an introduction and appendix by the
Rev. Caleb Brown. In addition to this information, we have been honoured
with a copy of what Mr. Elliott calls a 'cercler,' which he is desirous
we should publish as a paragraph for the benefit of our readers. From
this 'cercler' we learn that 'this interesting work contains an accurate
account of remarkable elopements, pursuits, anecdotes, etc., never before
published.' Then we are further informed that there is 'in the press,'
to be published by subscription, _The Gretna Green Register_, containing
the names of 7,744 persons married by Robert Elliott, the Gretna Green
Parson. It is added, that 'the whole is being carefully printed from the
original registers, written and kept by himself.' The Gretna Green
Parson, we suspect, has fallen into dishonest hands, or he would not have
suffered it to be said that he was about to publish registers which never
had existence. The Gretna Green Parson is pretty well known in this
neighbourhood. He married a grand daughter of old Joe Paisley, the
'original' blacksmith; and, after the death of that worthy 'parson,' he
set up an opposition shop, in the marriage line to David Laing, who had
acquired some notoriety in the business. This was in 1811, and he
continued to 'trade' until 1822, when it either fell away from him, or he
from it. His reverence subsequently condescended to act as horsekeeper,
or hostler, at one of the inns in this city, and a few months ago was
sent for to London, as a witness, in some marriage case, and is now set
up as an author! We suspect the whole thing is an attempt to gull the
public into the purchase of a book of inventions. If 7,000 were deducted
from the names of those to be inserted in the 'Register,' the number
would still exceed, by many a score, those who were actually 'married,'
as it is called, by 'Robert Elliott, the Gretna Green Parson.'"

The poor "Parson" could not stand this attack on his veracity, and wrote
a letter to the _Times_, which appeared in its issue of 23 Feb., in which
he does not deny the bulk of the paragraph taken from the _Carlisle
Journal_, but gives his figures as to his matrimonial business: he says
that in the following years; he married so many couples:

1811 58 1821 152 1831 168
1812 57 1822 178 1832 153
1813 59 1823 188 1833 100
1814 68 1824