taying with her on a
visit, and all three ladies were delighted with the conversation of
the poet. These three sisters were daughters of a Lord Cathcart, and
were remarkable for their beauty. The second, Mrs. Graham, has been
immortalized as the subject of one of Gainsborough's most famous
portraits. On her early death her husband, Thomas Graham of Balnagown,
never again looked on that beautiful picture, but left his home for a
soldier's life, distinguished himself greatly in the Peninsular War,
and was afterwards known as Lord Lynedoch. After his death, the
picture passed to his nearest relatives, who presented it to the
National Portrait Gallery of Scotland, of which it is now the chief
ornament. All three sisters soon passed away, having died even before
the short-lived poet. By their beauty and their agreeableness they
charmed Burns, and did much to make his visit delightful. They
themselves were not less pleased; for when the poet proposed to leave,
after two days were over, they pressed him exceedingly to stay, and
even sent a messenger to the hotel to persuade the driver of Burns's
chaise to pull off one of the horse's shoes, that his departure might
be delayed. Burns himself would willingly have listened to their
entreaties, but his travelling mate was inexorable. Likely enough
Nicol had not been made so much of as the poet, and this was enough to
rouse his irascible temper. For one day he had been persuaded to (p. 067)
stay by the offer of good trout-fishing, which he greatly relished,
but now he insisted on being off. Burns was reluctantly forced to
yield.

This rapid departure was the more unfortunate because Mr. Dundas, who
held the keys of Scottish patronage, was expected on a visit to Blair,
and had he met the poet he might have wiped out the reproach often
cast on the ministry of the day, that they failed in their duty towards
Burns. "That eminent statesman," as Lockhart says, "was, though little
addicted to literature, a warm lover of his own country, and, in
general, of whatever redounded to her honour; he was, moreover, very
especially qualified to appreciate Burns as a companion; and had such
an introduction taken place, he might not improbably have been induced
to bestow that consideration on the claims of the poet, which, in the
absence of any personal acquaintance, Burns's works ought to have
received at his hands." But during that visit Burns met, and made the
acquaintance of, another man of so