Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 7, 1899

m
THte CELTIC MONTHLY?.
who, in an autograph letter now in the hands of
the Trustees of the Gallery, certifies that " This
is the original portrait painted by the late Sir
Henry Raeburn, my father ; and that the other
portraits of Neil Gow painted by him were
copies thereof." Mr. Raeburn ])resented the
picture to Robert Salraond, Esq., who lent it to
the National Gallery of Scotland from 1871 to
1883. Engraved in mezzotint by William Say ;
in stipple by Scott ; and as a vignette in line by
Croll. Purchased, April, 1886.
Neil Gow died at Inver, near Dunkeld, his
birth-place, on the 1st of March, 1807, full of
years and honour, in his 80th year ; and was
buried in Little Dunkeld churchyard, where his
NEIL GOWS OH.WE IX LITTLE IHNKEI.Ii
CHURCHV.\RD.
sons, John and Nathaniel, erected a marble
tablet to his memory.
We may conclude this notice of Scotland's
greatest violinist, in his day, by quoting the
following lines from the British Georgics, said to
be by the late Rev. Mr. Graham.
" The blythe Strathspey springs up, reminding some
Of nights when Gow's old arm (nor old the tale)
Unceasing — save when cans went round —
Made heart and heel leap light as bounding roe.
Alas ! no more shall we behold that look
So venerable, yet so lilent with mirth
.\ud festive joy sedate ; that ancient garlj
Unvaried — tartan hose and bonnet blue I
jS'cj more shall beauty's partial eye draw forth
The full intojrication of his strain
Mellifluous, strong, exuberantly rich I
No more amid the pauses of the dance.
Shall he repeat those measvues that in days
Of other years could soothe a fallen prince,
And light his visage with a transient smile
Of melancholy joy — like autumn sun
(iilding a sere tree with a passing beam !
Or play to sportive children on the green,
Dancing at gloamin' hours ; or willing cheer,
\Vith strains unbought, the shepherd's bridal day.'
K. N. Macdonald, M.D.
DEEDS THAT WON THE EMPIRE.
By John Mackay, C.E., J.P., Hereford.
The Capture of Havana, 1762.
{Cuiitinned from page 143).
;.:j^|OR man}' days an unremitting cannonade
livy ^^^ maintained on both sides with fierce
'iiv) emulation. Jn the midst of it all the prin-
cipal battery of the besiegers, constructed chiefly
of timber and fascines, caught fire. Dried by the
intense heat, the material burned fiercely, and the
battery was almost destroyed, the labour of 600
men for seventeen days was consumed in one
hour, and had to Ije recommenced. This was a
severe stroke of fortune, for it occurred at a
time when the hardships of the besiegers were
well nigh intolerable ; increa.sed by rigorous
duty, the diseases incident to the climate reduced
the army to half its strength. The provisions
were bad, water more scanty than ever, and as
the season advanced the prospects of success
became fainter of Havana being reduced before
the season of the W'est Indian hurricanes came
on. Now another battery took fire, before the
first had been replaced. The toil of the troops
increased exactly in proportion as their strength
was diminishing. Many fell into despair and
died, overcome by fatigue, anguish, and dis-
appointment.
But the riches of the Spanish Indies lay
almost within the grasp of the survivors, and
the shame of returning home baffled made them
redouble their efforts. The batteries were
renewed, their fire became more equal and soon
proved superior to that from the Moro, its guns
were silenced, its upper works dismantled and
destroyed, and on the 20th July a lodgment
was made by the troops in the covered way.
The darkest hour of night is before the dawu
of day. Meantime some merchant ships escorted
by Sir James Douglas arrived at Havanna, and
supplied the besiegers with many conveniences
for the siege, particularly bales of cotton, of the
utmost service to the engineers in pushing their