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The Editors of the EDINBURGH MONTHLY MAGAZINE, a Work of which the discontinuance has just been announced, beg leave to intimate, that they have now undertaken to act as Editors of the EDINBURGH MAGAZINE and LITERARY MISCELLANY. They are happy in being enabled to state, that they have received the most satisfactory assurances of support, not only from the extensive circle of Literary Friends with whose assistance they planned and so successfully carried on their former publication, but also from a number of other distinguished individuals, who have engaged to contribute their effective aid to this New Series of the earliest and most esteemed Repository of Scottish

Literature.

Edinburgh, Sept. 26, 1817.

Printed by George Ramsay & Co.

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SOME ACCOUNT OF ANDREW GEM

than the misanthropic Dwarf, or the MELS, A SCOTTISH BEGGAR, SUP- magnanimous Gypsey.

POSED TO BE THE ORIGINAL OF EDIE OCHILTREE.

MR EDITOR, A PASSION Seems at present to prevail pretty generally, for bringing forward to view the ground-work, in actual history, of those professedly fictitious narratives with which an unknown and most self-denied author has lately entertained the public. Not satisfied with the vraisemblable only, which this admirable writer has so well communicated to his fancy details, his readers have begun to look out curiously for the corresponding facts and characters which he must have set before him in their manufacture. Through the medium of the Quarterly Review, and other periodical works, the public have been already made familiar with some of the most remarkable of these Originals. In Jean Gordon and Bowed Davie, particularly, the likeness in some characteristic features to their alleged representatives, is so very obvious as scarcely to leave a doubt that the mysterious author "had an eye to them" in sketching his extraordinary pictures; and, in the south of Scotland at least, a strong persuasion prevails, that several others might still be brought forward, not less striking and worthy of notice,

Such inquiries are at all times interesting, and, if discreetly and properly conducted, may be rendered, I conceive, both amusing and instructive. Even when pushed, as they are rather apt to be, somewhat beyond probability, they seldom fail to elicit curious and valuable information; and, in the present case, they certainly afford most convincing and gratifying evidence not only of the truth and genius displayed in these National Tales, but also that their high excellence has been duly felt and appreciated by the public. With these impressions, I have thrown together a few particulars which I happen to be possessed of, respecting an individual who is supposed, by many persons who knew him, to have furnished the novellist with the idea of one of his happiest creations. Edie Ochiltree is, indeed, a much more elevated and amiable person than the eccentric wanderer I have to produce as his counterpart; but the latter (whom I cannot profess, however, to delineate at present with much nicety or distinctness) certainly possessed some of Edie's most remarkable and agreeable qualities, and, if not the sole original, at least probably suggested some of the most characteristic features of that very prepossessing and poetical badgeman."

monious, Andrew was never burdensome or indiscreet in his visits; returning only once or twice a-year, and generally after pretty regular intervals. He evidently appeared to prosper in his calling; for, though hung round with rags of every shape and hue, he commonly possessed a good horse, and used to attend the country fairs and race-courses, where he would bet and dispute with the country lairds and gentry, with the most independent and resolute pertinacity. He allowed that begging had been a good trade in his time, but used to complain sadly, in his latter days, that times were daily growing worse. My father remembers seeing Gemmels travelling about on a blood mare,

with a foal after her, and a gold watch in his pocket. On one occasion, at Rutherford in Tiviotdale, he had dropt a clue of yarn, and Mr Mather, his host, finding him rummaging for it, assisted in the search, and, having got hold of it, persisted, notwithstanding Andrew's opposition, in unrolling the yarn till he came to the kernel, which, much to his surprise and amusement, he found to consist of about twenty guineas in gold.

