Volume 3 > Half-Volume 6

631
to the literature of an obscure subject. After tracing
the development of law in Europe, and particularly
in England, from the time of Charlemagne, the
writer gives separate chapters on Scotch burghs,
vestiges of ancient law, the ancient constitution of
Scotland, early dress and manners, and Scottish
language and literature. In the same year he pub-
lished a lively little book of sixty-nine pages, Con-
cerning some Scotch Surnames, in which he constructs
an imaginary village, tells us the names of its inhabi-
tants, and points out how they came by them.
Towards the close of his life he published a treatise
of a less popular cast, on Scotch Legal Antiquities.
Of hardly less importance than any of his other
works is the first folio volume of The Acts of the Parlia-
ment of Scotland, published in 1844, in continuation
of the volumes previously issued under the care of the
great record scholar, Thomas Thomson. The greater
portion of this volume, which embraces the records
of Scottish legislation from the year 1124 to the year
1433, was prepared by Thomson before his death;
but the work was completed by Innes, to whose
industry we owe a long and valuable preface, tracing
the history of the constitution from the obscure times
of Malcolm Canmore, when Scotland became the
theatre of a political revolution through the English
tendencies of the sovereign, and the constant influx
of Englishmen who brought with them their English
customs, and obtained the leading power in the
northern kingdom. He also supervised the publica-
tion of a series of documents intended to illustrate
the history of Scotland, entitled, Facsimiles of
National Manuscripts of Scotland (three parts, 1867-
1873); and during his last years, was engaged in
preparing for the press the Rescinded Acts, relating
to the protectorate of Cromwell, and an index to the
entire series of Acts which had been given to the
world by the industry of Thomson and himself.
We can only refer to his Life of Dalzel, forming
the first volume of Laing's edition of Dalzel's history
of Edinburgh University; his Memoir of Dean Ram-
say, prefixed to the " Reminiscences" of that genial
author; and his Memoir of Charles St. John, prefatory
to the Natural History and Sport in Morayshire by
that author, all whose charming productions, indeed,
are due to the suggestion of Innes. He was a mem-
ber, and for some time a vice-president of the
Society of Antiquaries and the Royal Society of
Edinburgh; and to the Transactions of the former he
made many interesting contributions. Over and
above all this work he found time to write a number
of papers for the columns of the North British and
Quarterly Reviews.
Antiquary as he was, Cosmo Innes enjoyed with
all his heart the beauty of natural scenery and the
wild sports in the moors and hills of his native
country. His methodical habits allowed him at
once to labour and enjoy more than most men in the
same field of life. He deserves to be remembered
by coming generations of Scotsmen, not merely as
a zealous student of Scottish antiquities, or for the
quantity of material he contributed to illustrate
our national history, but still more for the quality of
his work; in that, rightly apprehending history not
to be merely the record of battles and sovereigns,
but the reflex of the whole soul and condition of the
people at the various periods of its existence, he
directed himself to a close study of old chronicles,
charters, etc., and helped towards a true conception
of Scottish mediaeval life.
JAKDINE, SIR WILLIAM, takes rank in the
history of eminent Scotsmen as a naturalist and
scientific observer of no mean repute, and also as
a practical zoologist of high and varied attainments.
Sir William was born in North Hanover Street in
Edinburgh, in the year 1800, and died on November
23d, 1874. He was the sixth baronet of Applegirth,
which baronetcy was created in 1672. The family
of Jardine itself has a history far antedating the
baronetcy; the family estate being situated in
Dumfriesshire, in which county Sir William long
held important and honorary positions of public
office and trust. His mother was a daughter of
Thomas Maule, Esq., the representative of the
Earls of Panmure. At the age of twenty-one years
Sir William succeeded to the estate and baronetcy,
having married in 1820 Miss Jane Lizars, daughter
of Mr. Daniel Lizars of Edinburgh. Lady Jardine
predeceased her husband, who married for the
second time in 1871; his second wife being a
daughter of the Rev. W. S. Symonds, Rector of
Pendock in Worcestershire, and well known as an
able geologist.
Sir William's education in its later and higher
stages was received at the University of Edinburgh.
At an early age, and particularly at the university,
he evinced a decided partiality for natural science
studies. Botany engaged his attention largely, as
also did geology; but zoology, especially in its
ornithological aspects, seems to have more power-
fully attracted his notice than any other branch of
study. The class of birds appeared throughout his
whole life to possess unusual attractions for Sir
William; and not a few observations, the benefit
of which more modern zoologists are now reaping,
were made by the enthusiastic student, even in his
earlier years of scientific study. The influence of
a country life, with its constant opportunities for
observation, must no doubt have largely tended to
direct the baronet's attention and natural tastes into
the pathways of natural science; and Sir William
cannot be ranked in any sense as a mere amateur or
dilettante naturalist, but as one who laudably set
himself, from sheer love of the subject, to advance
the interests and to stimulate the progress of scientific
research.
We have already alluded to the practical nature of
Sir William Jardine's zoological attainments; and
in conjunction with his scientific tastes these practical
habits, and the actual investigation of the objects he
described, form traits of high value and worth in
connection with the history of his attainments. He
was thus a keen sportsman, and well acquainted
with the rules of chase and sport. His pursuit of
game was influenced mostly and chiefly by a scientific
purpose; and observation of habits, haunts, or
peculiarities in birds, took the place in Sir William's
case of mere love of sport and pleasure. He keenly
observed whilst in the field, and his gun was em-
ployed chiefly for the purpose of securing specimens
to enrich his rich ornithological collection at Jardine
Hall�a literal "home-museum" of large extent
and great value, which resulted solely from his
labours as a practical naturalist in the wood and
field.
Nor did these practical labours end with the
capture or observation of his specimens. We find
the baronet to have excelled in taxidermy, and after
the anatomical description of his specimens he
generally preserved, stuffed, and mounted them
with his own hands, and added in this way largely
to his already well-stocked museum-cases and
shelves.
Sir William's labours as a literary man and author
were of an extensive description, and were, as might
be expected, chiefly devoted to natural history subjects,
and specially to the advance of ornithological science.