[251] In 1864 this favourite Scottish pastime was resuscitated on Leith
Links, and is now enjoyed with a relish as keen as ever.
[252] _Archæologia Scotica_, i.
[LOTHIAN HUT.
The noble family of Lothian had a mansion in Edinburgh, though of but
a moderate dignity. It was a small house situated in a spare piece of
ground at the bottom of the Canongate, on the south side. Latterly it
was leased to Professor Dugald Stewart, who, about the end of the last
century, here entertained several English pupils of noble rank—among
others, the Hon. the Henry Temple, afterwards Lord Palmerston.[253]
About 1825 building was taken down to make room for a brewery.
About the middle of the last century, Lothian Hut was occupied by the
wife of the fourth marquis, a lady of great lineage, being the only
daughter of Robert, Earl of Holderness, and great-granddaughter of
Charles Louis, Elector Palatine. Her ladyship was a person of grand
character, while yet admittedly very amiable. As a piece of very old
gossip, the Lady Marchioness, on first coming to live in the Hut,
found herself in want of a few trifling articles from a milliner,
and sent for one who was reputed to be the first of the class then
in Edinburgh—namely, Miss Ramsay. But there were two Miss Ramsays.
They had a shop on the east side of the Old Lyon Close, on the south
side of the High Street, and there made ultimately a little fortune,
which enabled them to build the villa of Marionville, near Restalrig
(called _Lappet Hall_ by the vulgar). The Misses Ramsay, receiving a
message from so grand a lady, instead of obeying the order implicitly,
came together, dressed out in a very splendid style, and told the
marchioness that every article they wore was ‘at the very top of the
fashion.’ The marchioness, disgusted with their forwardness and
affectation, said she would take their specimens into consideration,
and wished them a good-morning. According to our gossiping authority,
she then sent for Mrs Sellar, who carried on the millinery business
in a less pretentious style at a place in the Lawnmarket where Bank
Street now stands. (I like the localities, for they bring the Old Town
of a past age so clearly before us.) Mrs Sellar made her appearance at
Lothian Hut in a plain, decorous manner. Her head-dress consisted of a
mob-cap of the finest lawn, tied under her chin; over which there was
a hood of the same stuff. She wore a cloak of plain black silk without
any lace, and had no bonnet, the use of which was supplied by the hood.
Mrs Sellar’s manners were elegant and pleasing. When she entered, the
marchioness rose to receive her. On being asked for her patterns, she
stepped to the door and brought in two large boxes, which had been
carried behind her by two women. The articles, being produced, gave
great satisfaction, and her ladyship never afterwards employed any
other milliner. So the story ends, in the manner of the good-boy books,
in establishing that milliners ought not to be too prone to exhibit
their patterns upon their own persons.]