Andrew Gemmels was well known over all the Border districts as a wandering beggar, or gaberlunzie, for the greater part of half a century. He had been a soldier in his youth; and his entertaining stories of his campaigns and the adventures he had encountered in foreign countries, united with his shrewdness, drollery, and other agreeable qualities, rendered him a general favourite, and secured him a cordial welcome and free quarters at every shepherd's cot or farm-steading that lay in the range of his extensive wanderings. Among his other places of resort in Tiviotdale, Andrew regularly visited at my grandfather's. It was one of his Saturday-night houses," as he called them, where he always staid over the Sunday, and sometimes longer. He usually put up his horse, on his arrival, without the formality of asking quarters, and had a straw bed made up for him in the byre, claiming it rather as his acknowledged due and privilege, than as a boon of charity. He preferred sleeping in an out-house, and, if possible, in one where cattle or horses were kept. My grandfather, who was an old-fashioned farmer in a remote situation, was exceedingly fond of his company, and, though a very devout and strict Cameronian, and occasionally somewhat scandalized at Andrew's rough and irreverent style of language, was nevertheless so much attracted by his conversation, that he never failed to spend the evenings of his sojourn in listening to his entertaining narrations and "auld warld stories," with the old shepherds, hinds, and children, seated around them beside the blazing turf ingle in "the farmer's ha'." These conversations sometimes took a polemical turn, and in that case, not unfrequently ended in a violent dispute, my ancestor's hot and impatient temper blazing forth on collision with the dry and sarcastic humour of his ragged guest. Andrew was never known to yield his point on these occasions; but he usually had the address, when matters grew too serious, to give the conversation a more pleasant turn, by some droll remark or unexpected stroke of humour, which convulsed the rustic group, and the grave goodman himself, with unfailing and irresistible merriment.

Though free, however, and uncere

Many curious anecdotes of Andrew's sarcastic wit and eccentric manners are current in the Borders; and both his character and personal appearance must have been familiar to many individuals still alive, some of who

may probably be induced to communicate further information respecting him, upon their personal authority. As I am myself but a reporter,-though upon authorities which to me, at least, appear indisputable,— I shall, for the present, content myself with one or two specimens, illustrative of Andrew's resemblance to his celebrated representative. The following is given as commonly related with much good humour by the late Mr Dodds of the War-Office, the person to whom it chiefly refers. Andrew happened to be present at a fair or market somewhere in Tiviotdale, (St Boswell's, if I mistake not,) where Dodds, at that time a non-commissioned officer in his Majesty's service, happened also to be with a military party recruiting. It was some time during the American war when they were beating up eagerly for fresh men-to teach passive obedience to the obdurate and ill-man

nered Columbians; and it was then the practice for recruiting serjeants, after parading for a due space, with all the warlike pageantry of drums, trumpets, "glancing blades, and gay cockades," to declaim in heroic strains of the delights of a soldier's life-of glory, patriotism, plunder-the prospect of promotion for the bold and young, and his Majesty's munificent pension for the old and the wounded, &c. &c. Dodds, who was a man of much natural talent, and whose abilities afterwards raised him to an honourable rank and independent fortune, had made one of his most brilliant speeches on this occasion; a crowd of ardent and active rustics were standing round, gaping with admiration at the imposing mien, and kindling at the heroic eloquence of the manly soldier, whom many of them had known a few years before as a rude tailor boy;-the serjeant himself, already leading in idea a score of new recruits, had just concluded in a strain of more than usual elevation, his oration in praise of the military profession, when Gemmels, who, in tattered guise, was standing close behind him, reared aloft his meal-pocks on the end of his kent or pike-staff, and exclaimed with a tone and aspect of profound derision, "Behold the end o't!" The contrast

so. A lady who was residing there at that time, and who witnessed his latter days, has furnished me with the following particulars, which I transfer to you in her own simple and expressive words :-

