lamented to me the other day, that he had so
little book laming, although he once had had
the advantage of seeing the King’s own printing
office at Portsmouth !
Our governor, Glass, who is the original
founder and first settler of this little society,
was born in Roxburgh. In the course of
many long conversations I had with him,
seated in his chimney corner, I learned that,
in early life, he had been a gentleman’s servant
in his native town; and that he had an old
aunt settled there, an eminent snuff and tobacco
vender; but whether she claimed descent
from, or affinity with, the celebrated
lady of the same name and occupation whom
Sir Walter Scott mentions in “ The Heart of
Midlothian,” as being so great a favourite of
the then Duke of Argyle, I could not discover.
Indeed, he did not seem to know much about
his ancestors, — an uncommon thing even with
the lowest of his countrymen. Having (while
still quite a youth) been crossed in love, he
enlisted in the artillery drivers; that corps
suiting him best, from his well understanding
the management of horses, and being an
excellent rider. He related many amusing
stories of his first and only campaign in Germany,
which was an unsuccessful one. His
favourite theme was his various adventures at
the Cape. He gave me the whole history of
his promotion from a private to a corporal; for
he rose to that rank. I was always pleased
with his descriptions ; for there was such an
air of truth and candour in them, as convinced
me of his probity and honour; as well as the
high terms in which he always spoke of his
officers, and of the service in which he had for
so many years been engaged. He was of a
happy disposition ; for he seemed to forget all
the disagreeables of his profession, and only
remembered the comforts and pleasures he
experienced during the whole time he was a
soldier; and he always spoke in enthusiastic
raptures of the government, which had so
comfortably provided for old veterans. - Glass
considered himself particularly fortunate in
his military career, by having been generally
employed by an officer as his servant; and,
being an excellent shot, a good horseman, and
withal an honest, good-humoured fellow, was