Friday, April 1, 2016

Glengarry and His Family

From the Dundee Evening Telegraph 02 September 1893 (page 2)

In an interesting article on "Glengarry and his Family" in  Blackwood for this month, there appears the following letter from the almost nonogenarian poet of Broughty Ferry - a volume of whose writings and in verse and prose is just now being issued from the press: -

"To Miss Macdonnel of Glengarry. Knight's Land, Church Street, Broughty Ferry, May 6th, '92.

"When your father was returning homeward from deer-hunting; I remember very well in passing my father's door he would pull up his horse, and stop his hunters, and call my mother and all her children to the door, and make mother and family were made to partake of and drink health rounds, your father good-humouredly telling us that 'Our teeth were longer than our beards.' The children were served with bread and cheese, and nothing delighted them more than to see Glengarry coming home and his followers from deer-stalking. My father's house was at the back of the gardens near the old castle. We use to see you all passing every morning with Miss Drysdale, your governess. I think that I can still see in my mind's eye Glengarry passing in full Highland costume. He had a grand stately step and a fine manly bearing, and always had a kindly joke with any of my brothers and myself whenever he happened to meet us.
"When George IV visited Edinburgh Glengarry presented the following gentlemen to the King: - Macdonald jnr of Dalness, Macdonell of Barrisdale, Macdonell Shian, and other gentlemen of the nameof  Macdonell, officers in the army.At banquet given by the Lord Provost and Magistrates in honour to the King, Glengarry made a warm speech, extolling the virtues and patriotism of one who had been the patron of his early life, then gave 'To the memory Henry, Lord Melville.' I find that Miss Ronaldson Macdonell of Glengarry was presented to the King by her mother and Miss Alpina Macdonell of Glengarry also. I will send other documents soon, Many thanks for the portrait I esteem highly. - I have the honour, Madam, to be your humble servant. "William Robertson".
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