Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

234 THE FRASERS OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN.
kingdom, and went to the Brazils himself, Sir John Moore Drought us to
England."
From his mother having resided at Dartmouth House, Blackheath, pro-
bably in order to be near her father, Lord Saltoun's earlier years had been
passed in England, and it is doubtful whether he had ever, since his succes-
sion to the title, visited his paternal estates until the year 1808, when in the
autumn he proceeded to Philorth and Fraserburgh, and made acquaintance
with his feudal vassals and tenantry there, from whom his handsome and
manly appearance, and his frank and engaging manner, coupled with straight-
forward good sense, won golden opinions, and established amongst them an
esteem and affection for him, which increased and deepened during his whole
life. He also made a tour through the north of Scotland, visiting many of
his friends and acquaintances, and everywhere winning the regard of high
and low ; and of this evidence is found in letters written by his brother
Simon to their mother, while visiting Philorth, and making a similar tour
during the succeeding autumn of 1809.
He wrote: — " Saltoim is adored round Fraserburgh; everyone talks of
him and his affability, when he was down last year, incessantly. I do not
think I should have written to-day were it not to have told you this, well
knowing how grateful it will be to you to be informed how much Saltoun is
looked up to by his tenants. Indeed, were I to tell all that they have said
to me about him and yourself, it would raise you at least half-a-foot higher.
I shall therefore only remark, that the manner in which the old tenants who
could remember you spoke of you, brought tears of delight into my eyes, and
they are all as anxious to see you as my brother."
And in another letter : — " The gamekeeper at Kinrara spoke to me a good
deal about Saltoun's keenness and abilities for a sportsman, and mentioned
how liberally he had acted always to him, not only in making him a hand-
some present, but also, which seemed to flatter him more, in allowing him to
take his shot in fair play ; in short, Saltoun is a great favourite with every-
body who has spoken to me about him. ... It will be pleasing to you to
know that it is not confined to his own estate or tenants to respect and love
him."
The life of Simon Fraser, who thus wrote of his brother in terms of pride