[131] There is a view of Clowance House in Borlase's 'Natural History
of Cornwall,' 1758.
[132] John St. Aubyn, grandfather of the first baronet; it was he who
purchased St. Michael's Mount from John Basset of Tehidy in 1657 or
1660, and died in 1679.
[133] The first baronetcy dates from 11th Dec., 1671.
[134] I quote very fully from this article with little reluctance,
because the writer is believed to be a gentleman who is not only
master of the subject of which he treats, but who also enjoys peculiar
facilities for elaborating it. 'I do not _count_ what I borrow, but I
_weigh_ it,' said Montaigne in his essay on 'Books.'
[135] He rebuilt the pier in 1726-27. In 1811 there were fifty-three
houses on St. Michael's Mount, whereas before the year 1700 the place
had so decayed that there was, it is said, only one cottage, and that
inhabited by a poor widow. The present baronet has spared neither pains
nor expense to enlarge and beautify the domestic buildings of the
Mount, under the professional guidance of his relative, the well-known
West-country architect, James Piers St. Aubyn; and Sir John has also
much improved the causeway which gives access for foot-passengers at
low tide.
[136] It may be noted here that the family portraits are at present
distributed between the Mount, Trevethoe near St. Ives, and Clowance;
but the majority are at the latter place.
[137] A well-known engraving of Rogers's portrait is familiar to the
collector.
[138] This lady was Catherine, the pretty daughter of Sir Nicholas
Morice of Werrington. The country story runs that her fortune was
£10,000, which was conveyed to Clowance in two huge wagons--the whole
of the amount having been paid in half-crowns!
[139] Writing to Dr. Borlase, in May, 1744, Sir John St. Aubyn mentions
that 'I doubt your friend Mr. Pope can't last long. He sent to desire
Lord Oxford and myself to dine with him t'other day, and I thought he
would have dy'd then; he has a dropsie which has almost drowned him.'
[140] Thos. Hogg's poem of 'St. Michael's Mount' was also appropriately
dedicated to him.
_TREVITHICK_,