the sound of music. The proprietors of these lands have at different times attempted to prevent the destroying of their trees, but in vain. The number of men and boys in the procession may be estimated at 400. The effect is peculiarly grand, and has all the appearance of a moving forest.

The procession being ended, the most celebratad vocalists of the cavalcade form themselves into a circle at the cross, and sing the popular song of "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled." This part of the ceremony is of modern introduction, and owes its origin to the placing of the statue of the great Scottish hero in the east front of the church only a few years ago.

In the early part of the day, the Council and seat of Deacons assemble at the house of the cornet or standard-bearer, where they are very copiously regaled. They then proceed with the standard to the house of him who is appointed keeper for the ensuing year. It is kept by the burgesses and trades alternately. This stand

ard was taken by Admiral Lockhart Ross of the Tartar, and by him presented to the burgh. The rude hand of time has now reduced it to a rag. At noon, the town drummer, on horseback, with his spirit-stirring tantara, appears, which is the signal for congregating the equestrians who are to join the Magistrates and Town Council in riding the land-marches.

A public instrument was taken in the year 1775, upon the 9th of June, in presence of John Wilson, notary public, and witnesses, wherein the Lord Provost, Bailies, Council and Community of said burgh, did, for performance of the ancient yearly custom, and for the knowledge of the freedoms and liberties of their burgh, in riding of their marches, and bounding of their common lands, which appertain to the said burgh, pass upon foot and horse-back to the marches after specified, for the common weal of the said burgh, and to make their marches known to all neighbours adjacent thereto—"In the first place, beginning at the foot of the burn at Lockhart bridge, on the water of Mouse, and passing therefrom, north-east, to the new march stone at the hedge at the New Mains burn, at the foot of the brae, where the said burn begins to run towards the water of Mouse, from thence to the new march-stone on the hedge in the park opposite to the wood, and from thence passing southwards to the new march-stone on said hedge, about twenty five clue's distant from the former; from thence passing north east to the new marchstone, close to the inside of the dyke, on the south side of the entry to Jerviswood house, at the place where the old stone dyke, now demolished, ended, which formerly was accounted the march; and from thence to the march-stone on the north side of the King's high-street, at Leitchford; from thence to the gate at said foord, and up the water of Mouse, while unto the path that passed from the said mid-water to the meadow burn passing south, passing south up the marchdyke of the hill, and march-stone there, south-east the gate to the march-stone on the neuk of the dyke at Mouse bridge, passing south-east the gate in the mid fold, from thence passing to the Balgreen, to a march-stone on the common gate, and from that place, passing the gate and march dyke southeastward, to the east dyke to the Stack-hill, thro' the little moss to the common gate that passes to Ravenstruther, and then passing the yett of

Ravenstruther, passing down that dyke totthe river at Cobblehaugh, passing west the dyke to the new march-stone on the Hardstonlaw, and then passing west the gate to the old Pine-fold, and then passing to the east end of the Longloch, and passing west therefrom the south gate to the march-stone besouth the Rood of Cross, and from that stone even thro' the moss to Braxmoss-within which bounds, the haill common lands, mosses and muirs, appertain to the burgh of Lanark, and inhabitants thereof, and have been yearly bounded and ridden by the Provost, Bailies, Council, and Community of the said burgh, past memory of man, without stop or impediment whatever, as divers and sundry instruments taken thereon purport. Like as the present day and year, the Provost, Bailies, Council, and Community of the said burgh have ridden said marches, and caused their officers in our Sovereign Lord's name and authority, fence and arrest all fewell, fail, peats and divotes, which are casten within said bounds by an unfree or out-townsman, that none remove the same off the grounds whereon they lye, but that the same remain under sure arrestment at their instance, ay and while they be made fourthcoming as law will, whereupon and upon all and sundry the premises, the treasurer of the said burgh, in their name and upon their behalf, asked and took instruments one or more needful, in the hands of me, John Wilson, notary public subscribing. These things were done respectively and successively at every march-stone, and publicly at the mercate cross of Lanark, between the hours of six in the morning and three in the afternoon, before and in presence of-" &c.

