Grampian Club > Monuments and monumental inscriptions in Scotland > Volume 1

PARISH OF MANOR. 2G5
PAEISH OF LYNE.
A tombstone commemorates the Eev. Alexander Johnston,
minister of the parish, who died 8th March, 1788, in his hundred
and second year, and the sixtieth of his ministry. He had an
abhorrence of medicine, and used a simple diet. He preached the
Sabbath pre^dous to his death.
A tombstone to the memory of Janet Veitch, who died in 1*712,
is inscribed : —
" Life is the road to death.
And death heaven's care must be ;
Heaven is the throne of Christ,
And Christ is life to me."
PARISH OF MANOR.
The churchyard contains the remains of David Ritchie, wliose
remarkable deformity is portrayed by Sir Walter Scott in " The
Black Dwarf." Ritchie was born in the district: as a brush-
maker he obtained employment at Edinburgh, Dublin, and other
places. But his extraordinary malformation had excited such
derision, that he resolved to renounce his trade and live in
seclusion. He rented a small hut in the vale of Manor, where
Scott, who had heard of his extraordinary aspects, paid him a visit.
He was scarcely three feet and a half in height, and was so dis-
torted in face and figure that it was impossible to look upon him
unmoved. He had conceived an aversion to the world which had
ridiculed his defects ; but he found pleasure in raising flowers in a
little garden near his dwelling. He read some of the English
poets, and could repeat long passages of their writings. At one