"He came to Newton at that time in a very weakly condition; being, according to his own account, 105 years of age. The conduct of some of the country folks towards poor Andrew in his declining state, was not what it should have been: probably most of his old patrons had died out, and their more genteel descendants disliked to be fashed and burdened with a dying beggar; so every one handed him over to his next neighbour; and he was hurried from Selkirk to Newton in three days, a distance of sixteen miles. He was brought in a cart and laid down at Mr R's byre-door, but we never knew by whom. He was taken in, and laid as usual on his truss of straw. When we spoke of making up a bed for him, he got into a rage, and swore, (as well as he was able to speak,)" That many clever fellow had died in the field with his hair frozen to the ground-and would he submit to die in any of our beds?"He did not refuse a little whisky, however, now and then: for it was but cold, in the spring, lying in an out-house among straw. A friend who was along with me, urged him to tell what cash he had about him, as you know," said she, "it has always been reported that you have money." Andrew replied with a look of derision, "Bow, wow, wow, woman! women folk are aye fashing theirsels about what they hae nae business wi'." Another time, Andrew went to vi- He at length told us he had changed sit one of his patrons, a poor Scotch a note at Selkirk, and paid six shillaird, who had recently erected an lings for a pair of shoes which he had expensive and fantastic mansion, of on him; but not a silver coin was which he was very vain, and which found in all his duddy doublets, and but ill corresponded with his rank or many kind of odd like pouch he had: his resources. The beggar was stand-in one of them was sixpence worth ing leaning over his pike-staff, and looking very attentively at the edifice, when the laird came forth and accosted him: "Well, Andrew, you're admiring our handiworks here?"-"Atweel am I, sir."-" And what think ye o' them, Andrew ?""I just think ye hae thrawn away twa bonny estates, and built a gowk's nest."

was irresistible-the beau ideal of Serjeant Dodds, and the ragged reality of Andrew Gemmels, were sufficiently striking, and the former, with his red-coat followers, beat a retreat in some confusion, amidst the loud and universal laughter of the surrounding multitude.

Gemmels died in the year 1793, at Roxburgh-Newton, near Kel

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of halfpence, and two combs for his silver locks, which were beautiful. His set of teeth, which he had got in his 101st year, were very white. What was remarkable, notwithstanding all the rags he had flapping about him, he was particularly clean in his old healsome looking person. He at last allowed the servants to strip off his rags and lay him in a bed, which was made up for him in a cart, in the byre. After he was laid comfortably

he often prayed, and to good purpose; but if the servants did not feed him right, (for he could not lift a spoon to his mouth for several days before his death,) he would give them a passing ban. He lived nine days with us, and continued quite sensible till the hour of his decease. Mr R got him decently buried. Old Tammy Jack, with the mickle nose, got his shoes for digging his grave in Roxburgh kirk-yard. Andrew was well known through all this country and

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great part of Northumberland. suppose he was originally from the west country, but cannot speak with certainty as to that; it was, however, commonly reported that he had a nephew or some other relation in the west, who possessed a farm which Andrew had stocked for him from the profits of his begging."

Should the above notice appear worthy of preservation, Mr Editor, in your useful publication, I shall take much pleasure in communicating any farther particulars that may fall in my way relative to this remarkable beggar, or other interesting originals. I am, &c. S. E.

Sept. 22, 1817.

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and highly approved timber for the ship building carried on in his Majesty's dock-yards. G. H. B. Sept. 1817.

QUEEN ELIZABETH AND QUEEN MARY. In the notices prefixed to our last Number, we intimated that we were in possession of original letters of Queen Elizabeth and her ministers, of which we shall now present a short

specimen. The first article is a letter

1584.

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from Queen Elizabeth to Sir Ralph Sadler, prefaced by an address written by her own hand, of which we give a correct fac-simile, and which is referred to by Sadler in a letter to her Majesty, dated at Wingfield, 7th December Wingfield, a manor-house near ShefQueen Mary was carried to bury, in September of that year, and field, belonging to the Earl of Shrewsremoved to Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire in January 1585. The inventory subjoined contains the articles that were to be carried with her to from the indorsement of this paper, and it would appear, Wingfield; that the same articles were transported with her to Tutbury. In the sequel of the work referred to, there are many grievous complaints by Sadler of the wildness and poverty of the country around Wingfield, and also of the scantiness of this inventory, particularly in the article of sheets, for the new establishment at Tutbury. At the time of this removal, Queen Mary was in a bad state of health, and the roads were almost impassable, it being then the depth of winter; but every consideration seems to have been sacrificed by Elizabeth, excepting always her invincible economy, to the security of her unfortunate prisoner, who had then pined seventeen years in captivity, the victim of the confidence she had rashly reposed in the insidious professions of her rival.

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