Having finished their rounds, the whole assemble on the race ground in the moor, where a race is run for a pair of spurs. -No horse is allowed to start except it belong to a burgess, and has been previously carted. The bells are rung in the morning during the procession of the birches, and at noon, while the ceremony of riding the marches is performing. In the afternoon the Magistrates and Council dine in the County Hall, in company with a number of the Burgesses and gentlemen of the neighbourhood, and the whole day is one of high festivity. The corporations hold their annual meetings, and no public business of any kind is done. No weather, however tempestuous, can hinder the observance of the ceremony

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After the riding of the Lanark Marches yesterday, this day may be dedicated to an acquaintance with a few distinguished Scottish personages—

OLD LORDS OF SESSION.

In the very interesting "Traditions of Edinburgh by Mr. Chambers," which largely assist the historian, and illustrate the manners of by-gone days, there are very curious anecdotes of remarkable persons and incidents.

Lord Covington (Alexander Lockhart, esq.), was appointed to the bench in 1774 and died in 1782. He was one of the ablest lawyers of his time. Mr. Lockhart and Mr. Fergusson (afterwards Lord Pitfour) had always been rivals, in their profession at the bar, and were usually pitted against each other as advocates in important cases. In only one thing did they ever agree, and that was the Jacobitism which affected them in common. After the Rebellion of 1745 was finally suppressed, many violently unjust, as well as bloody measures, were resorted to, at Carlisle, in the disposal of the prisoners, about seventy of whom came to a barbarous death.

Messrs Lockhart and Fergusson, indignant at the treatment of the poor High landers, resolved upon a course by which they were able to save many lives. They set out for Carlisle, and, offering their services, were gladly accepted as counsel by the unfortunate persons whose trials were yet to happen. These gentlemen arranged with each other that Lockhart should examine evidence, while Fergusson

From an Edinburgh Newspaper, 1827.

pleaded and addressed the Jury;-Each exerted his abilities in his respective duties with the greatest solicitude, but with very little effect. The jurors of Carlisle had been so frightened by the Highland army, that they thought every thing in the shape or hue of tartan a certain proof of guilt. They discriminated so little between one alleged criminal and another, that the victims of a sinking cause might have been just as fairly and much more conveniently tried by wholesale, or in companies. At length one of the Scottish Advocates devised an expedient which had a better effect than all the eloquence he had expended. He directed his man-servant to dress himself in some tartan habiliments, to skulk about for a short time in the neighhourhood of the town, and then permit himself to be taken. The man did so, and was soon brought into court, and accused of the crime of high-treason, and would have been condemned to death, had not his master stood up, claimed him as his servant, and proved, beyond dispute, that the supposed criminal had been in immediate attendance upon him during the whole time of the Rebellion. This staggered the jury, and, with a little amplification from the young Advocate, served to make them more cautious afterwards in the delivery of their important fiat.-Lockhart (Lord Covington) was held in such estimation as an advocate, that the late Lord Newton, when at the bar, wore Lockhart's gown till it was in tatters, and at last had a new one made, with a fragment of the neck of the original sewed into it, whereby he could still make it his boast that he wore 66 Covington's Gown."

Lord Pitfour, who died in 1777, owed his elevation to the bench in 1764 to the late Earl Mansfield, whose official duty it was to inform his majesty of the vacancy, and who had influence in supplying it. The news of the vacancy reached Lord Mansfield, while attending a levee at St. James's, and, instantly bethinking himself of his friend Fergusson, he spoke in his favor to the king, and in addition to his own recommendation brought forward the Duke of Argyll, whom, strange to say, he caused to testify to the loyalty of the Jacobite barrister, by putting the question to him in so direct and confident a manner that his grace, out of polite

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